Another BMW to be turbocharged?

BMW TO TURBOCHARGE 1-SERIES?

135Ti looks set to get 330bhp powerplant

BMW's turbocharged 135Ti due in 2007 BMW is to build a turbocharged version of the 1-Series which could put an end to the speculation about whether there will be an M1. There won't be one.

To make this happen, BMW will use a standard production engine, rather than borrow the M3's which would have punted the car's price into a prohibitively high bracket -- maybe £30,000-plus. The magnesium-block engine is new but is planned to sit inside the nose of the 3-Series and the X3 next year, so the cost will be spread over several models.

The new car will go head-to-head with the VW Golf R34's 260bhp, Ford Focus ST with 217 bhp and the Audi A3 3.2 V6 quattro's 250bhp. However, with the next M3 due to deliver 400bhp leaving plenty of horsepower space below it, there's some headroom for Munich's engine department to play with.

The BMW 135Ti has yet to get the production thumbs-up, but Autocar reckons it's a good bet. If that happens, expect to make your dash to the showrooms in 2007.

Source: AutoCar

kedar - 7/1/2005 8:18:51 AM

+1 Boost

BMW's marketing team ARE A BUNCH OF CERTIFIED MORONS!. I can bet that they dont plan to release any of these cars in the US.

I cant understand that they dont see the market, i dont know where the hell they are looking.

Atleast if they offer these cars thru European Delivery Program, they would know how the relative demand is!