BMW makes sports cars, right? Well, of course, although its sprightly SUVs stretch that truth a little too much for real brand loyalists these days. Thankfully, then, there is the 135i Sport Coupe, here now to woo you with its striking style, wonderful twin-turbo in-line petrol six, outstanding safety and superb dynamics. In fact, the 1 Series coupe is a better all-round bet than the fab but flawed hatch. But the real beauty of this car is that it reconnects with BMW’s brilliant coupe heritage, making it one of the most enjoyable and accessible cars to come from the Bavarian marque in years.
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BMW E30 325i coupe
Released: 1988
Ended: 1991
Family Tree: 1 SeriesBMW’s second-generation 3 Series certainly captured the zeitgeist of the go-go 1980s, rapidly rising up the image tree quicker than a greedy New York stockbroker. With its crisp three-box styling, beautifully solid interior, agile steering and quick handling (too quick for some, as the simple rear suspension proved), the rear-wheel drive sedan in two or four-door guises soon became a keen driver’s favourite – especially models fitted with one of the smooth and revvy in-line six-cylinder engines. The flagship for Australia was the 325i from 1988, using a 126kW 2.5-litre unit mated to a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual gearbox. Equipment levels included ABS brakes, air-conditioning, alloy wheels and central locking. When released in January 1988, this car cost $70,100 new – or just $1300 under its 2008 135i Sport Coupe equivalent.
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