On paper, the 135i is one of those cars that sets your heart racing - a 306-brake horsepowered performance version of BMW's 1-Series that suggests some serious pocket-rocket potential.
Smarter than the fussy 1-Series hatchback, the coupe retains the compact's scalloped sides, topped by a high-edged shoulderline that helps the baby Beemer stand out from the crowd - but with some smarter embellishments that give the 2+2-seater a much sportier feel.
With a longer wheelbase and bonnet than the standard 1-Series models, the coupe's muscular flanks suggest potency, and the 'Hofmeister kink' (the dog-leg shaped rear C-pillar) and short overhangs are standard BMW design tricks these days.
The 135's front end has been given a racing-style apron that emphasises its broadened stance and wheel arches that are sculpted at all four corners to accommodate wide-profile tyres. Side skirts taper up to the rear wheels and long, frameless doors help soften the side aspect. The rear quarters feature L-shaped LED lights, a Mazda MX-5-style integral spoiler, a matt-finish rear diffuser and chrome exhaust pipe finishers.
But there's a lot more to the car than its looks. BMW has developed the 135i with its classic 2002 coupe in mind - a turbo-charged, rear-wheel-drive sedan that it made from 1968 to 1976 and which helped put the marque on the map as one of Europe's top sports car makers. New for 2008, the 135i coupe is one of only a handful of rear-wheel drive sporting 2+2s on the market with a quality cockpit.
The 135i feels promising as soon as you step into it, with a stylish matt-black interior, a leather sports steering wheel with gearshift paddles and electric front sports seats with a driver's seat memory function. Automatic air-conditioning, an integrated AM/FM receiver and a boot mounted six-CD changer come as standard.
