Test drive BMW 1 E87 2004 - 2007 hatchback

One on one

One is not only the first, but also lonely, exceptional. The BMW concern did everything so that its new model becomes unique and the question of competition does not stand at all. Until now, no one in a compact class could boast of the rear-wheel drive. No one had so many options borrowed from the limousines of the business or even representative class. Finally, none of the cars that existed in this close segment of the market could call themselves BMW.
A couple of years ago, my good friend plunged for a long time, choosing a car to his wife. He consulted with friends, sellers and just random people, and then made this decision: you know, ”he told me,“ I decided that the whole fleet I would have one brand. ” Then you will not have to suffer from a choice, and they will be serviced in one place ... He himself was steaming five, they drove him on the seven, the plans were to buy a BMW motorcycle. He bought X5 to his wife.
In the model gamut of the Bavarian concern, almost everything can be found: Motoroller, two relatives, an elongated representative limousine ... And only between Mini and a three -core more recently, a hole gaped. It was in the golf class that the first episode was aimed, which Regensburg began to collect in the German city. True, both the factory and the office say compact, not golf, so as not to remember in vain a car that has long reigned in this market segment. Here they do not talk about competitors at all, and the appearance of the first series is commented as follows: according to forecasts in the next five years, the largest ladies will be among producers of premium goods, and not among the suppliers of consumer goods. And the presence in the BMW line of a car more affordable in price will allow you to join the brand younger and less wealthy. All this is debatable. After all, the richest man in the world is the owner of Ikea Ingvar Kamprod. And you can join the BMW world by buying, for example, a three -year -old five. But before us is new, with a needle, BMW 120i. Don't you think that in profile it greatly resembles Alfa Romeo 147? Do you think this is a drawback? - The representative of the BMW designer group dumbfounds me. The car was painted by the artists who sculpted the X5, and the shape of the stern, as well as the fairly sharp ribs walking along the sides, speaks unambiguously about this. The interior also leaves no doubt: this is BMW. The central console is slightly deployed towards the driver's seat, as in the Bavarian cars of the 70s. The engine is launched by a huge button to the right of the dashboard, which immediately makes you remember the Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!, Traditionally starting race. The seats adjusting drives are not all electric, but the number of adjustments is very large. I moved to the stop and found that I was not reaching the pedals. The same designer was afraid to me that in the driver's place here no less space than in the third series. This is an important emphasis, not without reason in the BMW 120i PR company, a basketball player is participating in a 194 cm tall. Squeezing through the narrow back door, I tried to sit behind me and rested my knees on the back of the driver's seat. That's right: BMW - for pleasure driving, not for family prose.
The rear -wheel drive unequivocally puts the car out of competition. No wonder in London you can read: The only 1 on advertising shields with a single -1 -to -1 -photo, and in Warsaw - Taki Jest Tylko 1., however, such a slogan is already occupied by the famous brewer Oleg. In order to achieve exclusivity, which also concerns the ideal for a sports car of the weightlifting 50:50, the designers even had to go to a number of compromises, which, of course, do not confess. It’s not about a newspaper duck, telling that they allegedly wanted to make the first episode in order not to weighing the bottom with a cardan shaft. This is nonsense, ”the Baemwasch Engineer told me,“ then two rows of seats would not fit in the car, and to make a two -seater car was not included in our plans. ” It's about something else. For example, the engine of the BMW 120i is longed long ago. This is unique for the CD and allowed to arrange all three pedals directly against the driver's seat, and not with the displacement to the right, like others. But for the mentioned weight, the motor had to be moved from the front axle towards the base, read the salon. As a result, the checkpoint handle turned out to be 15 centimeters further from the place where it would be convenient to wield, without bending her hand at the elbow. Or more. For the same weightlifting, a battery was sent to the luggage under the trunk. As a result, the car was left without a spare wheel. The car was shoeing into the so -called safe rubber, which can even run about 150 km in a puncture state. But such rubber costs about $ 400 per tire, and the price of a winter kit will roll out for $ 2000.
However, you will immediately stop grimacing as soon as you click on the gas. 150 hp - It is not God the news of what power, but how the car squats slightly at the back axis at the start and pushes you to the lower back is worthwhile, you just need to switch and keep the engine in the region of three and a half thousand revolutions. And such a suspension, of course, also does not have anyone in a golf class. By informing the palms lying on the steering wheel, exhausting information about the road surface and the trajectory of the machine, it is quite humane to the rest of the body. And with sharp restructures, and with protracted gentle turns, which can easily pass at a speed far beyond 100 km/h, there is no doubt - this is a real BMW. But over time, a six -cylinder engine may appear under this hood, there will be three doors, and the index 2 - even the BMW numbers are indicated by compartment and relatives - are not yet busy. An employee of the PR service nodded his head: the course of your thoughts is correct.
We, who love large cars, have to get used to the new BMW. Including to choose how to call her: a unit is already sounding, a penny and even terrible - Odinerka. The BMW management has not yet been waiting for record sales in Russia, but it is obvious that not only collectors of cars of the same brand will buy the smallest Bavarz. After all, he is so alone.
Text Dmitry Gronsky, photo BMW AG

BMW 120i
Beneri 4-cylinder engine in row
Working volume (cubic meter) 1995
Power (L.S. at rpm) 150 at 6200
Moment (Nm at rpm) 200 at 3600
The rear drive
Gearbox 6-speed mechanical
Length/width/height (mm) 4227/1751/1430
Wheel base (mm) 2660
Equipped mass (kg) 1335
Maximum speed (km/h) 217
Acceleration to 100 km/h (c) 8.7
Fuel consumption (l/100 km) 7.4
Price in Moscow $ 35 500
The Start/Stop button will get the owner of the BMW of the first series in the basic configuration, for all the rest of the electricity, including ordinary things as a radio and air conditioning, you will have to pay additionally. Another thing is that the list of car options is extremely large - the basic BMW 120i can be built up to almost everything that has large companies of the company - from the IDRive management concept to the voice management system of radio, cd, navigation and, above all, the phone.
For the first time in the compact class, the BMW of the first series is available in the input and exit lighting option, which is associated with the operation of internal lighting. The back door opens to an almost two -meter height, facilitating loading. It opens either with the help of remote control, or with a pen with a built -in BMW emblem. The volume of the trunk depending on the position of the back seats's backs is from 330 to 1150 liters.
 

 

A source: "Autopilot"