1Addicts reports:
BMW’s 135i coupe and convertible may not look much different for 2011, but with a new turbocharged inline-six engine and a newly available dual-clutch automated manual transmission, the 2011 135i certainly feels different. We came to this conclusion following our first opportunity to sample the new 135i on the roads around New Jersey Motorsports Park, as well as on its “Lightning” track, during BMW’s recent 2011 model rollout.
On paper, the differences are slight. Cosmetic and interior changes are more or less limited to reshuffled option packages. While the single-turbo N55 replaces the award-winning N54 twin-turbo motor in all 135s, its output figures are technically the same as those of the N54: 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque, with peak torque now occurring 200 rpm sooner. (We say “technically the same” because it has been our longtime suspicion that the N54 is actually 20 to 30 hp more powerful than BMW claims and it’s possible that the N55’s ratings are not similarly underestimated.) The dual-clutch transmission is the same DCT-branded gearbox offered in the Z4. It replaces the 135i’s optional six-speed automatic and costs $200 more, while a six-speed manual is still the standard transmission option; the 128i continues with the choice of six-speed manual or traditional automatic....
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