Short Take Road Test
The spectrum of desirability ranges from Ferraris at one end to riding the bus on the other, and so it is that BMW’s new 1-series coupes land just shy of dedicated sports cars such as the Porsche Cayman.
Those are the coupes. The changes that come with creating the convertible version will cost any car, including the 1-series, some desirability points. As with any convertible based on a coupe, the conversion adds weight, cost ($4500), and complexity—all the while reducing structural rigidity.
But after driving the 2008 128i convertible, we’ve decided BMW has nailed the fundamentals. As a result, even in ragtop form the 1-series remains a highly desirable piece of machinery. Just take it easy on the options.
Nailing the fundamentals begins with a beefed-up structure that keeps the foundation largely shudder-free. Adding the structure necessary to strengthen the topless version, as well as the top and its mechanism, has added 242 pounds, according to BMW’s numbers. Our 128i weighed in at 3492 pounds, and as is the BMW way, the weight is distributed nearly evenly over each axle (49.8 front and 50.2 rear).
Under the hood is the unflappable 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine that we’ve raved so much about in the 328i. With 230 horsepower and a six-speed manual gearbox, this convertible ran from 0 to 60 mph in a respectable 6.2 seconds. We’ve not yet run a 128i coupe through our acceleration tests, but we’re expecting the lighter coupe will do the deed in fewer than six seconds.
Equipped with the $1200 Sport package, the 128i dumps the standard 16-inch wheels in favor of 17s with run-flat Goodyear Eagle NCT5 tires and a firmer chassis. Over all but the most beat-up roads, the suspension sops up impacts without upsetting the structure or its occupants.
Confident handling and an impressive 0.88 g of grip on the skidpad translate into a driving experience that is arguably sports-car-like. The big giveaway that you’re not in a sports car is the high seating position, well off the ground and decidedly sedan-like.
Many sports cars would be envious of the slick-shifting six-speed transmission in the 128i. A six-speed automatic is optional, but the six-speed manual is the perfect yin to the free-revving six-cylinder’s yang. Steering effort is heavier than one expects in a small car, but it does make the 128i feel more stable and substantial than its 172.2-inch length would suggest. Like all BMWs without an automated manual gearbox, the 128i convertible is an impressive and willing ally whether you’re bombing through the country or tooling around town with the top down.
Dropping that cloth top is as easy as pushing a button on the console and being patient for 22 seconds. An option worth considering is the Moonlight Black cloth top ($100) that we’ve seen on other 128i cabrios (but not on our tester). It’s a silvery black that shimmers and makes the 128i look great with the top up. The wind can be heard whipping around the fabric top at highway speeds, but the noise isn’t annoyingly loud. We measured 70 decibels at 70 mph.
The only thorn in this car’s side is the as-tested price of $40,800. At a base of $33,875, the 128i convertible strikes us as almost a bargain in light of the rest of the BMW lineup. Consider for a moment that the 328i convertible costs a heady $10,100 more than the 128i. For those of us whose current 401k performance means we’ll be working into our casket, that’s hardly chump change. Considering that a 135i convertible can be had for $39,875, our well-equipped 128i convertible makes even less sense.
Still, a 128i convertible with the Sport package barely suffers dynamically compared with the coupe. If we return to the desirability spectrum, we’d say that despite the price, the 128i convertible is only slightly less desirable than the coupe. If you live in a sunny, warm climate, all bets are off, as the ragtop probably trumps the coupe handily in those happy circumstances.
