The 135is proves BMW can still make a sports car

The 2013 BMW 135is restored my faith in “The Ultimate Driving Machine.” Many years ago, I owned a 325is, of the E30 generation, which taught me what BMW was all about. But over the last few years, coinciding with the launch of the X6, the brand seemed to take a turn for the mundane, turning out cars tuned for the mass market rather than enthusiasts. After driving a particularly placid 3-series, I was beginning to fear the worst.

Now, the little 135is convinced me that BMW still knows how to make a sports car.

Despite the 1-series being BMW’s smallest, entry level car, it can be one of the most potent, and the best street performer in the lineup. At just over 14 feet long, the 135is comes to the U.S. in a coupe format, and includes two smallish rear seats. The Europeans also get a really nice-looking hatchback version, which BMW refuses to import.

The 135i, boasting BMW’s excellent direct injected and turbocharged 3-liter six-cylinder engine, was already a little rocket. The addition of the “s” to the model name, something BMW has done occasionally through the decades, turns the car into a tuned-up street racer, with acceleration that won’t quit and an exhaust note that will get your attention.