Here’s Why A 2009 BMW 128i Is The Perfect First Sportscar For Gearheads Today

BMW’s 1-Series was an experiment for the Bavarian premium automaker – it followed a previous experiment with the BMW 3-Series Compact, a shortened, hatchback version of the sedan.

In North America, the Compact would also get offered - as the 1995 318ti - but it wasn’t a runaway success.

Over in Europe, hatchbacks are more common and in 2004 when BMW decided to bring in the BMW 1-Series to fill a non-existent niche - and compete with the Audi A3 and Mercedes A-Class - surprisingly the recipe worked despite its unfortunate looks.

Following its unexpected triumph, the 3-door hatchback, coupe, and convertible versions would arrive in time for 2007 and the US would get the 1-Series coupe and cabriolet by spring 2008.

We look at why the 1-Series from the 00s is an unlikely hero worthy of any gear head’s attention when considering an affordable sports car, before buying the closest Mazda MX-5.

The 2009 BMW 128i Is A Fun And Quick Sports Car

Look closer at the BMW 1-Series, and it makes sense, despite its ostensible status as a small 3-Series.

When the US got the 128i and twin-turbocharged 135i coupe, the engine under the hood was always a 3-liter straight-six, with either 230 hp or 300 hp, torque was up at around 200 lb-ft and 295 lb-ft respectively.

According to a contemporary review by Car And Driver in January 2008, the cars would undercut the equivalent 3-Series 328i and 335i by around $6,000 – a sizeable discount, but at what cost?

On the outside, the cars were reasonably attractive depending on your point of view, looking more petite than the larger BMW 3-Series and feeling like something between a BMW Z3 and 3-Series sedan but less elegant.

As for the transmission, both cars would be available with a 6-speed manual or an automatic.

The same automotive magazine praised the BMW 135i’s handling, suspension and powertrain.

Inside The Cabin Of The 2009 BMW 128i

Inside, the cabin is familiar to anyone who has seen a 3-Series or most other models in the German automaker’s lineup – here, the dimensions are more compact and best suited to one or two occupants although children should be fine in the cramped rear seats.

Some outlets cited slightly sub-par interior quality but overall, the cars whether in coupe or cabriolet form were well-equipped and suitably premium like BMW’s bigger cars.

There were necessities like climate control and cruise control, electric windows and more advanced features like keyless-entry, heat-reflective leather, and iDrive with navigation.

Although not technically a sports car, the 1-Series had most of the hallmarks of one – luxury, style, small proportions, good handling thanks to rear-wheel drive and ballsy performance: 6-seconds-to-60 mph for the 128i and a second less for the more powerful model.

A Sports Car For The Thrifty Or An Overrated Icon: The 1-Series

For most people on a budget looking for a sports car, the Mazda MX-5 or Porsche Boxster might make good choices – and you also don’t need a hot hatch if you want something more practical.

The 1-Series has a decent-sized trunk and has the right kind of powertrain and drivetrain, even if it doesn’t look as exotic as a Miata or Boxster.

German engineering and build combined with a great-handling chassis and capable engine make for an interesting proposition – even in the lower-powered 128i.

With the coupe version things will likely be more rigid and there’s the prospect of less road noise too, at the expense of hood-down, classic sports car vibes.

To see why it makes even more sense in 2022 perhaps it’s worth looking at where the automobile industry is currently headed: electric cars, automatic transmissions, hybrid powertrains and crossovers everywhere.

Instead, here is a small and relatively lightweight sports car, with a naturally aspirated, 3-liter, straight-six engine and the option of a manual transmission with rear-wheel drive, when a lot of cars don’t offer any of those qualities.

How Much It Costs To Buy A 2009 BMW 128i In 2002

The case for ownership of a 128i today and what makes it a great choice for gearheads, is down to a few factors.

There is the drivetrain and powertrain, which will become increasingly difficult to find in the future, and there’s the relatively low price of owning one of these cars.

Fuel will be around 21-22 MPG for the manual and automatic transmissions respectively, but the purchase price could also be less than you think.

Over on AutoTrader, the 128i gets advertised for as low as $5,000, but reasonable coupes and convertibles with under 100,000 miles can be had for around $12,000; as always prices fluctuate a lot, but this is not an expensive car and there are many models for sale across different websites.

Classic.com’s historical auction results aggregator suggests that the 128i has a value of around $12,000 based on 8 auctions over 5 years, obviously with some increase over the last few years.

The highest price of $21,250 was for a six-speed manual model and the website suggests that these are the most sought-after models, as well as M-Sport-package models in general.

A roughly equivalent Porsche Boxster from the same era has an average value of $19,000 and a high and low price of $9,500-$30,000, it will also cost significantly more to insure and maintain.

As for buying the more powerful 135i, the more powerful 1-Series has harder M-Sport suspension and although more capable in the corners and with a better turn of speed, is likely to be less fun if the car is for frequent use.