Exterior

With standard visual cues that come only with the 128i's optional M Sport Package, the 135i has an aggressive front bumper with three large air inlets. Xenon headlights are standard, and they carry a white bordering up top for 2012, mirroring the headlight treatment across most other BMWs. These lights include a string of LEDs embedded in the caps, a visual cue used in the automaker's redesigned 6 Series.

Rather than the 3 Series convertible's folding metal hardtop, the 135i convertible has a fabric soft-top that can open or close in 22 seconds, BMW says. It operates at speeds up to 25 mph.

The 1 Series remains a small car overall, about 2 inches shorter and narrower than a Scion tC. The popular 3 Series coupe, in comparison, measures about 10 inches longer.

    See also:

    Visual warning
    The approach to an object can be shown on the Control Display. When the distance to an object is small, the PDC display correspondingly shows a red bar in front of the vehicle. The display a ...

    Automatic headlamp control
    Switch position : the low beams are switched on and off automatically, e.g., in tunnels, in twilight or if there is precipitation. The LED next to the symbol lights up. A blue sky with the s ...

    Switching off
    Press the button repeatedly until the LEDs go out. ...