2008 BMW 1 Series As Part of 2007 L.A. Auto Show Winners and Losers

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As I usually do, I visited Kicking Tires' website today. I read about their entry about the 2007 L.A. Auto Show Winners and Losers. Three of Cars.com’s staff namely David Thomas, Joe Wiesenfelder and Mike Hanley have scoured the auto show and took a look at the models at the LA Auto Show. They also gave their personal comments on the cars and gave them “WINNER and the “LOSER” tags.

2008 BMW 1 Series

David Thomas: Winner
“The 1 Series gets my nod because the proportions and design, especially the back end, are the best I’ve seen out of BMW’s new school of design. I can’t wait to test one. However, I’m hung up on the near-$30,000 starting price among such affordable sports-car and entry-level-luxury competition. I don’t know if I’d ever buy one.”

Joe Wiesenfelder: Winner
“To my eye, the 1 takes a half-step back in time, design-wise, but I don’t think that’s a drawback at all. It looks like a small 3 Series. The 135i is - foremost - the 300-hp twin-turbo inline-six we loved in the 335i in a smaller and lighter car. How is that not a good thing? I sat in it and found it plenty roomy. It isn’t cheap, but I suspect it will be more fun than the 3 Series for the same reason the 3 is more fun than the 5 Series: smaller, lighter, more nimble.”

Mike Hanley: Loser
“For the enthusiast driver in me, the performance potential of the new 1 Series is incredibly appealing - especially with the available twin-turbo inline-six-cylinder that makes the 335i so engaging. That said, I'm not sold on the car's ungainly looks; its upright grille and angular C-pillars lack the smooth styling of the 3 Series. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, as BMW says the 1 Series was inspired by the blocky BMW 2002. Many designs find a way to grow on you with time, but I've been looking at this car for months and it has yet to look attractive to me."

The Volkswagen spare parts were also seen on the cars from Volkswagen on the auto show but if you wish to know more about the 2007 L.A. Auto Show's winners and losers visit Kicking Tires.