Orlando Sentinel's view

“Entry level” is a term that makes premium manufacturers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz nervous, and their dealers downright frightened. The companies and those dealers have spent decades building the brands into something exclusive, and the idea that they would be forced to market a vehicle that is less than exclusive — well, if you could buy a Rolex watch for, say, $2,000, why would you spend more than twice that on a new Rolex Air-King, which is presently the least expensive model?

And recent history with those two automotive brands suggests that dealers’ fear is not without basis. The Mercedes C230 coupe was introduced as a 2002 model, with an announced base price of $25,595, a whopping $5,000 less than the next step up, the C240. To get the price that low — or low by Mercedes standards — some corners were cut, and the C230 lasted only a few years before it got the boot.

For 1995, BMW tried the same thing with the 318ti, a hatchback bargain version of the 3-Series, base price $19,990. It lasted until 1998, and like the Mercedes C230, it was pronounced a failure. The “ill-fated BMW 318ti,” as Car and Driver magazine called it.

Since then, both BMW and Mercedes have introduced entry-level models. The difference is, BMW calls its entry-level car the Mini, and Mercedes calls its entry-level car the Smart. As long as the entry-level cars don’t actually carry the premium nameplate, apparently it’s OK. Rolex dealers would probably welcome an entry-level watch, so long as it wasn’t called a Rolex.

Now, though, BMW thinks it’s time to try again with an entry-level car that is actually named BMW. It’s called the 1-Series, and I think it’ll be a hit.

This is a good time, though, to point out that I have a terrible history at predicting such things. On Nov. 15, 2001, I wrote on these very pages that the new Mercedes C230 coupe was “a whole bunch of Mercedes for the money” and said you’d be seeing plenty of them on the road. As for the “ill-fated” BMW 318ti, I own one. Drove it today. Like it a lot. I’ll probably buy a Mercedes C230 when the price of a used one drops a bit more. See? That’s the problem: Resale values of the C230 coupe and the 318ti remain very strong, suggesting that, although neither car brought the hoped-for flood of customers to the brands, the cars were, nonetheless, pretty darn good.

As are the 2008 BMW 128i and its more powerful sibling, the 135i. But now, Car and Driver sticks the BMW 135i on the cover, proclaiming it “quite fantastic,” something it never said about the old 318ti.

Both the 128i and the 135i come as coupes and convertibles, but not as four-door sedans. You want that, upgrade to the 3-Series. The 1-Series base car, the 128i, has a 3.0-liter, 230-horsepower inline six-cylinder engine. The 135i has a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder, too, but with twin turbochargers, pumping out 300 horsepower, the same engine found in the BMW 335i. Both offer six-speed manual or automatic transmissions.

Both are the same size: about 9 inches shorter than a BMW 3-Series, and slightly narrower. Inside, vinyl upholstery — nicer than it sounds — is standard; leather is optional. Front seats are firm and supportive. Rear seats are best left for sub-5-footers.

From the outside, the cars look quite similar, but the 135i is more sporting, outwardly identified by the larger standard 18-inch tires and wheels, compared with the 128i’s 17-inchers. The 135i also gets a standard rear spoiler and an “aerodynamic kit” for the lower body. Xenon headlights with an auto-leveling feature are standard on the 135i, optional on the 128i.

The biggest difference, though, aside from the engine, you can’t see from the outside: The 135i has a standard sport-tuned suspension that is firmer than the suspension on the 128i. Much firmer. So firm that it might be the difference between my choosing a 128i over a 135i. Around town, or on short trips, it isn’t bad. But on longer drives, especially if there’s much rough pavement en route — you will want to steer clear of potholes — the 135i will beat you up, more so than the new BMW M3.

And it helps the 128i’s case that it is so much fun to toss around the back roads, and even with its own optional sport suspension, it doesn’t punish you. And the difference in price is substantial: The 128i starts at $28,600, and the 135i starts at $34,900. You can, in fact, get a 128i convertible for roughly the same price as the 135i coupe. Let’s face it: A rear-wheel-drive BMW with 230 horsepower is still going to be a lot of fun, especially with the manual transmission. I have not been a fan of BMW’s manuals these past few years, but on this car, as well as the new M3, I have no complaints at all.

The most polarizing aspect of the 1-Series seems to be the styling, which doesn’t bother me at all, but others find it flawed. One colleague called it “seriously ugly,” but I have to say: He’s no prize himself.

I like the 1-Series, but as with any BMW, you’ll want to do two things: Steer clear of the “iDrive” joystick control that is far more annoying than helpful, and unless money is no object, go light on options. (Of course, if money is no object, go for the 3-Series, which starts at $32,400.)

That $28,600 base price of the 128i coupe? There are, for example, 11 available exterior colors, but only three are “free,” and the other eight cost $475 each. In fact, load it with options, and you can hit $41,370 in this cheapest 1-Series. The 128i convertible starts at $33,100, and the 135i convertible starts at $39,100. All models come nicely equipped with lots of safety features and most premium features, even at the base price.

BMW’s sales goals for the 1-Series are, really, rather modest: The 3-Series is expected to continue to be the most popular model for a long time. Whether the 1-Series does what an entry-level model is supposed to do — introduce new, younger customers to the brand, with the idea that they’ll migrate up through the model lineup as they get older and richer — remains to be seen. And, as I’ve proved, I’m the wrong guy to ask, anyway.

Sentinel Automotive Editor Steven Cole Smithcan be reached at scsmith@orlandosentinel.com.