2011 BMW 1 SERIES

It would be easy to dismiss the 2011 BMW 1 Series as the baby BMW that people buy because they can't pony up for a 3 Series. You could also claim it's just a dumpy-looking coupe that costs too much money. But spend some time with the 1 Series and you'll find it has an irrepressible, playful character that brings sheer joy to the driving experience. Indeed, while the 1 Series coupe and convertible aren't the most inspirational BMW models, they are wickedly fun and surprisingly refined little cars worthy of the BMW badge.

Despite being the entry-level BMW, the 1 Series is available with the same inline-6 gasoline engines as the BMW 3 Series. That means the 2011 135i gets the 3's new direct-injection inline-6 with its single twin-scroll turbocharger. While this engine produces the same 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque as the outgoing twin-turbo inline-6, its torque now comes on even earlier and, most important, fuel economy has improved. In fact, the 135i is now more fuel-efficient than the 128i with its 230-hp naturally aspirated port-injection inline-6.