Currently reading: BMW 135i to race at Melbourne

Road-going BMW will be pitched against F1 car and V8 Supercar at Albert Park

BMW will race a 135i coupe against a BMW F1 car and an Australian V8 Supercar at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.

The three cars will race on five separate occasions over the weekend at Albert Park. Staggered starts will be used to give the 1-series a chance to ensure a close finish.

Interestingly, the BMW 135i coupe will be badged as a ‘tii’, a name originally used on the BMW 2002 tii.

BMW showed a tii-badged 1-series coupe in 2007 (pictured) and rumours suggested it might make production as a lightweight turbocharged 1-series CS, rather than as a revival of the tii badge.

The BMW 135i tii to be demonstrated at Albert Park this weekend, however, is just a standard 135i coupe kitted out with upgrades from BMW Performance’s options list.

A carbon fibre bonnet and wing mirror covers, as well as upgraded brakes, suspension and 18-inch alloys wheels, help distinguish the special-edition 135i coupe from the standard car.

Mark Tisshaw

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