The BMW 128i was introduced for the 2008 model year as the entry model in BMW’s North American 1 Series lineup. It arrived in coupe form first, with the convertible following shortly afterward, and it was aimed at buyers who wanted a smaller, more driver-focused BMW without stepping up to the more powerful 135i. In that sense, the 128i carried forward a familiar BMW formula: compact dimensions, rear-wheel drive, a six-cylinder engine, and a chassis tuned for balanced handling rather than luxury-first comfort.
The 128i was part of BMW’s modern reinterpretation of the spirit that had made cars like the 2002 so important to the brand’s enthusiast identity. It was marketed as a premium subcompact sports car, sitting below the 3 Series in size and price but still positioned as a true BMW rather than a stripped-down economy model. Over its life, the 128i appeared in both coupe and convertible body styles, giving the nameplate two distinct personalities: the coupe as the sharper, more traditional driver’s car, and the convertible as the open-air version for buyers who still wanted compact BMW dynamics.
In North America, the 128i remained part of the 1 Series family through the end of that model line. BMW confirmed that the 1 Series Coupe would end production in August 2013 and the 1 Series Convertible in June 2013, with no 2014 1 Series Coupe or Convertible offered in the U.S. market. The 1 Series two-door cars were then succeeded by the BMW 2 Series, which took over the compact rear-wheel-drive coupe role in 2014. The 128i therefore represents the first chapter of BMW’s modern compact two-door lineage in the U.S. and Canada: a relatively simple, enthusiast-oriented model that helped establish the 1 Series as a smaller, more agile alternative within the BMW range.