I say go for it, the 1 series is lighter, cheaper, and has the same engine. Not a fan of the looks but based purely on performance I'd say 135i, if it's looks I say 335i. But either of these options will be pushing your budget, have you considered looking at the used car market? There's a lot of good stuff out there for that money (Vipers, 911s, M5s). A lot of people overlook used cars but there's a lot of good stuff out there right now especially in this market.