d motorofficial f motor_mag^35Likewise, a brake-controlled yaw
control system helps to calm the farm,
while a Torsen mechanical limited-
slipper does its slippy stuff as well.
Picking adaptive dampers adds
comfort and sport driving modes (but
no others), while you’ve got paddles to
override the wishes of the conventional
eight-speed auto.
Suspension is strut front and multi-
link rear with loads of chassis bracing,
and a specific spring/damper tune for
each 1 Series variant. Adaptive dampers
are an option, and the M135i on its
Pirelli-shod 18s rides 10mm lower.
Big front brakes introduce a new
tech for the Bavarians, too; gone are
the nasty-looking sliding calipers of
yore, replaced by simply ginormous
rotors and slimmed-down four-piston
one-piece calipers. The piston housings
are steel for better heat management
and allow the whole lot to slip under
those multi-spoke forged alloys.
Inside it’s all clean, neat and modern,
with just a hint of the brand’s DNA.
The suede-adorned seats are (just) low
enough to connect with the car, while a
chunky steering wheel sits in front of a
digital dashboard that’s pretty busy at
first glance.
The switch to a sideways engine nets
a raft of rear seat room, even though
the car is now 20mm shorter overall.
It’s also 34mm wider and on average
30kg lighter, so feels decently planted.
An overly enthusiastic exhaust barble
can’t really be heard from within the
car, but the 2.0-litre motor moves off
sufficiently well. It has a decent, if not
lovehandle-quivering turn of pace when
prodded, with a surprisingly planted
and supple ride in both modes.
The electric steering carries artificial
weight that doesn’t really translate to
genuine feel and it’s a bit slow-witted,
but it permeates a big-car feel, which is
something you appreciate at 210km/h
on the autobahn.
Those adaptive dampers, though, are
far happier at five- or six-tenths. Push
the friendship, even in Sport mode, and
the car’s composure unravels pretty
quickly, falling through its front travel
when you’re loading up the outside
tyre. I reckon it would be ace on a
choppier, slower surface, but there’s
exactly none of that in Bavaria.
We will need time on home soil to
get a better read on the M135i because
Germany’s glass-smooth roads don’t
do much to expose a chassis’ flaws.
On first blush, the M135i should acquit
itself pretty well, though its underdone
exterior demeanour and potentially
suspect chassis balance may ultimately
play against it.AHHHH,MARKETINGTYPES.Swanin,
createanentirelanguage/direction/
concept,collectchequeanddisappear,
notworryingfora secondaboutwhat
kindoflifeyourcampaign/missive/
communiquewillhave.
BMWhaslongusedthe‘sheer
drivingpleasure’tagline,alongwith
thetacitclaimthatif it isn’trear-wheel
drive,thengetoffourlawn.Well,um...
that’sawkward.
Thethird-generationBMW1 Series,
shownherein itshottestM135ixDrive
guise,isn’trear-wheeldrive.Infact,it’s
barelyall-wheeldrive.Yes,BMWhas
bowedtothegodsofmanufacturing
economyandplonkedthe1 Seriesatop
thesameUKL2platformthatunderpins
carsliketheMiniCountrymanandthe
fraternalX1/X2twins.
Pricinghasnotbeenreleasedyet,
butfigureit comingclosetothe
$60,000markofitspredecessor.For
thatkindofmoney,it’lllikelyundercut
thesimilarlypoweredbutpotentially
better-equippedMercedes-AMGA35
that’sduearoundthesametimeand
sharesexactlythesame225kWand
450Nmheadlinenumbers.
Thenew1 Seriesbodyis five-door
onlyandhas,unfortunately,morphed
fromdistinctivetoderivativein a
singlestroke.Upclose,it’spossibleto
seefinerbodydetailsthatgivethose
slabsidessomedepthandcontrast,
butreally,thisis a BMWthatwillfade
intothebackgroundratherthanstep
forward,whistlingtunelessly.
A 2.0-litrefour-cylindersingle-turbo
petrolenginereplacesthe3.0-litre
six-potoftheoutgoingM140i,sending
itspowerpredominantlytothefront
wheelsandnominally(upto 50 per
centonitsbestday)totherearend.
BMWhasaddedsometrickeryin the
formofa newanti-slipdevicethat’s
beenpluckedfromthei3.It givesa
wholenewleveloffinecontroltothe
slip-sniffingcomputersbydeleting
thechassiscontrolunitaltogetherand
shorteningthepathsthatthesignals
fromthetyreshavetotravelbeforethe
0sand1s cutin.Hottest1 Series lacksthedrive to excel
BMW M135i xDrive
BY • TIM ROBSONENGINE 1998cc inline-4, DOHC, 16v,turbo
POWER 225kW @ 4500-6250rpm
TORQUE 400Nm @ 1750-5000rpm
0-100KM/H 4.8sec (claimed)
3.5 WEIGHT 1600kg • PRICE $65,000(est)Rating
LIKE: Excellent ride control;
improved electronic trickery;
better brakes
DISLIKE: Derivative styling;
clinical interior; flawed chassis;
predominant front driveEVEN IN SPORT MODE,
THE M135i’S COMPOSURE
UNRAVELS PRETTY QUICKLY
ABOVE
The third-gen 1 Series
hopes to convince you
that a front-drive BMW
can be a good thing,
but our first drive
leaves some doubtOPPOSITE
New interior style
is more convincing
than in larger
Bimmers and pips rival
A-Class for storage
and multimedia
screen integration➜