The ultra-exclusive BMW M140i Performance Edition
hot hatch will be offered here in the second-quarter of the year. Only 60 units
— 45 with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and 15 with a purist-friendly
six-speed manual will come, priced at AUD 71,900 plus on-road costs, or AUD 7000
more than the regular M140i.
The locally-developed Performance Edition adds BMW
Performance grey 19-inch alloy wheels, a BMW M Performance exhaust, LED door
trims, extensive use of carbon-fibre in the cabin (like the M4 GTS), and a M
Performance Alcantara steering wheel.
Manual versions also get the usually optional rear
axle limited-slip differential as standard, sending torque from side-to-side as
required. All versions also get numbered 1 to 60 build plates and full BMW
warranty coverage.
The additions add to the existing M140i’s specs,
headlined by the 3.0-litre TwinPower turbo inline-six with 340 hp and 500 Nm,
rear-wheel drive layout and 0-100 km/h time of 4.6sec (for the auto, or 4.8sec
for the manual).
Carry-over standard features include adaptive M
suspension, variable-ratio steering, bigger M Sport brakes, adaptive LED
headlights, keyless access, iDrive 5 with sat-nav and a 12-speaker sound system
by harmon/kardon.
The existence of the Australian-market BMW M140i
Performance Edition is testament to BMW M’s success here.
