BMW is clearly quite keen to
promote the youthful personality of the 1-Series. While we wouldn’t go as
far as saying that the 1-Series is any kind of track car, the M135i certainly
has a number of things going for it in the performance department.
Sitting at the heart of the range-topping model in
the family is a potent 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 302 hp. Whereas the rest of
the new 1-Series family has moved from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive,
the sporty variant also losses rear-wheel drive but makes up for that with
all-wheel drive. BMW says the vehicle can reach 100 km/h in a brisk
4.8 seconds.
Customers in Europe will have three diesel engines
and two petrol versions to choose from. The diesel range consists of the 116d,
the 118d, and the 120d xDrive while the 118i is the sole petrol model not
affixed with an ‘M’ badge. The 116d, 118d, and 118i models all come standard
with a six-speed manual transmission whereas the M135i will be sold exclusively
with an eight-speed Steptronic Sport gearbox.
BMW didn’t just overhaul the exterior of the new
1-Series but also made a number of significant interior upgrades. For example,
there is the latest BMW Operating System 7.0 with a 10.25-inch infotainment
screen. The car also features a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster while a
9.2-inch BMW Head-Up Display is an optional extra.
