Tag: F20

The front end of the F20 1 Series is awful. The M135i makes a small improvement, but it’s still no match for the much easier on the eye treatment on the M235i.

Which begs the question, why didn’t BMW just get it right the first time? And why have they left it so long to fix up the problem?

Clearly there’s one guy who couldn’t wait any longer and he went and put an M235i front end on his M135i. Regardless of the cost we can’t imagine he would ever regret taking that step. It just looks so much better!

There’s a few more pics after the break, including an ugly duckling before pic.

[Source: BimmerPost]

If you only read the spec sheet of the BMW M135i there’s a fair chance you’d want one. A hot hatch featuring an N55 turbocharged straight-six, sending 235kW/450Nm directly to the rear wheels, is a compelling package. Indeed, with a new slick 8-speed auto you can see off 100km/h in just 4.9 seconds. But there’s a catch. Of course, there’s a catch.

The elephant in the room with the M135i is the way it looks. Being polite, it’s just bloody ugly. To be fair, BMW has slightly improved the troublesome front end with a new styling package compared to the regular F20 1 Series.

But a question only you can answer: if the M135i was head and shoulders the best car in its class, could you do it? Because, as it turns out, there’s a fair chance the M135i is the best car in its class. Here’s what the early reviews are saying:

Autocar (Richard Bremner): “While some may desire the more uncompromising character of the 1M Coupé, the fact is that this M135i’s ride is less maskingly firm, its steering more delicate and its character easier to live with. And it’s also a whole lot cheaper, being almost £10k less.”

Car (Chris Chilton): “It might not look as sexy as a Scirroco, or feel quite so single-minded as a Megane RS, but the BMW is faster, better built and just feels more special than any of them. We can’t think of a more desirable, more exciting top-drawer hot hatch on the planet than this M135i.”

Evo (David Vivian): “The best thing about the M135i, though, is the grin it puts on your face on a twisty road… But I can’t help thinking the real achievement is the focus on something I’d feared the M people had lost sight of: the bloke behind the wheel. Three hearty cheers for that.”

So when can you get your hands on one? BMW Australia is bringing the M135i here in a five-door layout only and hope to have it in showrooms before the end of the year. And we hear BMW is hoping to have M135i on sale with a list price of around $68,900. Assuming it’s relatively well equipped, and doesn’t require too many ticks on BMW’s expensive options list, that pricing is quite good.

So, we ask again, could you do it? We’ve got a couple of videos for you after the break that may or may not seal the deal.

Dr Friedrich Nitschke, president of BMW’s M division, has confirmed the production version of the Concept M135i will be offered with all-wheel drive.

Speaking to Car and Driver Dr Nitschke revealed: “The real car will be virtually identical to the concept. It will be powered by the N55 engine, and you will be able to buy it with a manual or automatic transmission. We will also offer optional all-wheel drive.”

So there you go. He also had some interesting things to say about turbocharging and manual transmissions.

Friedrich Nitschke on turbocharging: “Turbos were never a taboo; that was always a question of the best option. Back then, the naturally aspirated engine was the best option. But today you can have much more efficient engines with the turbo, and we will continue to follow this approach. We always choose the best technology.”

Friedrich Nitschke on manual transmissions: “Sporty drivers always chose a manual over the automatic transmissions, which used to be inefficient and have just three or four gears. But technology has moved forward… Our new M5 and M6 have so much power that a mismatched shift can easily destroy the transmission. It’s not easy. Therefore, for the first time, we have advanced our software to cut spikes and protect the transmission electronically.”

[Source: Car and Driver]