Tony Dron falls in love with the sound of BMW's 135i M Sport Coupé
It's the engine
in the new BMW 135i Coupé that gets your attention first. Maybe I should
have been weighing up how this new
car will sit in the market place. But I wasn't. I was in awe of the twin-turbo
three-litre straight six that pulls like a steam engine
from tickover, goes on to produce more than 300bhp and revs like a thoroughbred
racer.
And the noise:
it's not loud but no other car sounds like this. Do BMW engineers deliberately
create music for the driver's ears?
I think so.
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In today's market,
it's a bold move on BMW's part to produce a traditional three-box design,
albeit packed with all the latest
technology. The top-of-the-range model we tested comes with the M Sport suspension
as standard, specially developed with
its own set-up. That said, the 135i wasn't what I had expected. At the technical
presentation, there was much harking back to
those long-gone days of the BMW 2002, once the definitive high-performance
saloon. That outstanding classic was the car
which put down BMW's marker some 40 years ago and no other manufacturer got
close.
Would some of that magic rub off on the new 1-series Coupé?
In case we missed
the point, a perfect 1971 2002tii was displayed for us to pay homage, which
we duly did. That was all good
nostalgic hype but, of course, the new car is nothing like a 2002tii to drive,
and perhaps it's a good job too.
Back then, it was still acceptable to produce a sports saloon that almost
begged to be slung sideways through every corner,
and such fun and games were the 2002's forte.
Quite rightly,
I still think, we described the controllable oversteer as a "safe feature"
that merely allowed a tightening of the line
without sudden steering movements. And so it was, but times have changed,
and that would be regarded as hooliganism now.
Cars handle differently today and this new 135i is as reluctant to hang its
tail out in a corner as any of them.
It remains firmly
in the BMW mould, being front-engined and rear-wheel drive, but it's misleading
to dwell on the past.
In terms of safety, comfort, efficiency and driving feel the new 135i Coupé
meets modern requirements that could not be
imagined in the 1960s and 1970s. Apart from anything else, with a top speed
governed to 155mph and 0-62mph in a mere
5.3 seconds, it leaves the fastest 2002 for dead. The performance is stunning,
not to mention the aforementioned beautiful music
of the straight six.
It's so much more
civilised than I imagined it would be. Despite the M Sport suspension and
six-speed manual gearbox, with no
automatic option, this is no raw road-racer. Its smoothness is largely down
to improvements in the ride brought on by the latest
generation of run-flat, low-profile tyres. The move to such rubbers in recent
years was controversial but it's hard to argue against
them now. The chassis engineers have worked hard on adjusting the dampers
to suit these tyres, but it is mainly the development
of the tyres themselves that has improved the situation. The driver can feel
some distant vibration through the steering on certain
surfaces, but it's barely worth mentioning. Passengers feel nothing.
On the road,
the 135i felt surefooted, well-balanced and beautifully constructed. There
wasn't one single unwanted rattle or creak
in our test car. The 135i is simply too fast to judge its performance fully
on the road - but we were headed for the attractive new
Gotland Ring circuit, in the middle of nowhere. The plan is to extend the
track to 28km, forming the longest circuit in the world,
but the current open section is fast enough, yet technically tricky, and
thus ideal for taking the 135i to its limit safely.
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On the circuit
the 135i was stunningly quick, yet completely stable. Turning off the traction-control
system, as all BMW owners
insist on being able to do, makes little difference because the car is fundamentally
safe. It is almost impossible to get the tail to
hang out. If you force it to do so, it soon snaps back into line. The grip
is phenomenal but the 135i tends to understeer and I
suspect the weight of that straight-six engine is the cause. Perhaps the
lighter diesel engines would make the handling even better.
The new 1-series Coupé range starts with the 120d ES, a 142mph car
that, at £21,585, is more than £8,000 less than the 135i
tested here. I don't think the bottom-of-the-range model would be remotely
disappointing. In fact, I have a suspicion it might be
even more enjoyable to drive.
Even so, the 135i
is a magnificent flagship that, with rear-wheel drive, has no true rival.
It's hard to beat for unobtrusive high
performance and is a delightfully sleek, smooth car to drive. It's expensive,
but it's high performance for grown-ups and fast
without being flashy. If you want to go sideways like an old-style hero,
get a 2002tii - or possibly an M3.
The 1-series Coupé
stands out mainly because it's so unusual to see a small three-box car these
days. The look of it will appeal
to many and it's worth noting that the back seat accommodation, including
headroom, is exactly the same as that of the existing
1-series hatch. Don't get too carried away, though, as it's horribly cramped
in all 1-series rear seats. This is a car for the selfish
driver, who sits in comfort. Those who want to take adults in the back for
any distance without a sense of guilt will need
something bigger.
BMW 135i M Sport Coupé
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Engine/transmission: 2,979cc petrol straight six-cylinder with DOHC per bank, four valves per cylinder, Double Vanos electronically controlled valve timing; 302bhp at 5,800rpm, 295lb ft of torque at 1,300-5,000rpm. Six-speed manual. Rear-wheel drive.
Performance: top speed 155mph (electronically limited), 0-62mph in 5.3 seconds, fuel consumption 21.7mpg.
We like:
Modern rear-wheel drive compact coupé with no true rival; superb,
efficient engine; very high performance; very high quality
We don't like: Sitting in the back
Alternatives: Audi TT 3.2 quattro; Nissan 350Z V6 309.
