BMW M135i On Sale In Australia
The true hot option in BMW's 1 Series hatch line-up is now in Australia, with the new M135i five-door hatch making its local debut this week. Priced from $68,400 (plus on-roads), the M135i enters on the top rung of the '1er' family, deb
The true hot option in BMW's 1 Series hatch line-up is now in Australia, with the new M135i five-door hatch making its local debut this week.
Priced from $68,400 (plus on-roads), the M135i enters on the top rung of the '1er' family, debuting as the first petrol model in the new M Performance line-up.
It's not a true M car in the vein of the limited-edition 1 Series M Coupe, but with BMW's thunderous turbo-six under the bonnet, it'll do the job for most.
NOTE: Read TMR's review of the M135i here.
Mechanical Package
Power in the new M-tuned car is provided by the familiar turbocharged inline-six, producing 235kW and 450Nm of torque.
While the M135i churns out the same torque numbers as the 1 Series M, the latter has another 15kW of power over this new hatch.
And, where the 1 M could be had only with a manual transmission, the M135i gets a six-speed manual and - for an extra $4000 - an eight-speed automatic.
In auto form, BMW says the M135i will hit 100km/h in 4.9 seconds - yes, the same time as the manual 1 M - while the manual lists a 5.1 second run.
Those comparable acceleration figures are brought about in part by the huge torque, and also by the M135i's lighter kerb weight; around 70kg lighter than the 1 M Coupe.
One significant point of difference between these two cars, mechanically, is in the steering. While the 1 M gets a hydraulic arrangement, the M135i packs an electromechanical system.