BMW
M135i M Performance 3dr
£30,305
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“Not-quite replacement for the 1M Coupe is fast, fun to drive - and a whopping £10,000 cheaper”
Good stuff
Ample on-paper appeal is realised on the road: very fast, very entertaining
Bad stuff
Aside from rear space, nothing
Overview
What is it?
The hottest 1-Series, the BMW M135i is an M Performance Automobile. A what? Why, part of the BMW range positioned between regular BMWs and full-on M cars. It joins the X5 xDrive50d and X6 xDrive50d, and if the name is a mouthful, do as BMW execs do: call it an MPA. Or don't bother, and just call it M135i - more proudly so for 2015 thanks to a welcome and very effective facelift.
Although it may not quite say so, this is a true M car. You can feel the magic is there (M engineers aren’t solely responsible, but they’ve certainly had an input). It’s not quite as hard-edged as the brilliant old 1-Series M Coupe, but it’s close. And £10k cheaper. Given how it’s a thoroughly modern car to boot, it’s a real bargain. Particularly considering the way it drives…
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Our choice from the range
What's the verdict?
“BMW performance hatch that is also a bit of a bargain. It's not quite a 1M, but it's close.”
