FAST FLEET

THERE’S A MOMENT WITH A NEW long-termer – usually when it first shows up at an evo photoshoot – when you can gauge what you’re in for over the next few months by looking at the reactions of the assembled journalists. Back in October 2019, when I rolled into the Bedford Autodrome car park in ‘my’ new BMW M135i, I was greeted by multiple looks of bemusement and even a few smirks. It was always going to be this way. There had already been a lot of chatter about the ‘challenging’ styling of the new 1-series, in particular that front grille, while the model’s almost sacrilegious adoption of front- and four-wheel-drive layouts in place of the traditional BMW rear-drive format had also come in for criticism. After much muttering in the group about both of these aspects, and the M135i’s rather ‘meh’ performance

on the launch test (evo 265), photographer Aston Parrott piped up with a palliative: ‘You’ll enjoy it! Should be a fun car.’ And so it proved to be.

So, let’s address the elephant in the room first. The exterior design is always the first thing you notice about a car, and the switch to transverse engines for the new 1-series means the previous generation’s longer bonnet has been replaced by a shorter pug-nosed version, which is emphasised almost comically by the oversized grille. At first it looks a little out of place, although with time I grew to like it. The sides and back of the car, meanwhile, are packed with lots of performance-signifying details, giving it quite a quirky sporty feel overall, but one that’s certainly distinctive and unique.

The real hero for me, however, was the interior. Let’s face it, this is the part of the car you see the most of as a driver, and every time I got inside the M135i it felt special and even a bit luxurious. A quality cabin is something that is sometimes missing in a hatchback, and being a designer I appreciated this side of the car fully.

BMW’S designers had clearly made the most of the new engine orientation, as the space and therefore comfort created inside were noticeable. I wasn’t a fan of the chunky, over-padded steering wheel, which hampered the sense of feel and connection, but the quality and build of the dash was superb and the trim and switches oozed class. The infotainment unit was one of the best I’ve experienced, too, its usability and features second to none. As mentioned in a previous report, it came into its own when it identified a flat tyre and contacted BMW Roadside Assistance to come and sort it, all with helpful prompts from the screen. Basically, it was like KITT from Knight Rider…

Saying that, however, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant system could do with a bit of work. It suffers in the same way an Amazon Alexa can in that it mishears most of your requests and spookily listens in to your conversations, which led to some annoying diversions on the satnav.

Quite early on in my tenure, the M135i was snatched for a triple test with the Mercedes-amg A35 Saloon and SEAT Leon Cupra R ST Abt (evo

271). Sadly, the BMW trailed behind in this group, the general consensus being that it was let down by its four-cylinder engine, which was smooth but underwhelming, and its four-wheel-drive chassis, which was capable rather than inspiring. I have to say I agree. The BMW does lack that ‘wow’ factor compared to its rivals, feeling a bit tame and safe. A couple of extra cylinders and a chassis that felt less front-led could have made it a lot more competitive.

However, while it’s not an all-out driver’s car, I really grew to like the 1-series regardless, and at times it was indeed a fun car to drive. That capable chassis handled B-road lumps and bumps with aplomb, while the combination of four-wheel drive and more than 300bhp ensured punchy acceleration was only an

ankle flex away (0-62mph taking 4.8sec). But it could also settle into long motorway journeys, and it excelled as a town car too, ticking all the boxes on the usual daily tasks.

So the M135i was a very practical all-rounder with a bit of an edge, and perhaps that is exactly what BMW intended it to be. For me, though, while there is much I will miss about it, it lacked the excitement I look for in a hot hatch. If BMW could work on that – as it sounds like it may have done with the 128ti (see page 75) – maybe the latest 1-series could be an evo car after all.

Date acquired October 2019 Duration of test 9 months Total test mileage 3691 Overall mpg 29.8 Costs Tyre £130 Purchase price £43,190 Value today £33,850