THE ONE…
Brimming with attitude, the racy BMW M135i xDrive is a great looking car with lots of personality and it’s quick… very quick, writes Paul Agnew. Photography: Roger Moore
If Ralph or Giorgio or Tommy or Hugo, or any of the iconic clothes designers of our time, were to put their shirt on a car, then this might just be the one.
Sorry, perhaps that should be the ‘1’.
Anyone with an eye for design would be delighted to be responsible for the new BMW 1 Series and, in particular, the racy, road-hugging BMW M135i xDrive.
Red hot and brimming with attitude, this is a compact giant of a hatchback capable of more power than any other four-cylinder vehicle in the history of BMW.
This is seat-of-your-pants motoring with great looks, personality and features.
A 2.0-litre petrol engine delivers a thumping 306bhp, enough to fire the BMW M135i from 0-62mph in just 4.8 secs and a top speed of 155mph.
Quick with a capital Q. It also comes with performance optimising elements such as a high-performance cooling package, M Sport braking system and M135i optimised M Steering.
Put your foot to the floor – if you dare – and the ‘intelligent control logic’ system will send anything up to 50 per cent of the torque to the rear axle. Milliseconds later, the xDrive system kicks in and becomes four-wheel drive.
For a car capable of monster performance, the fuel consumption and emissions are impressive… 39.8-41.5 mpg on the combined cycle and emissions of just 162-155 grams of CO2 per kilometre.
An eight-speed sport automatic transmission with electronic selector lever adds further to the feeling of oomph (that’s slang for power incidentally)!
Standard specification for the BMW M135i xDrive includes the M Sport steering wheel and new M Seats with Alcantara upholstery. This upholstery variant is enhanced with special BMW M piping and contrast blue stitching.
It is the only model variant to feature the BMW kidney grille in a distinctive mesh design and its surround and three-dimensional elements come in cerium grey.
With double-spoke 19” alloys and LED headlights it looks better than smart; inviting to driver and passenger alike.
All the latest technology tricks and treats are inside too with Live Cockpit Professional, comprising 10.25” Control Display with Touch Function and BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.
Available for the first time on the BMW 1 Series, the Connected Drive Package Professional offers Apple CarPlay, Concierge Services, Connected Parking and Real-Time Traffic Information.
Did I mention Microsoft Office 365? That’s there too to synchronise emails, contacts and calendar entries, plus Skype for business calls with just a single click.
In short, it means you are more connected than ever with full support across any number of situations, just open your mouth and ask!
The BMW M135i xDrive is for people who like their cars – those for whom time spent behind a steering wheel is a sheer pleasure.
Obvious though it may sound, it is the ‘1’ for anyone who really enjoys driving.
Bowker BMW
Trident Park, Trident Way
Blackburn BB1 3NU
01254 274444
bowkermotorgroup.co.uk
Bowker Preston BMW
Channel Way
Preston PR2 2YA
01772 769976
bowkerprestonbmw.co.uk
