BMW M135i - Hidden Gem

The baby of BMW’s M Performance range could well be the sleeper hit of 2013

Before you drive the Ml35i, it’s hard not to be underwhelmed by it. A lumpily shaped, frog-faced hatchback, it’s easily out posed by a Golf GTI - Mk 6 or Mk 5. Yet, it has the temerity to wear an M badge! A more pedestrian-looking M car you will not find.

But BMW doesn’t stick its M emblem onto just anything, so what’s the deal with this oddball? Well, the M135i is the hottest version of BMW’s 1 Series. Fitted with the ubiquitous “TwinPower” 3-litre, twin-scroll turbocharged straight-6 and 8-speed ZF automatic that serve the entire BMW range all the way up to the 7 Series and the X6, this car is seriously over­-endowed. In this application, the engine generates 320bhp of horsepower and 450Nm of torque - well within striking distance of the recently departed, old-shape 1 Series M Coupe (or 1M for short), which develops 340bhp and an identical 450Nm (plus another 50Nm on overboost). The performance is absolutely on a par with the 1M, too, with exactly the same 0-100km/h and top-speed figures of 4.9 seconds and 250km/h respectively.

BMW M135i - Hidden Gem

On the M135’s exterior are handsome 18-inch rims, custom contoured side skirts, a more pronounced front air dam and a rear diffuser styled valance, to distinguish it from the ll6i and ll8i. The car sits a tad lower than them, too but that’s about it. If you desire further differentiation, pick the three-door body style, which isn’t available for the standard l Series model in Singapore.

The M135i doesn’t feel special inside either, only distinguished from its lesser siblings by a chunky M-spec steering wheel and some tasteful Alcantara/hexagonal-patterned cloth trim, contrasting blue stitching, and subtle blue piping on the fascia. As with other l Series hatches, the cabin space is adequate but not generous - it seats four comfortably and five at a pinch, but a Golf, Megane, i30 or any other mass-market mid-size hatchback is more spacious.

It’s only when you move off that the magic begins - within a few hundred meters, you’ll know you’re in something special. There’s a muted purr from the engine but not much aural drama, and the car just darts off the line with such Torquay verve that you know you’ve found an eager, willing ally.

That impression is confirmed the first time you change direction and sense the steering’s meaty resistance and immediate, slack-free response and feel the whole vehicle pivot, inertia-free, into the corner without hesitation or roll. Press on and there are yet more encouraging messages flowing through the fat-rimmed wheel and the chassis, suggesting that this vehicle has so much more to give.

And indeed it does. Pushed hard, the M135i remains exquisitely composed, gripping ferociously and allowing just the slightest touch of stabilizing body roll. You can feel both ends of the car working to turn the nose in and keep it tracking through the bend, so that it manages to feel both thrillingly agile and absolutely planted, all at the same time. If you’re really committed, you can subtly adjust the attitude of the rear-drive M135 in the corner by either easing off or applying more throttle.

All this while the steering is delighting you with its perfect weight, its directness, and its keenness to communicate and interact. It’s very quick-geared and accurate, so you never need to make big sweeps of the steering - all it takes is a nudge of the rim to get the car changing course, and there’s ample information filtering through so you’re always acutely aware of the state of the tarmac underfoot, as well as the front wheels’ grip on it.

Given the Ml35’s top-drawer dynamics, it’s even more astonishing that it rides like it does. There’s a loose-limbed suppleness to the way it flows down the road, soaking up bumps and undulations with almost casual ease, such that S hard-charging progress is never interrupted. Remarkably, this hot hatch with sports car-like handling abilities also rides better than many bigger, less nimble family saloons.

There’s also a Sport mode, which can be configured to sharpen drivetrain response, stiffen the suspension settings, or both.

With the sportier chassis setting, ride quality clearly deteriorates, although it stops short of turning harsh. The upshot is even greater roll resistance, snappier turn-in at corners, and tighter body control over bumps and undulations. But this mode is best reserved for smooth roads - over more serious ruts, the firmer ride is more bane than boon to the car’s progress. The Sport mode also adds some steering weight, but this is unnecessary - the steering feels more natural and fluid in its default Comfort setting.

The Ml35i is an able mile-Muncher, too. There’s some road noise on certain surfaces, but otherwise the cabin is a refined and restful place in which to cover long distances. The engine’s generous supply of low- and mid-range torque, the long-striding higher gears of the 8-speeder and that beautifully judged ride make it effortlessly swift and relaxed, while the storming overtaking performance is just an ankle-twitch away.

Charging up through the gears, the straight-6 sings freely to its 7000rpm redline and with immense verve, the transmission firing through each cog with almost dual-clutch immediacy. Of course, there are steering-mounted paddles if you want to take charge of gear change decisions yourself. For “handy” enthusiasts, the M135i can also be had with a 6-speed manual, but frankly, the 8-speed auto is so good and well-suited to the car that there’s probably very little added involvement to be had with the DIY shifter.

As a member of the M Performance family (together with the X5 M50d and the X6 M50d), the M135i isn’t pitched as a full-fledged M car, but ironically, it trumps some of the fully paid M models for involvement and excitement. And as its 1M-matching performance figures show, the M135i can absolutely hold its own against the stopwatch, or against the 1M for that matter.

Look past its gawky shape and you’ll find a brilliant performance car thoroughly engineered, incredibly resolved and fantastically engaging. It’s quite possibly the gem of the entire BMW lineup.

Another minor monster

The 1 Series M Coupe (a.k.a. 1M) was only sold in Singapore for a few short months in 2011, but its legacy endures. As the range-topping version of the previous 1 Series, its dimensions, specifications and performance are near-­identical to the M135's, but it's a very different beast.

That much is evident just at a glance - the M135i could be mistaken for a tastefully accessorized 118i, but the 1M looks like nothing else on the road, with its huge 19-inch wheels, quadruple tailpipes and flared arches imparting thuggish, Tonka Toy-like muscle to the stubby two-door notchback shape.

And as its looks suggest, the 1M is a far more hardcore device than the M135i. Right from the off, you'd feel its seriousness of intent in the hefty, purposeful steering, gear change and clutch (it was manual-only, naturally). And where the M135i flows over bumps and allows a touch of lean into bends, the 1M's (non-adjustable) ride is uncompromisingly stiff, and its roll resistance, resolute. It's also much more vocal than the M135i, sounding amusingly rorty all the way from start-up to redline.

Hammer the M135 and the 1M down a twisty stretch of tarmac together, and in all likelihood, neither would be able to pull a gap on the other. And at the end, both drivers would climb out with equally wide grins. But only the driver of the 1M (or myself, for that matter) would turn back for one last look before walking away, happy.

Six guns in one

Three-liter turbo 6-cylinder

Three-liter turbo 6-cylinder gives the M135i a power-to-weight ratio even better than that of the mighty 1M

Automatic choice

Eight-speed autobox

Eight-speed autobox is so effective here that it makes the optional 6-speed manual gearbox unnecessary

No fuss, go fast

Plump, perfectly weighted steering wheel is the worthy centerpiece of the no-nonsense, predominantly black cockpit.

Plump, perfectly weighted steering wheel

M Spokesman

M135i gets dramatic, multi-spoke 18-inch light allow wheels and sizeable brakes with blue calipers

Multi-spoke 18-inch light

Fab fabric

M135's Alcantara upholstery and Estoril Blue stitching are par for the (race) course

Double burble

Twin exhaust has half the tailpipe count of the 1M, but produces one of the sportiest notes this side of an M3

White-hot missile

It ain’t pretty, but the M135 is speedy, and surprisingly supple to boot