Best sports car over $50,000
BMW 1 Series M135i
Such is the competence of its design and function qualities and on the road prowess, that the M135i, metaphorically speaking, took the chequered flag after starting towards the back of the grid as an average to below-average value for money proposition.
The M135i is absolutely single-minded in the way it goes in pursuit of peak power of 235kW at 5800rpm and beyond to a 7000rpm redline. An optional eight-speed sport auto works intuitively in extracting the best of the silky-smooth, turbo 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine. Peak torque is a brutish 450Nm, administered across a broad spread of 1250-5000rpm. Claimed 0-100km/h is 4.9 seconds.
Driving Experience Control enables adjustment of drivetrain settings: select Sport Plus mode for pursuit of fastest lap at a track day, Sport to enjoy a sinuous mountain road, Comfort when highway cruising, or EcoPro when commuting to work.
The concept of putting power to the ground through the rear wheels, leaving the fronts to simply point and steer, might be simple, but in cars like this it makes for the purest of driving experiences.
Retardation from the standard M Sport brake package is strong and indefatigable.
View scoresheet
Indicative Drive Away Price: $71,721
Criteria out of 10 – BMW 1 Series M135i
| Value for
Money |
Rating |
| Pricing |
6M |
| Depreciation |
7L |
| Running Costs |
2L |
| Fuel Consumption |
5M |
| Warranty and dealer access |
3H |
| Insurance |
5L |
| Standard Features |
6H |
| Design and
Function |
Rating |
| Safety |
7C |
| Environment |
8C |
| Comfort |
10H |
| Ergonomics |
9H |
| Build and Finish |
9C |
| On the
Road |
Rating |
| Performance |
10C |
| Ride |
9M |
| Handling |
9C |
| Braking |
9C |
| Smoothness and Quietness |
9L |
Note: Level of weighting importance for each score: L = Low, M = Medium, H = High, C =
Critical.