BMW Coupe comes of age

Nov 9 2007 By Richard M Hammond

With the exception of the Mini, you have to assume from its name that the 1-Series is the smallest car BMW has any intention of putting into production.

But while it is the baby in BMW's line-up it's certainly not the runt of the litter, having been on the receiving end of plenty of attention since the range was first introduced in 2004. Originally launched in five-door form, followed by the three-door version of the same hatch back body, the Coupe is the third variant in the range.

Bmw makes no bones about the younger customer base the hatch back models have been attracting, and expects the Coupe to carry on in the same manner.

But the addition of BMW's 3.0-litre twin turbo unit adds an extra dimension to the story. No less than International Engine of The Year, the unit packs a real punch. In excess of 300bhp and a 0-62mph time of a shade over five seconds.

The previous thoroughbred in the 1-Series stable was the 130i M Sport. With 265bhp it's a match for some of the more distinguished hatch back opposition including the likes of the Volkswagen Golf R32, Audi S3 and Renault Megane RenaultSport 230.

The Coupe, with its even more powerful engine and sleek looks, is a rival to those cars but also for more exclusive sports coupe opposition such as the Audi TT, Nissan 350Z and even the Porsche Cayman. It also has a price tag to match them, at a fraction under £30,000 for the range-topping model.

So what do you get for your money? Well, quite a lot actually. Despite appearing at the featherweight end of the BMW line-up it's not a small car. In fact, BMW believes it may even have the potential to steal the odd customer away from the 3-Series.

The coupe body arguably suits the 1- Series better. Essentially a reshaped hatch back, it means the Coupe comes with roughly the same amount of space as the three and five door hatches. A slightly longer body has seen an increase in boot space though, and the load space will cope with shopping and golf clubs easily.

It's not the most spacious of interiors but is adequately roomy for the front passengers and features useable rear seats. Compared to the two-seater 350Z or the token gestures in the rear of a TT, the 135i Coupe makes a good deal of sense.

Then there's the performance. Blisteringly quick, the 135i M Sport Coupe is a real barnstormer in a straight line. There's power everywhere thanks to the twin turbos and - let's not forget - six cylinders.

It doesn't need to be thrashed to be appreciated however, thanks to the refined and solid ride BMW is so confident in delivering.

It gathers speed in an unflustered and smooth manner and feels as firmly planted at 70mph as it does at seven, with a minimum of body roll through corners and responsive, physically involving, sometimes almost heavy steering.

There's also little to dislike about the styling. As the performance variant the 135i MSport Coupe has been given some details to up the street cred. It features a deeper front valance, minus fog lights as the space is needed for air vents to cool the powerful six-pot callipers. There's a black chrome finish to the twin exhausts and, naturally, it sits on 18-inch arch filling alloys.

Very much a scaled down 3 or 5-Series, the 1-Series Coupe interior has a cosseting feel.

The I-Drive system eliminates the need for excess buttons so the centre console is concise and functional, but a row of buttons has been added for quick access to favourite functions and the 135i M Sport is well equipped and reassuringly luxurious inside.

The 135i M Sport is not just the soft option when the bigger cars are out of reach - it is a car that's extremely desirable in its own right.

the facts..

Model: BMW 135i M Sport Coupe, £29,745 on the road. BMW 1-Series Coupe from £21, 585.

Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit developing 306bhp and 295lb/ft of torque.

Transmission: 6-speed manual transmission, driving the rear wheels.

Performance: Maximum speed 155mph (limited), 0-62mph 5.3 seconds.

CO2 emissions: 220g/km.

Economy: 30.7mpg