Had an M135i all day today and it's a proper fun bit of kit.
Almost prefer it to a 1M and I'd say it's damn near just as quick. Put a smile on my face and blatted down my favourite local roads. If anyone has seen Chris Harris's vid I've been using the same roads all day.
Right, here's what I like:
It's proper quick in a real World way such as overtaking and blasting A/B roads speed, so between 40-100mph.
Looks just like a cooking 1 series to anyone, so less attention,etc.
Steering, although not great feel is real quick.
Suspension is so well judged. The body control makes it feel proper M car even though it's not.
The auto box is a stunner and feels more like a DCT. I hate auto's with a passion and it's the first auto car I've ever driven that hasn't pissed me off with it's changes, especially on top of the rev range down shifts into committed corners. If it won't over rev you'll get a downchange - every time with good engine braking effect.
Also super fast upshifts, I'd say faster than the DCT in my M3.
Small and chuckable. I can honestly say it felt every bit as secure on a fast bumpy road as an M3.
Good brakes (at least on road) at last in a BMW!!!
Engine noise is fab! Different World from my old 335i motor. It does what my 8 year old boy called "parps" out the exhaust when you upshift, much like the new M5's. All engineered in but who cares, sounds great when your on it.
Did 19.3 mpg along my favourite road v's low teens in my M3!! Also reset for economy drive and got 36mpg. Impossible in the M3.
Here's what I didn't like:
OK, it doesn't look beautiful............or even close to it but I don't think I care.
That's about it.
I might have one by next week!!!
