Bartek Sikorski

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1-Series Coupé tested
The all-new 1-Series Coupé aims to take BMW to the top of the class for driving fun. But is the powerful flagship 135i a match for the Audi TT and Volkswagen Golf GTI?
The Ultimate Driving Machine. That is BMW’s famous claim – but does it still ring true? The firm’s reputation has taken a few knocks in our tests recently: the new M3 has lost to both the Audi RS4 and Porsche Cayman S, the Audi A5 came close to toppling the 335d Coupé and the new X5 was beaten by the Land Rover Discovery.

So could this be the car to stop the slide? On paper, the new 1-Series Coupé looks very promising. It’s compact, rear-wheel drive, has a new electronic differential and, in 135i guise, features one of the world’s best engines. The twin-turbo 3.0-litre petrol makes this the most powerful car in its class, with performance to rival one of the company’s M models. And all for less than £30,000.

It’s claimed to be a proper four-seater, and its conservative design places it in between stylish coupés and top-end hot hatches. So here we line it up against one of each. The Audi TT makes no pretence of putting practicality first, but it’s better to drive than ever before, looks great and has a meaty, normally aspirated V6 with 4WD underpinnings.

The same engine sees service in parent firm VW’s flagship Golf R32 – yet we don’t think that’s Wolfsburg’s best hot hatch. The GTI Edition 30 is not only cheaper to buy and run, but just as fast and fun. While the Golf is pricey compared to direct rivals, it costs £7,423 less than the 135i. So does the new Coupé put BMW’s reputation on the road to recovery?

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Audi TT 3.2 T6 S tronic. Can our current class favourite hold on to its crown here?

When the first pictures of the second-generation TT appeared, many people were left rather underwhelmed. It looked like a toned-down version of its predecessor.

Luckily, it’s one of those cars that is more attractive in the metal. This TT is our own long-term test model (as is the Golf GTI Edition 30), and has lost none of its ability to turn heads, even though it’s been with us for nearly a year.

Up close, the lines are taut and lean, suggesting that the TT has been on a diet – which it has. The aluminium frame means that even with a heavy V6 up front and four-wheel drive underneath, the Audi weighs 130kg less than the BMW, at 1,430kg.

Back on the surface, the detailing is superb. The metal fuel cap, 3D tail-light clusters, perfectly integrated pop-up spoiler and 18-inch Turbine alloy wheels all add to the sense of occasion.

And with a large rear hatch and maximum boot capacity of 700 litres, it’s more practical than you might imagine. Provided, that is, you want to carry luggage, rather than people. So cramped are the back seats that they will barely cope with small children. And they won’t enjoy the claustrophobic rear cabin – or the ferocious acceleration the TT is capable of.

The 3.2-litre V6 doesn’t match the firepower of the 135i – it delivers 247bhp and 320Nm of torque, and so trails its rival by 55bhp and 80Nm respectively. But it has less weight to shift, while the quattro 4WD delivers exceptional traction and the S tronic double clutch gearbox provides instantaneous shifts. As a result, the TT sprinted from 0-60mph in only 5.7 seconds. The trouble is, there is no turbo to beef up mid-range torque, so its in-gear times weren’t as good as the Golf’s.

But don’t let this concern you, as what’s most important is that this is a great engine to use. It provides oodles of pace, a surprisingly raspy note (it’s particularly loud and tuneful from the outside) and immediate throttle response.

What lets it down is the transmission, which doesn’t like low speeds. It’s jerky, then surges forward suddenly as the clutch bites. The system isn’t as mechanically involving as a manual box, either. Yet once up and running, the S tronic is magnificent – as a passenger, the only way to detect shifts is to watch the driver’s fingers pull the paddles or listen to the powerplant.

The styling, engine and drivetrain aren’t the only attributes that took the TT to coupé class victory in our New Car Honours 2007 (Issue 971). The real revelation is the way it drives.

It’s sharp and inspires confidence. The steering is better than the BMW’s, and helped by the fact it’s lower to the ground. The Audi feels more planted and secure on the road. It turns in hard, grips well and is more informative than the 135i and Golf. We’d specify the £1,150 optional Magnetic Dampers, though. They work brilliantly, not only making the TT even more dynamic to drive, but boosting absorbency in the softer setting. Without them, the ride is not as relaxing as it could be.

Tyre noise is also intrusive at speed, although you’ll be too busy admiring the cockpit to care. Yet again, it’s a work of art, carefully designed and beautifully executed. It doesn’t have the purity of the original TT’s, and we’d like the steering wheel to come out more and the seats to cup your thighs better. But such minor flaws are forgotten in a cabin that makes you feel this good – especially when it gets heated leather seats as standard.
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Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30
It doesn’t have a premium badge, but the VW is still a great package
Despite coming from humble origins and nearly being killed off in the Nineties, the hot hatch is on great form. The class is more diverse than ever before, with plenty of upmarket models now available. BMW and Audi have their own versions – the 130i M Sport and S3, each with more than 260bhp. Yet both were left bruised when they took on VW’s superb Golf in Issue 944.

So how will the GTI fare when tasked with meeting the 1-Series Coupé and TT head-on? It has space on its side, but while the 350-litre boot is generous and the user-friendly rear seats shouldn’t be sniffed at, the cavernous interior means the driving environment isn’t as snug.

No hot hatch can match the elegant styling of the TT, but in terms of visual impact, our long-term Edition 30 model has an ace up its sleeve. The 18-inch powder black alloy wheels – are now a £1,500 dealer-fit option, and although they look rather ostentatious, they give the car a far more purposeful stance.

Elsewhere, the detailing is as well executed as ever. The thin red line around the grille, the distinctive rear lights and the subtle bodykit all differentiate this car from a run-of-the-mill Golf. Yet it still comes across as tasteful.
The overtly sporting approach would be for nothing if the German three-door didn’t have the performance to back up its looks. On paper, it’s not too promising; the Golf delivers 227bhp and 300Nm of torque, and lags 75bhp and 100Nm behind the BMW. Even the fact it weighs over 200kg less isn’t enough to level the playing field, while the front-wheel-drive layout means traction is lacking off the line. The VW completed the sprint from 0-60mph in 6.4 seconds – that’s a lengthy 1.3 seconds slower than the 135i.

But this isn’t the whole story – once up and running, the turbo GTI recorded virtually identical acceleration times to the TT, making it faster than the firm’s R32. The engine is a gem: efficient, tractable and well mannered. Our only gripe is that it doesn’t sound as good as its six-cylinder rivals, and lacks their linear power delivery.

What it does have is snappy throttle response, firm brakes and a precise, clean gearchange. These features highlight just how well engineered the GTI is – the standards are every bit as high as in the BMW or Audi. Plus, the Golf is light to drive, easy to see out of and well laid out inside, all of which helps to make it effortless to live with.

So can it really be as exciting to drive? In a word, yes. The suspension is every bit as well set up as the Audi’s, delivering a near-perfect blend of ride comfort and handling ability. The steering wheel isn’t only great to hold, but provides more detailed feedback than the BMW’s. And although the front-drive layout means the Golf doesn’t put its power down as well as its rivals, it’s superbly balanced, responsive and entertaining.

Admittedly, the GTI doesn’t have the panache and desirability of the TT, nor the 135i’s straight-line speed. But it’s a very well rounded car that’s great to drive in all situations. What’s more, it has brilliant seats, a faultless driving position and, despite the hatchback architecture, manages to come across as sporting and special inside.

If you sit in the VW, you wouldn’t think it costs nearly £8,000 less than the BMW. And although we’ve criticised the Golf in the past for being more expensive than its direct rivals, in this company it looks like a real bargain.
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BMW 135i Coupé
All-new two-door serves up unique looks and a mighty engine.
Considering the tempting list of automotive ingredients that make up BMW’s new two-door 1-Series, it should be great to drive. But let’s not forget that, as a coupé, the car’s first task is to look stunning and make you feel good.

The TT is a past master at this, yet the same can’t be said of the BMW. While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, few would argue that the two-door appears ungainly alongside the Audi and has little sense of individuality or excitement.

BMW has made things awkward for itself by trying to retain as much of the hatch’s practicality as possible. The back seats offer enough space for adults, and as the coupé is 133mm longer than the five-door, the boot is 40 litres bigger, too. Its 370-litre capacity is larger than the Golf’s, and split-fold seats add to the appeal, even if the BMW doesn’t have the versatility of hatch rivals.

But this focus on space has compromised the exterior design. The 1-Series Coupé doesn’t attract many admiring glances, and the shape is too similar to that of the two-door 3-Series.

The range-topping 135i does benefit from a few alterations, though. Its lower spoiler juts further forward, the grille is wider to aid engine cooling and vents replace the foglights to channel air to the brakes. What’s more, thanks to the award-winning 302bhp 3.0-litre twin-turbo, the 135i is no ordinary coupé.

The powerplant is dazzling – easily the best thing about the whole car. It’s wonderfully smooth and sophisticated, sounds cultured and is hugely potent. At 1,560kg, the BMW is far from light, but it blasted from 0-60mph in only 5.1 seconds and hit 100mph a mere 7.4 seconds after that.

To put its performance in perspective, that’s in the same league as the Porsche Cayman S and Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Unsurprisingly, the Audi and VW were left trailing behind.

Even more impressive than the engine’s top-end urge is its flexibility and responsiveness. There’s no lag, hesitation or gaps in a powerband that’s perhaps the broadest of any engine. Peak torque of 400Nm arrives at 1,300rpm, and it’s maintained all the way to 5,000rpm.

In daily driving conditions, this means sixth gear pulls hard from 35mph, plus there is never any need to change down and fuel consumption isn’t excessive. We rate this as the best real-world engine available today.

It’s backed up by a crisp six-speed manual box (an auto will be available in March) and excellent brakes, which are sensitive without being grabby.

The way the 135i goes and slows is simply exceptional – so it’s a pity the chassis isn’t up to the same standard. We’re loathe to say it, but as with the M3, the 135i can’t deliver on its promise.

Admittedly, it’s a quiet motorway cruiser, has long gearing (70mph pulls only 2,450rpm) and a superb driving position, plus is well balanced, while its compact size means it’s wieldy to drive. But the suspension isn’t that supple. The BMW gets pitched around on any surface that’s less than perfect, so the steering requires constant correction, which limits your confidence in the car. It doesn’t truly come alive – instead, it feels slightly numb and disinterested.

What doesn’t help is the fact the cabin is so plain, with none of the TT’s sense of occasion. The fat steering wheel and hard-edged gearlever aren’t comfortable to hold, either. And although it costs £29,745, the 135i isn’t that well equipped.
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ree

Wow! The GTI got a really good criticism - I didn't expect that - especially to the both other cars!!

Just_me

Whatever Autoexpress, still bashing bimmers I see.

atuv

Well 135i for me that's for sure!

dr Dunkel

Did they even find one thing that was good about the 135i?

Matt

next time do you mind putting the pictures vertically juxtaposed rather than horizontal so we dont have to scroll right or left to see what they wrote. Thx.

Centurion

Like expected the TT came on top. The 135i is nothing but a smaller 335i, a small GT. The Z4, TT or Boxster are better choices if you want to go all the way. The 135i is a bit in between. It's not a practical coupe and it's not a full blood sports car either.

Poverty

lol you mad?

Guibo

Yep. They actually listed quite a lot of good things about it. It's just that for value per £, it can't hope to compete with the economy of scale found in VAG products.

castagna

Do you think the 135i is perfect?