The introduction of the BMW 1 Series pushed the coveted BMW brand down into more mass market segments, locking itself in with institutional cars such as the VW Golf for the first time. BMW wanted to offer an enthusiast’s choice by compromising the packaging benefits of traditional front-wheel drive in return for the dynamics that rear wheel drive offers.
The BMW 1 Series range has now filled out and the latest addition, though not an M-car, sits at the head of the line-up. Finding itself among hot hatches, coupes and sports saloons the new BMW 130i is in competition with a wide spectrum of cars as diverse as the VW Golf R32, Nissan 350Z and Subaru Impreza WRX. BMW’s styling of the 1 Series continues to divide opinion like few others and will polarise prospective buyers almost instantly.
The M Sport front end adds some menace and the 130i is difficult to differentiate from a 330i in the rear view mirror of another car. In profile the 1 Series still looks a little awkward and something of an acquired taste, but sitting low on M Sports suspension it looks noticeably more purposeful than lesser 1 Series models.
The five-spoke alloys are lovely as well and the large exhaust protruding from the heavily sculpted rear skirt indicates some of the potential lurking under the long bonnet. The installation of BMW’s middleweight title-holding three-litre straight-six into its smallest car yields some impressive performance figures: 0-60mph in the low 6s, 100mph in a further 8 seconds and the ability to kiss the restrictor at 155mph with considerable ease.
Bear in mind that the E36 M3 had only 286bhp and it gives the 260bhp in the nose of the 130i some perspective. In-gear performance probably exceeds that of the old M-car as the extra features on the new engine (such as double-VANOS and VALVETRONIC) yield a broader spread of torque.
The test cars are also extremely rev friendly, screaming up to and through the redline with some zest. As ever the six-pot offers a variety of aural treats. The full repertoire of howls, wails and screams are present and able, and six well-spaced ratios, accessed through a precise, slick and swift change, allow the driver to tailor the rate of change of pace and sounds as necessary.
Some offer more space as well, as the limitations of the 130i’s packaging are exposed at this price. A Golf has more interior space, even more so an Impreza. What it does enjoy is a cabin quality that the majority of the market can’t match, not to mention a thoroughbred powertrain.
As a premium hatch the BMW 130i enjoys a comfortable advantage over rivals such as the Audi A3, but as a hot hatch the Golf GTi has it hard pushed to justify the premium, despite its inherent rear drive advantage. The 130i’s proximity to some serious drivers’ cars such as the 350Z and Honda S2000 further challenge its case and it finds itself in a relatively small niche.
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