Superb review - the best I've seen comparing old vs new. The chemistry between you two is brilliant to watch. After watching so many reviews of the new M135, I think you guys have just convinced me to keep my M140.
Sorry boys, but it's time to move on, BMW is a business and a company, it employs people and as such it has to sell cars or those employee don't get paid. No one is making 4.0 litre domestic cars anymore, especially hatch. It would only sell in low numbers and be a disaster. Keep your RWD car, look after and cherish them. The M135i is here to stay. Besides here in the UK its rains and a powerful rear wheel drive stops being as much fun. The XDrive will be great here. And if you love BMW so much, then you have to let them try different things and make cars that sell, without them they'd be NO MSport division.
Not really the point, the old M135i/M140i offered a different driving experience to the other hot hatches of the era. The new one is too by-the-book to be a true successor to the previous, superior generation
As a m140i owner I get what he's saying, 340hp is all but pointless in anything but warm dry perfect conditions....it wants to kick its back out and try to kill you if your not careful. I looked at a new m135i and simply wasn't excited about it and the cost with opinions just made it a none starter.....I guess I'll stick with my m140i in the hope that something more exciting comes down the line or it'll be bye bye BMW I'm afraid
Fully agree with this! Most people don’t take their cars on a track, and in the UK it’s mostly wet conditions which those rear wheels can’t cope with. The better all round package it the F40 M135i imo, but if you want purely a RWD hatch with the best engine stick with the M140i. For everyone else that wants a more practical but quick car, the F40 probably serves 95% of people better.
Agree. Sick of seeing reviews that says it hasn't got a straight 6 or RWD etc. If you want that buy an F20. Judge it against its competition not what it isn't
As an F20 LCI M135i owner, I feel the only way out of my current car is into an M2. Could never jump into that 4 pot M135i, no matter how good the tech is.
I would love to know how the new M135i Xdrive stacks up against and old M135i Xdrive. Felt like an apples v oranges comparison: of course around a racetrack, a RWD will feel better. Torque steer on a rear-biased Xdrive seems really odd?
@Thabang on cars thabang on cars No mate, not the 'new' one. I don't like the styling, and I don't like the fact you can't get it in RWD only. It's basically a MINI in a different dress, FWD biased until the front wheels lose grip then the rears start to kick in. RWD only for me thanks, like BMW's should be imo. It's the reason I have owned 5 in a row, all RWD.
I don't mind you being critical at all in fact I completely agree!!! BMW have fallen to the common populous, who don't even know what RWD and FWD means... They have done loads of research and found this startling fact, hence the complete redesign... The biggest problem is that people with a lot of money many times opt for buying the Mercedes AMG A45 but then see the price and go look at other options and then find cars like the F20/F21 M140i and rather buy that for cheaper with maxed out extras and specs, where they would have payed more for the standard A45... Now you see this is where the problem starts but I still strongly feel that BMW should then have rather done what they did with the 2 series years back where they made it a fun family oriented car with a superb engine that gives that great performance and is in no way an M car that should be bold with handling performance and thrill of driving... I can also say I STRONGLY doubt they will make the F40 M140i a 6 cylinder, the chassis just wont handle it and it will definitely not be RWD it's just nor going to happen not on the chassis platform not this generation of 1 series... We can only hope and pray to God they rethink their approach next generation 1 Series especially with the M performance oriented line of 1 series! The new gearbox used in the M135i is also trash compared with the old ZF8 in the F20 M140i. We can only Hope!!!
Replacing the m140i with what exactly, the point is the m140i was being out sold by Golf r and similar cars.....why because not all drivers want to drift, some drivers want grip like the Golf r etc why else would it have sold in touch numbers? BMW is simply getting on board the four wheel drive, 4 cylinder turbo boat that others have been so successful with, you want a M car then buy an M car
@@patrickbateman7122 most none enthusiasts didnt even know their old 1 series was RWD. Ive had an m140i for nearly 3 years now and myself and many other drivers don't drive their cars anywhere near the limit so whats the point of BMW building cars for a small group of enthusiasts hardly good business. You want drift and 6 cylinders buy an M car
Nice review guys. I don't get how BMW can shave 2 pots off of the engine in the name of new regulations and 'save the planet' vibe but still sell the M range with straight 6 - Doesn't make sense. I have the M135 LCI straight 6 love it, quite smug when I see a new M135 or 128Ti haha...
I’m driving the m135i 4-pod and i’m very happy with mine. I’m ok with you guys dragging it down. There is no way you can compare these 2 cars as they are completely different. It’s a car of a new era and as much good the rwd 1-series is, both cars have a future for the history books only as we all are going to drive electric cars no matter what. Look at Porsche, a taycan turbo s 🙄. Both cars are no M cars but M-Performance cars. Look at an M340i, no M car either but still a good car, a very good. The old M135 has the benefit of an rwd architecture that all 1-series had and an engine that sounds like music to the ears of much BMW-addicts. Nothing sounds better as a 6 cylinder engine in a compact car .... and rwd of course. M- performance cars are NO M-cars, M-cars have also special bodywork etc ... An M-performance car is a very very good all rounder and I think you have the benefit of a 6 pod with rwd that is something more unique as the new M135i. Apart from the fact it is no rwd car it is a very good all round car and both cars have there own charistics. Good or bad, I don’t no ... but comparing those 2 cars ... yes and no .... and by the way ... the old one ... it is something special 👍
@@Benjay1975 🤣🤣👍 i actually drove an M140i the other day and i thought it was one of the most overrated cars. Was well disappointed. Apologies if you own one..
@@Benjay1975 fair play! You're right. I guess coming from a BRZ which has very low cog and good steering for epas it would always feel different. Wish i had that B58 though 🤣👍
The older 135i is open diff and understeer is what it does and that sucks. If people today were mostly respectful of others new cars, I'd buy the brand new M3.
