[Mikedav]

Following February?s announcement of the much-anticipated six-cylinder
BMW 130i, BMW UK has confirmed the September 2005 introduction of the
most potent 1 Series to date ? the new 265hp BMW 130i.

Taking BMW?s lightweight magnesium-alloy six-cylinder 258hp gasoline
engine as a basis, BMW engineers have wrung every last drop of power
from the revolutionary powerplant, making the BMW 130i six-cylinder the
most powerful engine in its class and the most powerful six-cylinder
engine under a BMW hood, bar the M3. It is also the only car in its
segment to offer a front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout ? the optimum
set-up for on-road
dynamics...
Full Story

Courtesy of www.vwvortex.com

 

[Matteeboy]

I usually grow to like BMW shapes (5, 7 series) but I still find the 1 a total minger.

Bet is will be a great drive though.

And about a million quid.

 

[simch]

The fastest British Gas van in the the world!

What a fugpig that car is!

 

[Mikedav]

I find the Sport bodywork etc a suprising improvement but still not a
fan. Will be bloody quick though, if ludicrously expensive.

 

[Chris]

I still look at the people on the road who have bought them and think "what on earth have you done!"...

Hideous car IMO... car's can be bland, boring, cloned... but thats plain horrible. It had soooo much promise too, they could have tied that entire low end market up had they got it right.

 

[Gti Fly]

This is probably gonna be a great driver's car, what with the supposed 1series handling, and the awesome new 3litre engine..

If only VW would make more engines like this!

 

[NikB]

Pity that its going to be such a good car to drive but so damn ugly.

 

[sonnys_sdi]

I like the looks of it am I the only one?? That engine's going to be
awesome though, wonder what the specs are on the 0-60 and 0-100 on that
badboy of a car.

 

[Gti Fly]

I like the looks of it am I the only one?? That engine's going to be
awesome though, wonder what the specs are on the 0-60 and 0-100 on that
badboy of a car.

I guess 0-60 in 6 secs

and 0-100 around 15 secs.

It's gonna be one RAPID car thats for sure. I hope that if I ever come across one, it's on a dark rainy road

 

[Mikedav]

wonder what the specs are on the 0-60 and 0-100 on that
badboy of a car.

"A
class-leading zero to 62mph time of 6.1 seconds while top speed remains
limited to 155mph. Consumption is still frugal with the 130i recording
30.7mpg(imperial) on the combined cycle"

(I can believe the MPG part especially, my 330ci is proving to drink
about 30% less fuel than my Bora V6 did). If this car had a
(completely) different body it would obliterate the
competition. If only the designers would bring back the 70s and 80s
shark nose BMWs with a 21st century twist - you know the sort of thing,
retro inspiration on a new design. Cars styled that way would be
suitably aggressive/teutonic and bloody lovely IMO.

 

[sonnys_sdi]

I still love the old M635's they were the daddys imo. 4-speed autos if i remember correctly and good built engines.

Are they bringing out a 130d if so that will be an awesome car yet again in the tuning world.

 

[JMcQueen]

The one series is such a wasted opportunity...Great engines and great chassis all spoilt by god awful design and over pricing. The 130 M sport is on the BMW site as starting at ?25,000. Throw in a few extras and your talking decent spec 3 series money. No way Id pay that for a car that looks like and old boot. I just hope they sort it out for the 2 series next year.

 

[PowerHorse]

For me the 1 series was going to be a leg up the car buying ladder, it was the car i was going to trade my Mk4 in for, But when it was unvailed to the public my heart sank,

It's proportions are all wrong with that bonnet that goes on for ever, and as someone has already pointed out, it looks like a van.

 

[djhorace]

I still think it looks like the Ant Hills Mob car from Wacky Races! That top pic makes the car look truly hideous!

 

[SteveTDCi]

Even IF I did like the outside, i'm too tall to sit in it. And 25k is way too much money for a car that size

 

[Spin 150PD]

Ok, I know I'm gonna get slaughtered but I like it (Gulp). The only part I'm not too fond of is the rear, thinking they could have been more adventurous with the light clusters plus the exhaust outlet on the 120D looks naff - other than that for a five door it floats my boat !

As I have placed an order for the new GTi I decided to see what else I could buy for ?20K(love the Golf but still think it is about ?2,000 too much IMO) and found myself at the local BMW dealer only criteria being good handling & tuneable with a desireable badge (Snob).

I took a 120D sport out for a lengthy test drive and have to say once behind the wheel it is excellent, not as exciting as or instantaneous as a GTi but I was very surprised at how 'sporty' and competent the car was - the diesel engine is quiet, sounded very pretol like under load and was very happy to rev well into the red line, couldnt help but keep thinking what it must be like remapped (standard 163bhp - superchips claim 203bhp). Then we come to the handling, superbly balanced and it felt secure at speed only let down being an overactive traction control type thingy. The seats were superb and featured a button that adjusts the side bolsters and thigh supports to 'clamp' you in place, you are seated low and rear wheel drive is a bit of a revelation and a new experience for me. Minus points were a harsh ride down some country lanes - but the car did feel stable at all times.

The car I drove was an ex demo 54 plate, 5 months old, 5K, black, 17" alloys, 6 CD, full black leather , parking sensors just ?18450 - a lot of car for the money - would I buy it ?

No not this time around the new GTi is well and truly under my skin this time and as good as the 120D is IMO its not too different from my A3 and I have done the diesel thing, fancy something quiet, now if in a couple of years I need the extra doors the new 130i may be worth considering....

 

[danw19]

I think they look okay in black, but in any other colour they look quite dodgy!

The proportions are so strange for a five door hatchback, which is part of the reason they look horrible.

It has a long bonnet and wheelbase, huge doors and the front wheels are
quite far forward, and the car has none of the wedginess that you'd get
with golf styling, or most other hatches.

Mind you, they look a lot better in the flesh.

 

[sonnys_sdi]

Another reason why I like the new 1 series is because it reminds of the M-coupe which is a fantastic car in my eyes.

 

[Richard W]

I like it, the looks do cause debate but I wish those of you who moan about the price would recognise that it's not that expensive - I've done comparisons on other threads which show that when you compare a 120d to an A3 TDi (as an example) there's only a couple of hundred in it.

How much is an equivalent A3 3.2? I don't think there'd be that much in it.

Take the blinkers off guys - they're ALL expensive - ?20k+ for a Golf is bordering on extortion, especially when you see the Leon 2.0T arriving at thousands less...

I do like the 1 series, but for me a slightly older 330d would be better for my budget and use.....