Tips And Works

Think of all the worst excesses of current BMW design in a smaller package, and you can see why the styling of the compact 1-series is so controversial. But looks aside, the 130i M Sport we drove recently is one rocking automobile.

The 1-series went on sale-fitted with four-cylinder engines-in Europe towards the end of 2004, but BMW made the car available in the fall of 2005 with its stellar 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder making 261 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque, allied to a six-speed manual transmission. We aren't slated to get the 130i hatchback in the States, but we will get a coupe version (not a 3-door hatchback), likely going on sale early in 2008.

The 130i shares the same basic layout as the rest of the range: MacPherson strut front suspension, a multi-link rear arrangement, and vented anti-lock disc brakes. With an overall length of 166.4 inches, the 130i is 11.8 inches shorter than a 328i sedan, which is reflected in a cramped rear seat that is marginal for medium-size adults. The hatchback, decent trunk space, and 60/40 folding rear seat give the vehicle plenty of utility, however.

The six-cylinder versions of the 1-series are marked out from the fours by chrome kidney grille slats, a darkened window trim, large-bore twin exhaust tips, and seventeen-inch wheels and tires. The M Sport gets a deeper front airdam, side skirts, and rear valance, and eighteen-inch alloy wheels.

The 130i interior looks a lot like a 3-series sedan's or coupe's, with the same basic instrument panel shapes and much of the same switchgear. Heavily bolstered sport seats, a chunky steering wheel that's covered in the same perforated leather as the handbrake lever, and aluminum trim pieces are part of the M Sport package. If you order the pricey navigation system, you are doomed to get iDrive: on the 1-series, the screen pops up out of the center of the dashboard, just as in the Z4.

The 130i can be ordered with Active Steering, BMW's variable-ratio setup, but fortunately we drove a car fitted with the standard rack-and-pinion arrangement. Another available high-end feature on the 130i is adaptive headlamps, whereby electric motors swivel the light units up to 15 degrees left or right to help illuminate the path ahead.

As one might imagine, 261 hp in a car that weighs about 3200 pounds makes for a lively ride. BMW claims that the 130i runs 0 to 62 mph in just 6.1 seconds on its way to a governed top speed of 155 mph. That number seems quite conservative to us, as we've hit 60 mph in 5.6 seconds in a 3458-pound, 255-hp 330i. The engine sounds great, especially under hard throttle, when a valve in the rear muffler opens up for better breathing and for enhanced aural quality. The six also provides plenty of mid-range thrust, almost making the six-speed manual moot. Well, except that the shifter and the clutch pedal are so well honed that you end up changing gears just for the heck of it.

Across country, the 130i M Sport reminded this writer of the E30-series M3 he used to own-compact and poised. The steering is near telepathic, the brakes are easy to modulate and powerful, and the chassis is beautifully balanced. In the wet it's possible to hang the tail loose in slower corners with the stability system disabled, but for the most part the chassis is neutral and immediately responsive to small throttle and steering inputs. It feels like a wieldier and more chuckable 3-series, although the ride isn't as supple or compliant over bumpy roads, where it can become quite choppy.

But that's a minor complaint. Overall, the 130i M Sport is a fabulous car, providing you can live with the looks. (And trust us, we could understand if you didn't want to.) Luckily, it will come to the States in much more attractive coupe guise. The big issue with the car here, however, is going to be pricing. The car we drove cost the equivalent of $41,500, without leather, navigation, Bluetooth phone preparation, and metallic paint, which added up to an additional $4500. Even taking the vagaries of the UK/US exchange rate into account, it is difficult to see how BMW can get the 1-series here at considerably less cost than a 3-series coupe.