BMW M135i pricing...

[berg]

Read the review for this in Car at lunch time, I am weakening a bit to its charms as next car.

I had set my sights on an RS3 but this is £10k cheaper, only about 0.3 seconds slower to 60 and 20bhp down. Plus probably sounds better and is more fun to drive? On the downside not sure am ready to leave the VAG family when the time comes as like the adjustability of parts between the brands.

Looks like it would murder a Golf R or Megane and is 145kg lighter than an RS3  

[Kregiel]

Read the review for this in Car at lunch time, I am weakening a bit to its charms as next car.

I had set my sights on an RS3 but this is £10k cheaper, only about 0.3 seconds slower to 60 and 20bhp down. Plus probably sounds better and is more fun to drive? On the downside not sure am ready to leave the VAG family when the time comes as like the adjustability of parts between the brands.

Looks like it would murder a Golf R or Megane and is 145kg lighter than an RS3 

My thoughts exactly!

This car mapped will be 400 ish BHP and RWD which is much better then AWD considering fun factor... I think BMW is the one and only out there, truly performance machines I think and so pleasureable to drive.
I drove 320d  recently and was astonished how well it handled out of the box, comparable to my highly tuned golf!

Paul

[tony_danza]

BMW parts swap too you know. Do some research on 1addicts.

Basic mods:

All the underpinnings to an M3 fit on a 135i, camber giving wishbones, better bushes, light weight stuff, ARBs... Add a diff from Birds and you've got a 1M.. Only for 20k less. St1 map = 380bhp and similar torque, easy 400s with downpipes and intercooler.

Ditching run flats and moving up to a 225 on the front does wonders. Any of the above is just M3 chasing.

Oh, and they're much faster than their book figures  

[tony_danza]

Oh, and contrary to forum myths and legends, they won't kill you in the wet either. 2:20s around Oulton in the rain bog stock except GY Asym2s, virtually as fast as my heavily modded MK5 was in the dry...

[berg]

damn you to hell tony, and your informative replies, you are just whetting the appetite more  

Interested to see what this A class AMG is like though too... but i guess it wont be sub 30k for base model will it...

[tony_danza]

Oh, you want a new shape one? They're even better straight out of the box than mine. Comes with Pilot SSports and a locking diff, so you're half way modded already.

I'm having one to replace this next year, unless seeing the lauch of the coupe makes me wait for the 235i instead.

[berg]

yeah i need a 5 dr hatch so under consideration are RS3, M135i, A45 AMG.

I have officially stopped modding the ED30 now and have 2 years of saving ahead of me (although I might still get some BBS VZ and sell one of the sets of wheels I have)

[Kregiel]

Oh, you want a new shape one? They're even better straight out of the box than mine. Comes with Pilot SSports and a locking diff, so you're half way modded already.

I'm having one to replace this next year, unless seeing the lauch of the coupe makes me wait for the 235i instead.

Tony,
What's the difference between 135i new one and the one you have apart from shape and slightly higher power 320 as opposed to 306 bhp??

Paul

[Kregiel]

yeah i need a 5 dr hatch so under consideration are RS3, M135i, A45 AMG.

I have officially stopped modding the ED30 now and have 2 years of saving ahead of me (although I might still get some BBS VZ and sell one of the sets of wheels I have)

There is not much modding you can do?? Or maybe I am wrong 

[tony_danza]

Oh, you want a new shape one? They're even better straight out of the box than mine. Comes with Pilot SSports and a locking diff, so you're half way modded already.

I'm having one to replace this next year, unless seeing the lauch of the coupe makes me wait for the 235i instead.

Tony,
What's the difference between 135i new one and the one you have apart from shape and slightly higher power 320 as opposed to 306 bhp??

Paul

Mines the older twin turbo, as per the 1M - so forged internals, good for 5xx blah blah.

New motor is twin scroll single turbo, better on fuel and not capable of serious figures... Still handles 4xx no problems.

[andrewparker]

I'm having one to replace this next year, unless seeing the lauch of the coupe makes me wait for the 235i instead.

So much wrongness in this new naming convention!

[Sunglasses Ron]

Echo what Mike had already said... The new model is meant to be even more of a hoot to drive + £10k cheaper than it's competition and chucks out mpg figures that has diesel owners confussed..
Don't let the RS3's performance figures confuse you either. The M135i will be every bit as quick once up and running, but will be 10x more fun whilst doing it. It just doesn't come with AWD launch control like the it's 4 ringed competitor..

Mike - I never knew they came with SS rubber out the box?!?! It is becoming more and more appealing by the day tbh.. It just has the 'face that only a mother can love' looks to go with it unforunately. it is growing on me though..  
My local dealer has one on order as a demo, so already booked in for the mandatory hoon..

[jhtrophy]

I think they are the performance car bargain, don't get why anyone would buy any other  30k hot hatch tbh.

[tony_danza]

I keep wondering when they're going to realise it's too cheap - whilst VAG pricing is going through the roof, they're banging out RS3 eaters for GTI money, and driven by the correct wheels too!

[berg]

yeah i need a 5 dr hatch so under consideration are RS3, M135i, A45 AMG.

I have officially stopped modding the ED30 now and have 2 years of saving ahead of me (although I might still get some BBS VZ and sell one of the sets of wheels I have)

There is not much modding you can do?? Or maybe I am wrong 

well there is always more - VZ, Dave B 99T front brakes, TT hubs, WMI, Loba etc, etc