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2020 BMW M135i Hot Hatch Races Old M140i in Comparison Review

Rather than give up on its slow-selling 1 Series model, BMW decided to copy Audi's homework and just made a front-wheel-drive car. But to ensure the news goes down more easily, it also launched a hot hatch called the M135i xDrive.
2020 BMW M135i Hot Hatch Races Old M140i in Comparison Review 1 photo
Photo: YouTube screenshot/Carwow
This is not to be confused with the original M135i from a few years back. Pop the hood and you will find a horizontal 2-liter turbo engine producing the same 306 HP and 450 Nm of torque as in the X2 M35i or the latest John Cooper Works models. During the media launch of the car, Mat Watson from Carwow also grabbed an M140i, which is still on sale right now.

This older pocket rocket is built more like a 3 Series with the end cut off. A 3-liter turbo resides under its hood, making 340 HP and 500 Nm. But does the extra grunt make it faster? Only a drag race can settle that dispute. They've only saved 15 kilos while downsizing.

Yes, yes it is.... who are we kidding? Mat timed the new car from 0 to 60mph in 4.9 seconds and the old one in 4.5 seconds. If you like in the UK, it's worth noting that the European M140i has xDrive too. On a piece of the unrestricted autobahn, they also do a rolling race, which the older model naturally wins as well.

All that would be good if the new M135i was a bargain, but as we established in a recent article, it's really not. So if you're into BMW hatchbacks and going fast, hurry up and get the old generation.

Styling and practicality-wise, it's pretty obvious that things have moved along. The new underpinnings give the whole 1 Series range a new identity, while the blue paint and oversized grille on this hot version stand out. The interior is all new-school, with a digital dashboard and the latest operating system.

If you care about how much room there is in the trunk and any of that other boring stuff, check out the full review below. Also, let us know if a premium hatchback is something you're interested in and which is your favorite right now.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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