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BMW 128ti Warm Hatchback Sounds Underwhelming While Testing at the Nurburgring

BMW has a history with rear-wheel drive. But with the introduction of the 2 Series Active Tourer and seven-seat Gran Tourer, the Bavarian automaker took a liking to front-wheel drive.
BMW 128ti understeering 45 photos
Photo: Automotive Mike on YouTube
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The justification for this switch is rather simple. BMW wanted to save money, taking inspiration from the competition in the compact segment. This is the reason the 1 Series now comes with FWD, and even the 128ti exhibits understeer when driven hard on the track.

Spied while testing at the Nurburgring by Automotive Mike, the lesser brother of the M135i xDrive comes with a mechanical limited-slip differential that BMW designed for “active driving pleasure.” Adding insult to injury, the specification list includes an eight-speed automatic transmission that doesn’t engage the driver as a stick shift would.

Described as “much more than a new 1 Series variant,” the 128ti also happens to be ridiculously expensive for 265 horsepower from a four-cylinder turbo. Including value-added tax, BMW is charging 41,575 euros before options such as M Performance Parts.

Indeed, ladies and gents. You could spend that kind of money on a glorified warm hatchback with a coveted badge or Volkswagen would be much obliged to sell you a nicely-specced Golf GTI at a better price. Oh, and by the way, the Clubsport boasts 296 horsepower.

Now here’s the kicker for me, the thing that grinds my gears the most about the 128ti. According to the Bavarian automaker, “the exclusively front-wheel-drive sports car addresses a particularly young target group with a focus on typical BMW driving pleasure.”

In other words, previous and current owners of the previous 1 Series with rear-wheel drive and six-cylinder engines need not apply. You’re old news for the higher-ups in Munich, and as a result, you should probably look elsewhere for a sporty compact car.

Happily, however, I have a BMW-badged alternative for you. The 2 Series also includes a good ol’ coupe, and the auto-only 230i offers 249 horsepower and RWD at the same price as the 128ti. Lower down the spectrum, the 218i and 220i feature a manual box.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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