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BMW M140i Joins Hot Hatch Battle with New 340 HP Engine

Like Porsche, BMW doesn't like to rock the boat that often and constantly improves the existing formula. One great example of this is the 1 Series, which has been the only rear-wheel-drive hatchback with an inline-6 engine since the previous generation was around. In 2016, we are getting a brand new version, the M140i, which will replace the M135i in both 3- and 5-door forms.
BMW M140i 3 photos
Photo: BMW
BMW has constantly been dropping brand new turbo engines under the hoods of its cars. Even though the 1 Series got a facelift last year, they deemed it necessary to replace the engine. Like the M135i, the M140i uses a 3.0-liter engine with a single turbocharger and direct injection. However, its gets a 14 hp power bump to 340 hp.

This update means your 3- or 5-door hatchback can have the exact same output as the now legendary 1 Series M Coupe, built between 2011 and 2012. We don't know what will happen in a drag race against something like the RS3, the Mercedes-AMG A45 ,or even the Focus RS. However, BMW is confident that just 14 horsepower is enough to shave a massive 0.3 seconds off the 0 to 100 km/h time of the M135i.

No matter which body style you go for, the M140i will reach 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds with the standard 6-speed manual gearbox or 4.6 seconds when fitted with the re-engineered eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission. When xDrive is also added to the mix, the time is shaved down to just 4.4 seconds.

If we are to believe only official press numbers from the manufacturers, that makes the M140i xDrive almost as fast as the RS3 Sportback (4.3 seconds) and the A45 facelift (4.2 seconds). The funny thing is that the old A45 with 360 hp is slower at 4.6 seconds, just the way it should have been when you consider the displacement differences.

Yet power and speed is not the only thing BMW worked on. The new 3.0-liter engine is said to be about 7% more efficient, depending on the model. Average fuel consumption is 7.8 l/100 km (36.2 mpg UK), equivalent to CO2 emissions of 179 g/km. It's not great, but every little bit helps!
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 Download: BMW M140i (PDF)

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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