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G-Power Reminds Us Why the Old BMW 1er Is Better Than the New One

Real BMWs are rear-wheel drive, or rear-biased all-wheel drive, but not the latest generation 1 Series, hence why it attracted some hate from the purist community. Its predecessor, known as the F20, is, however, a tail-happy car, and it can now wiggle even more with G-Power’s upgrades.
BMW M140i 8 photos
Photo: Instagram | G-Power
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So, how much oomph do you think the M140i has? Try 500 ps (493 hp/368 kW) and 660 Nm (487 lb-ft) of torque. This wolf in sheep’s clothing features a turbo upgrade, new downpipes, new exhaust system, and a software remap, alongside other goodies, and interested parties can also choose the V-max limiter.

With that much power, the BMW M140i can smoke some of its biggest rivals in the segment, namely the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S and the Audi RS 3 Sportback. It can also pose a threat to several previous-generation supercars. Unfortunately, G-Power has refrained from releasing the new acceleration time, but we can tell you that it is probably in the 4.0-second zone, or slightly less.

How come? Easy, because the stock one can do it in 4.4 seconds, aided by the 3.0-liter six-pot that works in concert with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and xDrive rear-biased all-wheel drive tuned by the M Division. The engine produces 340 ps (335 hp/250 kW) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque without anyone messing around with it, and that’s pretty much enough for most driving enthusiasts.

Mind you, G-Power’s performance upgrades are not exactly a bargain, as the turbocharger upgrade alone will set you back €3,332 ($3,571) in Germany. Dubbed the GP-500, the new software is a €3,195 ($3,424) affair, and for the sport downpipes and exhaust system, you are looking at another €2,195 ($2,352) and €2,737 ($2,933) respectively. All prices include tax, and the tuner has other goodies in store for the BMW M140, which will further bring out the beast within.

Before wrapping it up and calling it a story, we will remind you that the most potent version of the new-gen BMW 1 Series is the M135i xDrive. However, since it is based on the same platform as the X1, it uses a front-biased all-wheel drive system. Also, despite the name, there is no straight-six turbo mill under the hood, as the German company chose to give it a 2.0-liter four-banger instead, mated to an eight-speed auto ‘box.

Gunning for the likes of the Audi S3 Sportback and Mercedes-AMG A 35, the BMW M135i has 306 ps (302 hp/225 kW) to play with, and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque. It is obviously slower to 100 kph (62 mph) than its predecessor, the M140i xDrive, with the sprint taking 4.8 seconds. Top speed is still limited to 250 kph (155 mph).

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About the author: Cristian Gnaticov
Cristian Gnaticov profile photo

After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s.
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