BMW 130i M Sport Test Drive Review
Click to enlarge
I dont care what a certain very prominent member of the motoring journalist fraternity thinks – the Volkswagen R32 is not available in Malaysia. Youre looking at the hottest hatch in the Malaysian car market – the BMW 130i M Sport.
Even judging it by horsepower alone, it makes the most – 265 horsepower at 6,600rpm and 315Nm of torque at 2,750rpm. Thats a good 65 more than the only other proper hot hatch sold here – the Volkswagen Golf GTI.
Its also much more pricier at RM329,800 – an amount that could snag you an entry-level BMW 5-series if you top it up a little more, or perhaps the 325i M Sport. But the 3-series would be a locally assembled unit – this baby comes in fully imported.
Read my full test drive report after the jump.
Click to enlarge
The M Sport suffix on the model name indicates that the car comes with lots of extra vitamin M goodness. Were talking about the M kit which makes the car look a lot better than what the standard 1-Series looks like. Maybe its because the huge gaping central air intake on the M sport front bumper takes away focus from the droopy headlamps. Or maybe its because we all love huge gaping central air intakes and what they usually stand for.
On the rear you have a nice-looking two tone rear bumper that features a diffuser painted with a dark grey, and the rest body colour. And of course, those gorgeous M Light Alloy Double Spoke 208M 18 inch wheels, wrapped with run-flat tyres. The tyres are 205/45/R18 sized at the front, but the rear tyres are wider at 225/40/R18.
On the interior, there is the chunky overly thick M leather steering which has a relatively small diameter and feels great to hold in your hand, and the M side steps.
Click to enlarge
Of course, what you really want is the M Sports suspension. Its actually very liveable with on a daily basis in the BMW 3-Series, but the combination of a short wheelbase as well as run flat tyres make slow speed rides around the town in this hot hatch a jittery and harsh experience. The ride does smoothen out on highways even at fast speeds, but thats probably because the highways are smoother in the first place. But still, as the driver the harsh ride never really gets to you. You just smile, maybe chuckle a little, and say to yourself, “The things I put up with for the thrill of driving.â€
Yup, thats exactly what you get with the BMW 130i. It really takes a very special person to want to own this car. You gotta have plenty of dough for one, and perhaps a 5-series as the daily driver because the rear legroom of this car is so useless it should be called a 2+2 instead. And youve got to love a fantastic drive that much to actually spend that kind of money on a small hatch like this.
Click to enlarge
Because this is the most fun Ive had in a BMW ever. I havent driven any M cars so at the moment this sits at the top of my list. The chassis is just so rigid – I wonder how the 2-door version feels like. 0 to 100km/h takes 6 seconds. The engine is already pretty damn snappy off from a stand still, but right after you’ve begun moving you get the feeling the torque converter has suddenly locked up harder and you just hurtle towards wherever you steer the car with a seriously addictive pace ever. How can you ever bring yourself to drive this car sensibly?
The power just keeps coming and coming and coming, and its so smooth that you feel the redline should be a good 1,000rpm higher than its 7,000rpm limit. In fact, if you really put the pedal to the metal, the gearbox shifts at about 7,200rpm – slightly over the redline, something Ive never seen an auto gearbox do.
Its not nearly up there with the madness that the Lancer Evolution 9s torque levels give you but to make up for it you get to listen to the straight-six sing too. The best part is, all that power gets sent to the rear wheels instead of every other hatch out there in the market which is either front wheel drive or all wheel drive. This means potentially A LOT of sideways fun.
Steering is of the classic BMW sharpness, translating your steering movements into where the 130is nose points ever so precisely. The chassis felt somewhat neutral to me, complying to my every command. That’s how M Sport usually is, there’s just no warning when you’re approaching the danger zone – it remains confident and steady, then suddenly you’re in deep shit. But I never did get to the deep shit part with the 130i.
Coming down Genting was lovely, and the 6-speed gearbox did its just very well, keeping the car in the right gear and downshifting for extra engine braking whenever needed. I thought the choices it made was pretty smart, but then I decided it would be a waste letting the gearbox do the shifting for me and switched to manual shifting mode.
In manual mode, you can manually change the gear ratios using paddle shifts on the M Steering wheel. However the paddles are abit unconventional – instead of the usual left for downshift and right for upshift, you push the paddle away from you to downshift and push the paddle towards you to upshift. Both paddles on the left and right work the same way.
The BMW 130i M Sport also has keyless entry and go, which means the key fob doesnt need to leave your pocket. Just approach the car, and when youre near enough to reach for the door handle and pull it, the drivers door will unlock at the same time. There are also little LEDs at the bottom of every door handle, presumably a safety feature so you can look at whats on the ground, or something.
Get in the car, and press the Engine Start button. Upon hearing the sound of the engine firing up, a friend of mine exclaimed, “Is this the stock exhaust system?!!†to which I replied: “Yup. M Sport mah!†I suppose the M division engineers ensured the car sounds as great as it drives.
Now the bad – practically unusable rear legroom, sound system could have been more premium, a relatively small fuel tank compared to how much the engine guzzles, and despite a 330 liter claimed boot capacity, it really doesnt look like a lot.
But seriously, if you want a practical car, buy an MPV or something. The 130i M Sport is for the purist, and I understand why BMW wants its new 1-Series Coupe, especially the 135i, to be the spiritual successor of the likes of the E30 of the yesteryears.
Perhaps you could have as much fun as you can have in this car with something cheaper. Maybe even BMW’s own MINI Cooper S might do the trick. But I suppose BMW considers the premium justifiable because of it’s rear wheel drive configuration. The 1-Series has always had it’s price tag going against it no matter which engine option and form in many markets, not just our own. Which makes it abit hard to recommend this car to anyone because of the many other choices of hot hatches around. But still, it’s bloody fun.
What’s going through my mind now is this – if the 130i is already such a riot, what is the 135i going to be like?
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
July 17, 2007 @ 7:22 am
This baby hatch is such a hot… love the engine start button, remind me of the JDM Civic Type RR…
July 17, 2007 @ 7:38 am
Still an Ugly little Monster no matter how good the car can perform. The Symbol of BMW = BANYAK MASUK WORKSHOP
July 17, 2007 @ 8:19 am
fun to drive, but not worth owning, thats for sure. BMW are wellknown for its crappy reliability and expensive repairs. I remember jeremy (Topgear) blew 2 gearbox (or diff) when reviewing the M5.
One other thing I can’t understand, why is it these days, limited-slip diff is not available on standard? even on this prestige car. I can still remember the good old days when MX5 and RX7 all come with models which has limited-slip diff.
I guess car makers are not as generous as they were.
July 17, 2007 @ 8:22 am
i guess bmw wants to keep lsd on M cars only… exclusivity.
July 17, 2007 @ 9:18 am
that price, better buy a bigger 5 series, though its a great car
July 17, 2007 @ 10:10 am
Well.. Golf GTi only 2.0L wif turbo.. While this car is 3.0L, is different category.. Why compare the both? Even road tax n FC already a great different!
July 17, 2007 @ 10:46 am
golf GTI with an APR tune-up should go 250bhp and more than 320Nm torque!
July 17, 2007 @ 11:23 am
still the same ugly skull looks….
definately for purist only!
can’t a Impreza WRX/STI eat this up ?
not forgotten EVO9 too ya….
July 17, 2007 @ 11:25 am
Lucky you Paul!
I prefer the GOLF GTI, love the design.
Cannot accept BMW 1 series design especially the Front face.
July 17, 2007 @ 11:29 am
nice baby…
July 17, 2007 @ 11:39 am
i dont like the look.macam kereta coffin..sorry BMW
July 17, 2007 @ 11:48 am
err I thought there was/is a Beemer M Coupe? or Z3 with roof is it? are they using the same platform.I still prefer the Golf GTI because of the Iconic name..BMW then go for M3 la or 318ci disguise as M3 hahaha….
July 17, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
RM330k for a hatchback, i don’t care if its got 1000hp, too small and expensive! the best hot hatch on sale in Msia is currently the VW Golf GTi
July 17, 2007 @ 1:38 pm
Paul Tan u lucky sonofabitch!
July 17, 2007 @ 1:46 pm
exterior look quit not so cool
July 17, 2007 @ 1:53 pm
Fullly greed wit ab.
In AUTOCAR ASEAN March’s edition, in the 14 hot hatch megatest section, it mentioned abt the 130i being “fast, bt impractical n expensive”. The Golf GTi? It finished just behind the Renault Megane, Clio n Audi S3.
July 17, 2007 @ 2:00 pm
Oh, I forgot to mention that the 130i was left out of the megaetst due to that reason, hehehe.
July 17, 2007 @ 2:00 pm
IMHO more like a wagon than a hatch eh?
July 17, 2007 @ 2:11 pm
Very nice and tight review there Paul. Have been reading up on souped up 1 Series as of late and even news of the turbocharged 3 litre inline six from the 335i being stuffed into a future 1 series.
Some people say that previous M3 owners would probably opt for that souped up 1 Series instead of buying the new M3 which was described as lacklustre and not as ground breaking as the E46 or it’s predecessors.
As for the “only for the purist” bit, I don’t really mind it at all. Partly because it means that there will be less for the general audience and more for enthusiasts like you and me. (Devillish smirk on face ensues)
July 17, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
Nice photos taken la Paul.
July 17, 2007 @ 4:17 pm
Ah yes, the 130 M Sport (Sport for back breaking ride).
My view of this car has always been the same. If you could accept/live with the flaws that this car comes with for the performance/thrills (plus the blue and white propeller) it provides, why not just go for the BMW Z4 (if choices are limited to Bimmers). You get a convertible and you get better image (rather than the entry level, budget Bimmer image that’s attached to the 1) with the performance and the thrills. Better looks as well.
July 17, 2007 @ 8:47 pm
It is powerful,alright.. but the front section is just so ugly and wrongly designed…weird for a hatch
July 17, 2007 @ 10:01 pm
The 130 really LOLs me…. 130i somemore…. so 130i better or 130y ? haha ~~
k… the joke won’t happen if it ain’t that fugly.
July 18, 2007 @ 2:47 am
I’ve never liked the 1 series hatch. The car has that long-ish looks from the sides. I prefer the 1 series coupe, if it ever comes here. If i really have the money and wanted a hot hatch, a Golf GTi would be my choice. Jeremy Clarkson has said before that if u bought the 1 series, u are probably buying it for the badge. But then again, that’s his opinion.
July 18, 2007 @ 10:27 am
i told u..if this car were PROTON.. sure kene kutuk kaw kaw punye.. but lucky this is just poor BMW… maybe german people kutuk this car kaw2 kot.. huhu..
July 18, 2007 @ 11:08 am
LittleFire85, you are right to say they are not the same category, but they are still both hot hatches.
but by rules of international motorsports.
a 2.0ltr turbo is no longer considered a 2 ltr, or can be compared to a similar non-forced inducted(not turbo/supercharger) 2ltr(NA).
the proper calculation is to x1.7 to get the theoratical N/A equivalent CC. In this case, a 2.0litre turbo is catergorised as an N/A 3.4 litre car equivalent.
transformer: “can’t a Impreza WRX/STI eat this up ?
not forgotten EVO9 too ya….’
definitely can, but the driving experience is totally different. you can’t change that. once you’ve driven all those cars, you will understand the differences and they are quite huge.
July 18, 2007 @ 12:06 pm
“banyakmasukworkshop” is right… its the difference in driving experience… a BMW vs a Wolkswagen… try to test an emergency brake n u will know how…
also, the 1series version is selling well in Europe… so its unlikely to be a “poor” hatch…
July 18, 2007 @ 12:17 pm
on the subject of what eats what… personal experience – this car was evenly matched with a 2.0 liter turbocharged Mitsubishi car… but totally ate it up in the corner
July 18, 2007 @ 3:29 pm
Small boot. Cramp rear cockpit. Fantastic engine. Brilliant handling. Not worth the money. GTI so much better and more fun.
July 19, 2007 @ 2:41 pm
DrA, if you compare the BMW propeller badge with a VW badge, some people will say its worth the money.
July 21, 2007 @ 9:52 pm
BanyakMasukWorkshop, Seriously VW is not too bad. It is quite a premium brand nowadays, quite similar to BMW. I don’t own a VW myself but I would definitely not going to choose the 1 series over VW Golf.
August 1, 2007 @ 9:23 am
[...] 5-door BMW 130i – RM 329,800 3-door BMW 120i Sports – RM 223,800 5-door BMW 118i – RM 199,800 5-door BMW 116i – RM 179,800 [...]
August 18, 2007 @ 6:15 pm
Fantastic car. Absolutely BMW.
If you own one…the next car would be nothing less than a BMW.
‘Banyak Masuk Workshop’?? Well it depends, the problem is some guys would prefer to delay the maintenance when the warning lights come out due limited budget etc. That’s where everything will turn hair wire. It’s not a car that can tolerate all those things. Or rather a very sensitive car.
Whatever it is, if you have driven one, there’s a bond between you and the car…cheers!
October 21, 2007 @ 10:14 pm
This is one sweet ride…nice looks and everything
BUT, the price is just not right, i’d rather buy either the 3-dr 120i Sports or the 5-dr 118i and a Perodua MyVi…lol
Anyways if diesel 1-series are sold in Malaysia, i’d get the 118d 5-dr, since it’s the most economical car BMW has ever built or a 123d 5-dr for turbocharged diesel power
cheers!
November 2, 2007 @ 8:45 am
[...] breached the 20,000 mark since its unveiling in January, well short of the figures enjoyed by the 5-door hatch. People still want practicality out of their car, especially when it’s going to cost you the [...]
March 19, 2008 @ 5:23 pm
if BMW put their prices to the lvl of mazda..etc
and cut down the quality of the build
then will it will not be prestiges
its a BMW! this model is for the niche market
YOu paying for the Engine too dont forget! engine of the year too if you read more on it! magnesium alloy!
BMW made the 1series 130i for business people who wants respectable power and hatched car, that doesnt care about back space enough room to throw car leather case at the back and off you go!
and please dont judge the photos , go to a BMW dealership and take a proper look its NOT that BAD looking.
those who wants luxury, no kids, living in the fastlane modern life , wants some respectable power , city driving this is the car for you.
test both cars, 130i Msport and r32 before making assumptions
keep in mind that ppoeple want this car for unique reasons purist!
Bmw never goes wrong
and who said it is poor man hatch???
with some options fitted with M kit, its worth well over $76,000 Aus dollars
if you have the money and you want pure drivers luxury car its BMW
there is so much diff models of bmw! they cater for all types of people!
BMW and MErc are at totally different level compare to other freaking brands
they have a total diff philosophy! from honda,mazda,audi,vw etc
and dont forget its easier to dis power brands like bmw when comparing something.. lower by brand”
thanks!
peace!
March 19, 2008 @ 5:27 pm
Hi!
if BMW put their prices to the lvl of mazda..etc
and cut down the quality of the build
then will it will not be prestiges
its a BMW! this model is for the niche market
YOu paying for the Engine too dont forget! engine of the year too if you read more on it! magnesium alloy!
BMW made the 1series 130i for business people who wants respectable power and hatched car, that doesnt care about back space enough room to throw car leather case at the back and off you go!
and please dont judge the photos , go to a BMW dealership and take a proper look its NOT that BAD looking.
those who wants luxury, no kids, living in the fastlane modern life , wants some respectable power , city driving this is the car for you.
test both cars, 130i Msport and r32 before making assumptions
keep in mind that ppoeple want this car for unique reasons purist!
Bmw never goes wrong
and who said it is poor man hatch???
with some options fitted with M kit, its worth well over $76,000 Aus dollars
if you have the money and you want pure drivers luxury car its BMW
there is so much diff models of bmw! they cater for all types of people!
BMW and MErc are at totally different level compare to other freaking brands
they have a total diff philosophy! from honda,mazda,audi,vw etc
and dont forget its easier to dis power brands like bmw when comparing something.. lower by brand”
thanks!
peace!
March 19, 2008 @ 5:47 pm
unfortunately most of the muppets that answered above obviously have never driven a bmw, probably cannot afford them either. It really depends what you are looking for in a car; both cars are made strongly the S3 as you may know is 4 wheel drive about 220bhp and only 2 door. The 130i is about 250bhp but rear wheel drive although has 4 doors. Also price and age, if you go for an 130i then its likely to be more expensive but the S3 is more likely to be older. depends what you want out of the car
March 19, 2008 @ 5:49 pm
alot of people dont have the choice to have a choice between bmw,mercs,audi
up to whoever wants to buy what car for themselves
whocares if you can afford those cars go for it!
March 19, 2008 @ 5:50 pm
alot of people dont have the choice to have a choice between bmw,mercs,audi
up to whoever wants to buy what car for themselves
whocares wat they say
some just insecure with their own cars or just jealous
if you can afford those cars go for it!
February 3, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
A beauty!
May 3, 2009 @ 8:42 pm
BMW130i M SPORT is the car to buy!!! I’m really convinced guys, this is the car to have fun with & BMW has kept this legecy of an engine sound! Keep it up BMW!
August 2, 2009 @ 12:41 pm
Rear wheel drive – tick
big engine – tick
sexy looks – tick
great handling – tick
not much rear leg room – who cares
little bit more expensive than the golf GTi or an audi s3- who cares – look at what your getting – the styling, particularly the bold sides is way more modern than the audi – their basic styling bar rear tail lights and front grill has been the same for a decade.
buy and enjoy.
I will.