Does it drive BETTER WITHOUT 6-CYLINDER ?! | BMW M135i F40 driving test | Shift Up

This is the 2019 BMW M135I. Compared to the previous BMW M140I, it really is a completely different car. For example, the 6 cylinder has been traded in for a 4 cylinder. Whether that drives better, you'll find out in this video, so stay tuned!

The new generation BMW 1 series is really completely different from its predecessor. For example, the hood is no longer as long as its predecessor because the engine is placed transversely instead of longitudinally. This has given the car more interior space which is of course positive. What purists will find less pleasing is that the typical BMW rear-wheel drive has given way to front-wheel drive and, in the case of this top model, four-wheel drive. How that drives I'll show you later in the video.

However, I must say that from the front I think the car looks very good and sporty. The grille and mirrors are matte bronze by which you recognize the M135I variant. Furthermore, this car is equipped with M-Performance wheels which also gives it a cool look. At the rear of the car we see a subtle spoiler and two thick exhaust pipes which I will tell you more about in a moment.

Inside

The trunk is slightly larger than its predecessor, at 380 liters, and the rear seat can be folded down in three parts.

In the back of the BMW M135I you also sit better than in the previous BMW M140I, you have plenty of head and legroom.

Not only from the outside does this generation 1 Series look completely different from its predecessor, a lot has happened in the dashboard as well. For example, this car no longer has analog counters but a fully digital display. On this you can see the navigation map, select radio stations, operate the phone and also view g forces.

In the center of the dashboard is a nice big screen that can be operated by both iDrive and touchscreen. Furthermore, you can also control it with your voice, for example by saying, "hey BMW, set the temperature to 18 degrees."

Under the hood

So under the hood we see a block that is no longer placed in the longitudinal direction but in the transverse direction. It is no longer a 6 cylinder but a 4 cylinder that is good for 306 HP, and that is quite a lot for a 4 cylinder. It is BMW's fastest production 4 cylinder. BMW paid a lot of attention to the cooling because the turbo pressure is very high and the engine gets very hot.

Furthermore, it has 450 Nm of torque, does a sprint from 0 to 100 in 4.8 seconds and does not have a 7-speed automatic like the other 1 series do, but an 8-speed automatic. And what that engine sounds like, I'd love to let you hear it now!

While driving

In terms of driving, it really feels totally different than its predecessor did and also sounds totally different. The 4 cylinder gives a totally different sound experience. It does have a heavy sound, but not like the 6 cylinder does. Moreover, it is amplified by the car's speakers.

Depending on what setting you drive it in, it also sounds different. In comfort mode it shifts smoothly and quickly. In sport mode, you really feel a push in the back when changing gears, the steering is a bit heavier and the suspension is harder. You can also set this sport mode to your own liking, for example everything on sport except the heavy steering.

In the different riding modes, the display in front of you also changes color which emphasizes the sporty feeling.

The steering wheel itself is nice and thick and sits very comfortably in your hand. You also have shift paddles at your disposal with which you can shift up and down. During the steering itself, I noticed that it steers a bit sharper than the previous M140I and that fortunately it does not pull very hard in the steering wheel during full acceleration, which you can feel in front-wheel-drive MINIs, for example.

Basically, it drives the front wheels and sends up to 50% of its power to the rear wheels.

But then the key question, is it better than its predecessor, the M140I. I think it really depends on what you're looking for in a car. For example, according to BMW, only a few percent of the previous model's 1 Series sold turned out to be a 140i, which means there are apparently few purists in the market for such a car and the vast majority are looking for a comfortable but fast daily driver.

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