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      06-29-2012, 07:40 PM   #21
Meanie
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Drives: BMW G82 M4C
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: South Africa

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Quote:
Originally Posted by wadded View Post
Congrats on the choice! Tell us about the test drive ;-)
Luckily I have a very good relationship with my dealer (I think I have bought enough BMWs from them) and I was allowed to push the car as hard as I wanted. I think the first thing that I need to state is that previously as my first ever car I purchased a BMW 130i 3-door a couple of years ago. I think just for reference sake I need to say that living in South Africa and naturally being at high-altitude, naturally aspirated engines suffer and seriously kills the true performance of the engine.

Onto my observations and experience:

The 125i that I drove was an M Sport with the ZF Automatic transmission. From just an external appearance I can say without a shadow of a doubt BMW has really improved leaps and bounds from the previous 1 series. I think one thing that has really caught my attention is how nice the lines flow on the new 1 series (especially on the M Sport). I am so happy that the rear black diffuser has gone to a high-gloss black instead of that horrible matt black seen on the previous 1 series. In my opinion I thought the front of the previous 1 series was very flat and almost appeared that the designers ran out of ideas when finishing it off. The new 1 series flows naturally and appeals immediately to me (obviously this is different to each person). The rear of the car is much sexier and sleeker than the previous 1 series, I just love the rear lights and how they blend into the car. When I first saw the new 1 series on the road I thought that there was a very similar comparison of that to the new VW Polo, however I was very much mistaken on actually seeing the car up close and personal.

The 1 series I test drove was painted in the M Sport Estoril Blue, which is just gorgeous at first site however can only think that it would be a nightmare to maintain based on scratches and dirt. I believe if memory serves me correct that the old E46 had a similar colour option to this. The 18" rims on the new 1 series are just gorgeous and really add character to the car for an overall "sporty" look. From what I can also tell BMW has finally woken up to the fact of leaving LESS space between wheel arches which adds to a cleaner look.

From an interior perspective I personally believe BMW has finally come to the party. I was always the first to say that BMW was "THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE" however would always agree that Audi and Merc had their interior finishes better than that of BMW. This time round I think BMW have really outdone themselves with the interior of the new 1 series. The cockpit is more driver focused and less “jaggered” than any previous model/series (this excludes that of the new 3, 5 and 6 series) I can think of. Once the car is started and all the instrumentation is up and running, one gets the feeling of being in an airplane and surrounded by technology. One thing I have always loved is the BMW steering wheels "thickness". BMW seem to have taken this to another level with comfort and adding more curvature at the "9 and 3" holding position. The new M Sport seats are far more comfortable and personally feel the side bolsters are a bit extended than the previous 1 series. Comparing the 1 series to my E92 M3, I would rate them an easy 7/10.

Onto the drive I guess...

So the first thing that I think that is quite apparent is the acceleration of the 125i. I think for a 4 cylinder it is something else, I never thought that I would get that feeling of being pushed back into my seat (No, this is not the same as a GTR pushback). The second thing I noticed was how smooth and clean the gearshifts are. As the car gets pushed so the engine becomes more apparent. For a 4 cylinder the 125i has a nice tone and really makes you aware that this car is a high performer, I am looking forward to hearing what the M Performance muffler will do to the tone of the car.

Braking and steering really is something else with this car, the improvement really gets flying colours from me with respect to the previous 1 series. I feel the steering is more direct however you do get a sense of a bit less feedback compared to a more traditional steering system, I guess this is something one would just need to adjust to. After getting used to the car the dealer let me shift her into Sports+ and I could feel the increased throttle response immediately, the car did not have M Running Gear and I am not sure if you require Sports Steering to have the steering firm up. With that all said I believe the car is very nimble and progressive. From a comfort point of view and being an M with the upgraded M suspension the car is a lot more relaxed than that of previous cars I have had. I am hoping the Adaptive Suspension will be a bit harder than this in Sports mode. Going through corners the car becomes very predictable and really tells you how much more you can or can’t push her. Pushing the car out a bit I found that she was very easy to catch when going into an over-steer and on the catch does not throw the car out like that of the previous 1 series. Acceleration to high-revs is a great feeling, I found that the last 1000 revs on the car through each gear are a bit weak but you cannot expect that power to be up there on a 4 cylinder. . I think the dealer had a bigger smile on his face than what I did.

Overall I love this car and hence why I have ordered myself one with all the bells and whistles, I am really looking forward to the adaptive suspension and am hoping the steering hardens up as I go through the different modes.

Hope you enjoyed the read!
__________________
- 2021 G82 ///M4C - AW, ZF8, CF Trim - CURRENT
- 2018 F87 ///M2C - HS, DCT, Blue Stitching - SOLD
- 2015 F82 ///M4 - AW, CF Trim, DCT, MPE, M Perf Exterior Trims - SOLD
- 2008 E92 ///M3 - AW, CF Leather Trim, 6MT - Mods: Black Grills, Black Gills, CF mirrors - SOLD
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