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The 8-speed automatic comes in two versions. If you are a petrolhead, you want the sport version. On our 116i, it was not even available. That made the choice very simple, we went for a manual transmission. I am very happy with it. I also find the petrol engine the best of both worlds. With turbo it has plenty of low end grunt like a diesel, but without the horrible smell and rattling. It also revs smoothly to 6500 RPM, and it is not thirsty. It works well in cold winter temperatures, even for short drives.
My vote goes to the 118iM, or even 116iM with even more options. It depends on how much high speed driving you do. The 116i feels a bit weak at 160+. If you do mostly urban city driving, the automatic could be a good choice.
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