Definitely was interested in this test as I had a wonderful 2010 Golf Gti with DSG/adaptive sports suspension and am now awaiting arrival of an M135i AT with the adaptive M-suspension. (in between those two cars I had a 2010 Boxster S PDK/PASM/Chrono, then a 2012 Megane RS 265 Trophy which is the car I am selling to buy the M135i AT).
What I find hilarious (but not surprising) is Jeremy directly contradicting his own conclusions about the most excellent M135. Here is a small excerpt of what he wrote for the Sunday Times in 2012 about the M135 AT:
And that’s what gives the BMW M135i such massive appeal. You will never go round a corner trailing smoke from its out-of-shape rears . . . but it’s nice to know you could.
There is a lot more to commend this car as well. It has a supremely comfortable driver’s seat, an excellent steering wheel, impossibly Germanic controls and a perfect driving position. Get in and, no matter what age has done to your frame, you will immediately feel at one with the machine. Then there’s the engine. To appease those of a tree-hugging disposition, it is fitted with a compound turbocharger, which means that, after a hint of lag, there is a never-ending stream of bassy, gutsy power. In the real world, where there are other motorists and lampposts and policemen, this car is as fast as you would ever want.
And because it’s rear-wheel drive, the front wheels don’t have to multitask. They have only to worry about steering, which means the car feels balanced. It’s fantastic — as good as the Mercedes A 250 AMG I tested recently was bad.
Though I LOVED my Gti, I agree with all of the various comparison reviews of the Gti vs M135 vs AMG45 (including Chris Harris's) that say though the Gti is VERY well balanced, tactile, practical and fast when driven in isolation, in comparison to the other cars (including my Megane Trophy) it definitely feels both slower and less hard core...
My wife and I have had 7 BMWs between us over the years including a 1999 321hp E36 M3 and an E46 Alpina B3S, and I have to say that the M135i FEELS faster, SOUNDS better and is just plain more fun and exciting than just about any BMW I've driven (except maybe the M3 CSL and V10 M5). Its been a VERY long time since BMW has made a "light" sports car (1500kg is light for them...) and I heartily approve of stuffing a huge engine into a tiny body (one of the funnest cars I ever owned was the Alfa 147 GTA).
Like Jeremy, in his first review of this car, I give the M135i a well-deserved 5 stars and truly can't wait for my new wheels to arrive!