BMW 1-Series Forum (F20) 135i - 1Addicts.com > Second Generation 1 Series Forum > 2012 BMW 1-Series Sporthatch (F20) Discussion > New S3 - Looks like it will give the M135i a good fight
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      05-20-2013, 05:15 AM   #1
Mr Buck
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New S3 - Looks like it will give the M135i a good fight

Some good reviews from Evo & Car Magazine from what I have read. The second premium hot hatch to actually provide a rival to the M135i. Still the A45 AMG, Focus RS and Golf R to come.

It will be interesting to see what comes out on top when they are all released. At present it doesn't really show the true quality of the M135i as a hatch, because the only real competition from reviews have come from actual sports cars like Porsche and other more pricey cars.

In terms of the Audi S3 stacked up against the BMW

Pros

More visually appealing externally (BMW is a bit or a marmite car).
Better cabin, in terms of visual appeal and build quality.
4WD standard, certainly will appeal to a lot of UK buyers given BMW haven't released and Xdrive M135i in the UK.
On paper 0-60 from the Auto is quicker at 4.8 than the 4.9 BMW's Auto, thanks to launch control feature and traction from 4WD.

Cons

Not as involving to drive.
Steering feedback not as good as the BMW.
Not as quick throughout the gears (personal opinion as it has not yet been proven) I just don't see how a 4 pot 2.0l engine with less power and torque will make it more powerful across the midrange as the BMW.
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      05-20-2013, 06:36 AM   #2
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Funny isn't it. Many owners on here don't feel the steering of the M135 is that good. But a few magazine road testers have though it ok. The above think it's better than the Audi. How bad's the Audi then?
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      05-20-2013, 06:47 AM   #3
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It is always a great advantage to have no drive shafts going to the front wheels when it comes to steering feel. Our F20 has very nice steering feel compared to most FWD and AWD cars, but maybe not quite as good as older BMWs. Seems to me like some feel has been sacrificed in favour of more comfort. I am pretty sure it would be possible to get it back by swapping out some bushings with harder ones.
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      05-20-2013, 07:03 AM   #4
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The Audi, in Sportback guise is certainly a slick bit of kit. But I've kind of grown to like the M135i's slightly dorky look. It's less bland. Plus, for me a hot hatchback is always a compromise choice, therefore I want it to be as involving as possible, which is why my M135i is a manual. I've had two Audis before, one of which was an S3, and I cannot conceive of them being as involving. I test-drove the RS3 before buying the M135i and even that, whilst ferociously quick and possessed of a decent backing track, was not an involving drive.
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      05-20-2013, 07:05 AM   #5
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The 2 turns lock-to-lock I like on M135i. But the amount of steering turn in being a bit unpredictable I don't.

Even after 7,000 miles I'm still unsure exactly how hard I can throw the car into a really tight bend at speed just because the steering might go kamikaze on me and send me into a tree or across the lane into the path of another vehicle. Of course that's me being paranoid, I hope it wouldn't do that.

Having recently swapped from a 997 C2S to the M Hatch I always knew I was going to lose a lot of road feel, but the feedback through the wheel /is/ there it's just a lot fainter so you have to adjust to fingertip driving.

There's much, much less road feel through the seat though. I think that may be a by-product of the dynamic chassis. It's one of the things I'd improve upon if I could with lowering/stiffening the ride just a tad more on Sport and Sport+. Comfort is bang on.

The switch over to an electrically powered rack as opposed to 'always on' servos was always going to have a trade off. On the other hand, I don't miss the additional weight nor the power drain that the older technology required.

Interestingly I just stumbled over a more recent M135i xDrive versus Audi S3 write-up in Autoevolution (sorry to hijack this thread).
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      05-20-2013, 07:24 AM   #6
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most reviews dont seem to think its as good as the m135i.
personaly, i actually prefer the looks of the bmw

but the interior of the audi is amazing. it makes the bm look very dated and it just came out!
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      05-20-2013, 07:46 AM   #7
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I've not seen the S3 interior, but did sit in the new A3 a couple of weeks ago. TBH I didn't think it all that special. Built well I'll agree. But I prefer the slightly wrapped around 1 series. I'm also not a fan of the round vent it Audis.
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      05-20-2013, 09:01 AM   #8
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if it's an audi it would just break..., the dsg gearbox is absolutely crap
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      05-20-2013, 09:17 AM   #9
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I think reviewers don't want to right it off too soon by admitting its not as good as the BMW tbh. I think it boils down to, if what you want, is to pose a bit and show off some nice interior toys and pop out display unit, at the expense of some of the pleasures you get from driving your car then go for the Audi. It'll still burn most cars twice the price in a traffic light drag race.

But if you want to head out onto some great driving roads and wear a smile throughout then buy the M135i
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      05-20-2013, 10:20 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BMWseeker View Post
if it's an audi it would just break..., the dsg gearbox is absolutely crap
Audi DSG much resembles BMW DCT. I don't think it's crap.
Sounds like you are a fanboy ?
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      05-20-2013, 12:11 PM   #11
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Had the previous Audi and was quite happy with it.... but the new one looks just too much like the old one The interior is... ok, to be polite. The volume button is an afterthought, the graphics on the display are far from perfect and the flattened wheel is a nightmare compared to the BMW wheel.... and I haven't even started with the fact of BM's more power, superior power potential, fantastic gearbox.... etc...
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      05-21-2013, 07:33 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hwelvaar View Post
Audi DSG much resembles BMW DCT. I don't think it's crap.
Sounds like you are a fanboy ?
fanboy? not at all. I buy what's reliable, case on point, the 2007-2009 335i had the HPFP problem, I wouldnt even consider it. I could care less that it was made by BMW

and you say the Audi DSG resembles BMW's DCT, do you mean reliability? Or do you mean it functions the same? if you mean the former, then I would have to disagree, google DSG issue (VW or Audi) you will find a mountain load of information about it's reliability issues.

If you mean the latter, then that's saying that a BMW car door resembles that of a Mercedes, or that of a porsche... well it is, as suggested by its name.

Anyway, until Audi fixes its DSG problems, wont be getting one.

If you would like to get stuck on the side of the street, be my guest and get one. I have had my share of problems in the previous S3/sciroccos (which btw have DSG gearboxes which resembles the one in the Audi)
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      05-21-2013, 08:03 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BMWseeker View Post
fanboy? not at all. I buy what's reliable, case on point, the 2007-2009 335i had the HPFP problem, I wouldnt even consider it. I could care less that it was made by BMW

and you say the Audi DSG resembles BMW's DCT, do you mean reliability? Or do you mean it functions the same? if you mean the former, then I would have to disagree, google DSG issue (VW or Audi) you will find a mountain load of information about it's reliability issues.

If you mean the latter, then that's saying that a BMW car door resembles that of a Mercedes, or that of a porsche... well it is, as suggested by its name.

Anyway, until Audi fixes its DSG problems, wont be getting one.

If you would like to get stuck on the side of the street, be my guest and get one. I have had my share of problems in the previous S3/sciroccos (which btw have DSG gearboxes which resembles the one in the Audi)
So what do you drive now?
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      05-21-2013, 08:32 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BMWseeker View Post
fanboy? not at all.
Anyway, until Audi fixes its DSG problems, wont be getting one.

If you would like to get stuck on the side of the street, be my guest and get one.
I just don't buy any auto transmission
My next car in 5 years or so might be the first one. Maybe they dont' build manuals anymore by that time
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      05-23-2013, 06:17 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hwelvaar View Post
I just don't buy any auto transmission
My next car in 5 years or so might be the first one. Maybe they dont' build manuals anymore by that time

agreed, if it's manual then it's fine
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