[upstatedoc]

wow the gti hasn't changed much over the years. my '08 had the same engine...

[kdbryce]

I'm just psyched for the special next week.

[B2STYB0Y]

I need to see the race between the Maclaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder already . I want to see if Jeremy will really change his name to Jennifer

[kdbryce]

Originally Posted by B2STYB0Y

I need to see the race between the Maclaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder already . I want to see if Jeremy will really change his name to Jennifer

Ahh that 918 was like a flamethrower!!

The p1 is so badass, though. It's a toss up

[B2STYB0Y]

Originally Posted by kdbryce

Ahh that 918 was like a flamethrower!!

The p1 is so badass, though. It's a toss up

If there was a choice between the two I would take the 918 just for the fact the exhaust looked like a pair of jet engines

[ovekvam]

The M135i deserves the non runflat Michelin Pilot Supersport tyres.

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by westphone

The girl behind Jeremy distracted me a bit, ha ha~

And me. She had some rib crushing thighs

[Bruce GT3]

Originally Posted by Bradbury

I don't understand why they didn't give the A45 AMG a go around the track. Also, it would be interesting to see what the Golf R/Audi S3 could do compared to the M135i.

In short here's a review...

Didn't bother with the A45 as it's £45!!! No matter which way you look at it that isn't hot-hatch country...

M135i 1:25.1

Golf GTi 1:28.6

More room in the back of the Golf therefore the better hot-hatch.

The end...

[Wozich]

I think comparing the M135i to the VW GTI is idiotic. The 125i hatchback is the direct rival to the GTI and the M135i's direct rival is the Golf R.

The review that Clarkson made was pointless. I mean the whole sawing of the legs part, practicallity in the boot, spining of at 120mph seems funny but he was way overreacting. In the end he even said the M135i's predecessor was the 1M.

[westphone]

Watching Jeremy on computer with HD, wow he is really getting old. I wonder how many more seasons of his sometimes "opinionated journalism" we get to enjoy

At any rate finally the stig puts in a lap on that airfield circuit for us. I wonder how much faster it will be if the stig didn't slide through Chicago, my guess probably not alot.... I bet he's probably have couple tries at it, and if the best lap is the one with the huge slide, the car is probably more tail happy than I thought. I guess his just braked too hard way too late the back came around....

[Bradbury]

Originally Posted by Bruce GT3

In short here's a review...

Didn't bother with the A45 as it's £45!!! No matter which way you look at it that isn't hot-hatch country...

I know that for someone who's considering either the GTI or the M135i, it's not very likely he'll include the A45 in the equation. Even so, it's a fast car and it deserves it's spot on the board. Hopefully they'll test it against the RS3 at one point (if there will be a new RS3).

[ovekvam]

Originally Posted by Bradbury

I know that for someone who's considering either the GTI or the M135i, it's not very likely he'll include the A45 in the equation. Even so, it's a fast car and it deserves it's spot on the board. Hopefully they'll test it against the RS3 at one point (if there will be a new RS3).

For me, the Golf and the A45 go into the same category, while the M135i stands out with its real wheel drive. I would never consider the VW or the Mercedes.

[logiclee]

Facts about the "off" then.

The "Off" happened at 2.47pm in the afternoon after a day of hooning and powersliding around the track for fun and filming in wet and dry. The press car had already covered 3000 miles on the PSS tyres before top gear took possession and slid it around the track all day.

The shot of the speedo shown as being at the time of the "Off" was shot over two hours earlier and the BBC have edited out the the lit DSC OFF light out.

In the actual drag race the bmw made it to the end safely well infront of the Golf.

So on very tired rear tyres at the end of a session Clarkson did a high speed run in pouring rain with standing water on an old runway with dsc off and spun off. Then some clever editing was used to make it look like the M135i lost it during a drag race and the BBC edited out the fact the car was being driven without DSC on.

Cheers
Lee

[hollpe]

Clarkson also made a big point of the fact the Golf was on the same stretch of runway/track in the same conditions but...... he didn't mention at that time, that the golf still had the esp enabled because "it is not possible to turn it all off" - something that was stated later on, when the sting was thrashing it around for the fastest lap.

[AAddict]

Originally Posted by ovekvam

The M135i deserves the non runflat Michelin Pilot Supersport tyres.

Michelin PSS are standard on the M135i, runflats are a no-cost option.

[westphone]

Originally Posted by hollpe

Clarkson also made a big point of the fact the Golf was on the same stretch of runway/track in the same conditions but...... he didn't mention at that time, that the golf still had the esp enabled because "it is not possible to turn it all off" - something that was stated later on, when the sting was thrashing it around for the fastest lap.

In an episode on Fifth Gear Tiff was making a big deal out of not being able to turn the ESP all the way off on the new Golf. The performance difference looks significant, and I can only guess they are doing it for safety reasons.

For me RWD and manual transmission is still the most important, so here we go....

[MeganeTrophyGuy]

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!

[vladberca]

The condition of the tyres is also a very important aspect in a comparative test.
On the other hand GTI is not in the same league with M135i

[Kamazzi]

All of you can say what you want.... but right now, I have a second F20 1-series, because the first one was crashed in exactly the same way that Clarkson did it.
Except I didn't have the grass all around me.
I was travelling at 110 KM/H, (not miles) at night, on a highway. It was raining, and the car felt very stable just before i hit a puddle of water.
What happened next was exactly the same... car was put sideways to the left, hit the armco barrier.
Spun around.
Hit the armco barrier with the other side.
Spun around again... and came to a halt.
Wiseguys saying that that Clarkson is a crappy driver, and that is the reason for his spinning should take a hike and go play with their toys in a sandbox 'cos obviously you weren't in that situation.
Now a have a next F20 1-series. And this one is getting a spoiler a'la Delta Intergale at the back, to keep the backside stuck to the road.

[cc3]

Originally Posted by Kamazzi

All of you can say what you want.... but right now, I have a second F20 1-series, because the first one was crashed in exactly the same way that Clarkson did it.
Except I didn't have the grass all around me.
I was travelling at 110 KM/H, (not miles) at night, on a highway. It was raining, and the car felt very stable just before i hit a puddle of water.
What happened next was exactly the same... car was put sideways to the left, hit the armco barrier.
Spun around.
Hit the armco barrier with the other side.
Spun around again... and came to a halt.
Wiseguys saying that that Clarkson is a crappy driver, and that is the reason for his spinning should take a hike and go play with their toys in a sandbox 'cos obviously you weren't in that situation.
Now a have a next F20 1-series. And this one is getting a spoiler a'la Delta Intergale at the back, to keep the backside stuck to the road.

Sorry to hear about this. What tyres were on the car??

[SteveC]

Unfortunately an aerofoil on the back will only add to the car's tendency to aquaplane

The problem you are fixing with a rear aerofoil is what plagued early Audi TTs, namely instability in long corners when lifting off at high speed. The weight transfer to the front, plus lift caused by the airflow over the rear caused the rear tyres to unload and the car to spin out.

In aquaplaning, when going straight, its the front wheels or more probably one front wheel hitting deep water that causes the problem. Wide, semi-worn tyres are the most likely to aquaplane

Iffy tyres and 120 mph on a road with standing water is simply bad driving. However they had a show to make so I guess anything goes.

[ovekvam]

Any car with decent weight distribution is just as likely to step sideways in a situation like that. The F20 is however well suited for recovery, with its quick steering. It does require trained reflexes, so I recommend participating in winter track days if they are available where you live. And if not, at least leave the DSC enabled. It will help you.