GTP Cool Wall: 2016+ BMW M140i

[Tornado]

It's supposed to be a hatchback in a segment for coupes. You'd think the hatch would be lighter. My key complaint here is it could definitely be lighter. I'd have given it a cool if it was. But seriously? It's just too heavy for my taste.

Why would you think the hatch would be lighter? It's a physically larger car than the sporty coupe you compared it to (significantly narrower but significantly longer and taller), with substantially more equipment and provisions for more passengers. The Focus RS and Audi RS3 are heavier than the BMW. The Mercedes A45 is about 40 pounds lighter. than the BMW. Those other hatchbacks you brought up as examples were also around the same weight as the BMW. The old Golf R was around the same weight as the old Focus RS.


There probably was something BMW could have done to make it weigh a little less, but short of creating an entirely new platform like Volkswagen did with the current Golf there isn't much they can do to make it significantly lighter than any of the other sporty hatchbacks on the market with roughly the same power that are roughly the same size and have roughly the same weight.

 

[Obelisk]

There probably was something BMW could have done to make it weigh a little less, but short of creating an entirely new platform like Volkswagen did with the current Golf there isn't much they can do to make it significantly lighter than any of the other sporty hatchbacks on the market with roughly the same power that are roughly the same size and have roughly the same weight.

Fair enough. I concede.

 

[JC_Dude]

The only reason you'd buy this over another hot hatch is beacuse you want other people to see that BMW badge, you want to say "I drive a BMW". You don't buy it because you want to go fast, you don't buy it because you want a comfortable car, you buy it because you wanna appear to be a cool guy but A BMW GUY PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW YOU ARE A BMW GUY!

Yeah, let's just ignore the 3.0l I6, where the rest of the segment has 4-pots, the RWD, where the rest of the segment is FWD or AWD, and the build quality, which is head and shoulders above anything but the Audi S/RS3 and the A45 AMG.

 

[Neddo]

I think that Megane even though it's less powerful it could even beat this car.

 

[JC_Dude]

On a track, yeah, but the 1 series wasn't made to be as fast on the track as possible.

 

[Famine]

BMW

Uh-oh.

2016

Uh-oh.

M140i

DIVE DIVE DIVE

Incidentally, the image used is of the BMW M135i from 2015.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

I think that Megane even though it's less powerful it could even beat this car.

I do have to wonder what goes through your mind when you make up these comparisons.

"$60k pumped up taxi compared to $400k German super saloon? Seems legit."

"Hardcore track-focussed hot hatch with a half-cage and semi-slicks versus a BMW luxury hatch with sporty intentions? Yeah, why not?"

 

[VXR]

Debadged 5-dr in a dark metallic, then it'd be a low cool.

 

[Vegard]

Wow, they put a V8 in the 1 Series?!



Oh.

IKR. When did this madness start?



Oh.

 

[7up747]

Not a good looking car. Goes to meh.

 

[Tornado]

IKR. When did this madness start?



Oh.

I'm at a loss for why you think this is as clever as your trying to make it sound.

 

[MatskiMonk]

I'm at a loss for why you think this is as clever as your trying to make it sound.

And you thought your post was any better?

 

[Tornado]

My post was also a joke. Now, I get you don't have a sense of humor when it comes to the badge, but unless the argument is supposed to be "BMW did somewhat silly but still somewhat logical naming conventions once 30 years ago so any future silly naming conventions are good", I don't know what the point there was actually supposed to be.

 

[mustafur]

Apparently like the M5 this car pulls more power then what it's claimed, i saw a YT video of it somewhere where the car was catching the A45 once rolling.

I drove the M135i of the pre facelift a few years ago and the car felt pretty nuts to be honest the torque kick and sound of the engine was leaps ahead of any hatchback I have been in.

Shame they didn't make a Full M version of this though
Low Cool.

 

[Vegard]

"BMW did somewhat silly but still logical naming conventions once 30 years ago so any future silly naming conventions are good"

BMW being "silly" with their nomenclature has been a regularity for more than 30 years.

Someone assuming that a 140i has a V8 is being silly.

 

[Tornado]

BMW being "silly" with their nomenclature has been a regularity for more than 30 years.

You know, I'm looking at BMW models made from about 1986 to about maybe 2008 or so and things look pretty straightforward. With the E32 and E34 they were particularly ruthless with following the naming system they put in place accross the range, even though in those particular cases it likely caused more headache than it was worth. Fudged a bit sometimes, for sure, especially with the higher tier models so they could get some "space" with the lower models; but I'm nevertheless going to have to reiterate the "once" part of the sentence you quoted.


But I think the crux of the matter is probably pretty easy to get to: Who was assuming that the 140i had a V8?

 

[MatskiMonk]

My post was a joke. Now, I get you don't have a sense of humor when it comes to the badge, but unless the argument is supposed to be "BMW did somewhat silly but still logical naming conventions once 30 years ago so any future silly naming conventions are good", I'm at a loss for what the point there was supposed to be.

Hmm, well the E23 745i is the much offered example, but to be honest, in this day and age why is anyone on an automotive forum still making assumptions about BMW engine cylinder configuration based on the numbering system? Do people still make Skoda jokes?

.. and sound of the engine was leaps ahead of any hatchback I have been in.

Sadly that's possibly more to do with Active Sound Design than the N55 itself.

 

[Vegard]

You know, I'm looking at BMW models made from about 1986 to about maybe 2008 or so and things look pretty straightforward

What do you mean by straightforward?

This is getting a bit silly now. Why don't you explain the reasoning behind you original post in this thread, I think that would be beneficial and save us a lot of unnecessary arguing.

 

[mustafur]

The numbering system had to change to avoid confusion, now each set of numbers more or less reflects the power those numbers represent.

The alternative would be to call 80% of BMWs a X20i.

 

[LM7325]

Even 30 years ago it had flaws. The 1985 325 mom had when I was growing up was actually a 2.7L. Calling it a 327 would have made it sound more up market than the stronger 325i I assume is why they stuck with just 325...

 

[Murcie_LP640]

Even 30 years ago it had flaws. The 1985 325 mom had when I was growing up was actually a 2.7L. Calling it a 327 would have made it sound more up market than the stronger 325i I assume is why they stuck with just 325...

I believe it was actually called the 325e (at least elsewhere), where the 'e' stood for eta/efficiency.

From most reports it was also a complete dog.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Even 30 years ago it had flaws. The 1985 325 mom had when I was growing up was actually a 2.7L. Calling it a 327 would have made it sound more up market than the stronger 325i I assume is why they stuck with just 325...

In some markets the 5 series with the 2.7 eta engine in was badged as a 528e, which is somewhat closer. But it would have been odd having a 327 model, that had around 30% less power than a 325.

The modern equivalent from a badging point of view would be the 330e, which is an electrically assisted 2.0L I4 - both wore the 'e' designation for different reasons, but essentially the perceived numbering system wouldn't really have been indicative of what the car was about, so it was adapted, as is the case for the majority of models now.

 

[LM7325]

There was also the 325e. Same engine but it gets fuzzy. It wasn't that slow, it was a rocket compared to her 1982 talking Maxima. Compared to the I it is a little anemic, but the 318 was slower still.

 

[huskeR32]

My love for hot hatches manages to just outweigh my aversion to BMWs here. Cool, but just barely.

 

[Heldenzeit]

Looks fun to drive. I'd rather have this over the 2/3/4 series. Low cool.

 

[CarBastard]

Yeah, let's just ignore the 3.0l I6, where the rest of the segment has 4-pots, the RWD, where the rest of the segment is FWD or AWD, and the build quality, which is head and shoulders above anything but the Audi S/RS3 and the A45 AMG.

None of that has anything to do with a hot-hatchback. Luxury sports coupe/sedan? Definitely, that's on the list of things a car on that segment should have. But, again, as a "hot-hatch" this car is irrelevant and exists purely so BMW can play the "cool hot hatch" game with s rebodied, heavier and more powerful platform.

Also, have you bothered to check the price of the damn thing? Not a single car BMW currently sells in the USA goes for under $33k, and that's for a base model 320i. I assume the M140i costs much more. Now, if you were interested in speed you'd buy an Impreza, if you were interested in comfort you'd buy a 5-series, if you were interested in practicality you'd buy, I don't know, a Focus. But with so many options out there, the only reason for the M140i is...to have a BMW hatchback. Big deal...

 

[Tornado]

Now, if you were interested in speed you'd buy an Impreza, if you were interested in comfort you'd buy a 5-series, if you were interested in practicality you'd buy, I don't know, a Focus.

Certainly curious why there is no market position for a car that attempts all three.

 

[Neddo]

So glad this thing doesn't get SZ vote. It deserves this treatment

 

[JC_Dude]

None of that has anything to do with a hot-hatchback. Luxury sports coupe/sedan? Definitely, that's on the list of things a car on that segment should have. But, again, as a "hot-hatch" this car is irrelevant and exists purely so BMW can play the "cool hot hatch" game with s rebodied, heavier and more powerful platform.

So what are the qualities you're looking for in a hot-hatch? Because as far as I'm aware a hot-hatch is a car that combines the practicality and refinement of a hatchback with power of a sports car, which I think the M140 does very well.

Also, have you bothered to check the price of the damn thing? Not a single car BMW currently sells in the USA goes for under $33k, and that's for a base model 320i. I assume the M140i costs much more. Now, if you were interested in speed you'd buy an Impreza, if you were interested in comfort you'd buy a 5-series, if you were interested in practicality you'd buy, I don't know, a Focus. But with so many options out there, the only reason for the M140i is...to have a BMW hatchback. Big deal...

Yes, I have checked the pricing and this thing is reasonably priced. It costs around the same as the Golf R, Audi S3, Focus RS, etc. Does it cost more than a base 3-series? Yes, but the base 3 series (318i, I don't give a **** what the US offer is, the 1-series is not on sale there) has well under half the power and no equipment compared to the M140.

As to your scenarios: What if I wanted speed, comfort, practicality and build quality for ~35k pounds (which is around the price of a loaded M140 after dealer discounts)? Why have 3 cars if I could have 1?

 

[TB]

SU