BMW 1-series – performance and 0-62 time
The 1-series isn’t quite a match for rivals from Audi and Mercedes-AMG on paper, but performance is good across the board
Thanks to an impressive level of standard performance in even the entry-level 120 Sport, you’ll rarely be left wanting more performance from a 1-series. With a 7.8sec 0-62mph time and 140mph quote top speed, both the 120 Sport and M Sport feel more than spritely enough to make use of a good B-road, with the seven-speed dual-clutch responsive enough to make the paddles worth using – being a mild-hybrid powertrain, it even comes with a ‘Boost’ function, allowing you to hold the left paddle for instant kickdown and a temporary 10sec uplift in peak output.
BMW has done a good job limiting the unrefined, almost agricultural character of some three-cylinder engines in these entry-level models, with the mild-hybrid system likely playing a significant part. It’s still not perfect though; on the move, the three-cylinder sounds gruff and a little diesel-like under certain conditions, but there’s undoubtedly more aural feedback than you get in most entry-level models. There’s a real thrum from the exterior, and a ‘throttle-cut’ like sound on upshifts at high load makes the 1-series much less dull than some of its rivals.
Opt for the 123 xDrive and performance is improved further still, with its four-cylinder pure-combustion powertrain sending all 215bhp through the same seven-speed dual-clutch transmission for a 6.3sec 0-62mph time and 153mph top speed. For the most performance though, you’ll need the 296bhp M135, which achieves a 4.9sec 0-62mph time to put it two tenths behind the more powerful Audi S3 and Mercedes-AMG A35 – top speed stands at a limited 155mph.
