Skip advert
Advertisement

BMW M140i review - 1-series hot hatch offers more polish than precision - Performance and 0-60 times

The M140i is a polished hot hatch offering that starts to unravel when pushed to its limits

Evo rating
  • Sophisticated and impressive drivetrain, polished road manners and well priced
  • Lacks the precision of more focused rivals

Performance and 0-60mph time

Despite a comparative lack of performance focus, the M140i still boasts impressive performance figures, with manual equipped cars reaching 62 from a standstill in just 4.8 seconds. Thanks to a plateau of torque, the BMW feels unstressed, but still rewards the driver when the full 7000rpm rev range is utilised.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The automatic gearbox drops this time a further two tenths to 4.6 seconds, due to the ZF boxes short gearing and sharp shifts. Compared to the likes of the Mercedes-AMG A45 and Audi RS3, the BMW is out gunned, but against more relevantly priced rivals like the Golf R and Audi S3, the BMW will easily show them a fresh pair of heels in the dry, but be left for dead by these all-wheel drive rivals in the wet.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Is Porsche really pulling the plug on the all-electric Boxster?
Porsche Cayman EV
News

Is Porsche really pulling the plug on the all-electric Boxster?

Reports by Bloomberg suggest the new CEO is considering ditching the all-electric Boxster and Cayman for hybrid power.
3 Feb 2026
Jaguar GT prototype review – driving 2026’s most controversial car
Jaguar GT prototype – front
Reviews

Jaguar GT prototype review – driving 2026’s most controversial car

Jaguar’s all-electric GT is entering the final stages of testing; we try a prototype in Sweden and find it’s not averse to a little snow-drifting
2 Feb 2026
Ferrari 849 Testarossa review – can the SF90 successor challenge Lamborghini's Revuelto?
Ferrari 849 Testarossa
Reviews

Ferrari 849 Testarossa review – can the SF90 successor challenge Lamborghini's Revuelto?

Ferrari has resurfaced a legendary name for its SF90 supercar replacement. Here's how the 849 Testarossa stacks up
2 Feb 2026