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

Four modern classic sports cars that cost a fraction of their modern equivalents
Cheap sports cars
Best cars

Four modern classic sports cars that cost a fraction of their modern equivalents

A new 911 is over £100,000, a new Lotus Evora just under, a new Vantage just over £160,000. Save a fortune and buy their modern classic ancestors
5 Feb 2026
Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale (2003 - 2004) review – the original 911 GT3 RS rival
Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale
Reviews

Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale (2003 - 2004) review – the original 911 GT3 RS rival

Ferrari’s 360 Challenge Stradale set the template for Maranello’s lightened, hardcore mid-engined specials
10 Feb 2026
Used Mini Paceman (2013 - 2017) review – a weird crossover from a weird time
Mini Paceman
Reviews

Used Mini Paceman (2013 - 2017) review – a weird crossover from a weird time

Market trends and the success of the Range Rover Evoque compelled Mini to produce a two-door crossover. Strange times, strange car
10 Feb 2026