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

Land Rover Defender Octa review – the super SUV that’s more fun than sports cars
Land Rover Defender Octa – front
In-depth reviews

Land Rover Defender Octa review – the super SUV that’s more fun than sports cars

Put aside your SUV cynicism. The Land Rover Defender Octa is a triumph, with 911 GT3 levels of engineering making it an unexpected thrill to drive
8 Jan 2026
Toyota GR Yaris Morizo RR is the 911 GT3 RS of hot hatchbacks
Toyota GR Yaris Morizo RR
News

Toyota GR Yaris Morizo RR is the 911 GT3 RS of hot hatchbacks

Limited run GR Yaris Morizo RR was inspired by its Nürburging 24 hour performance and championed by the company boss.
9 Jan 2026
Used Alpinas – four tuned BMW Bahnstormers from the end of an era
Used Alpinas
News

Used Alpinas – four tuned BMW Bahnstormers from the end of an era

Alpina is to be reinvented under full BMW ownership – the perfect excuse to buy into a used one
7 Jan 2026