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

Tesla Model Y review – the cure for range anxiety?
Tesla Model Y
Reviews

Tesla Model Y review – the cure for range anxiety?

You’ll struggle to drive any distance without seeing a Tesla Model Y, but there is good reason for that
7 Aug 2026
The ultimate supercars of the 1990s – car pictures of the week
'90s supercars
Features

The ultimate supercars of the 1990s – car pictures of the week

Our Eras tests travel to the 1990s, where the genre evolves beyond all recognition compared to two decades earlier
8 Aug 2026
The Aston Martin DB12 S has had its grille painted bright blue, and ‘VMF’ is why
Aston Martin DB12 S VMF editions
News

The Aston Martin DB12 S has had its grille painted bright blue, and ‘VMF’ is why

Aston Martin is going back to the 1950s with three special DB12s, designed to reference its famous ‘VMF’ DB2 racers 
10 Aug 2026