1 SERIES F20
Total Revs
16
Global Rank
#170
Gen Rank
1 MORE REVS TO REACH #169 IN OVERALL GEN
Ranked Categories
About the 1 Series F20
BMW dropped the rear-wheel-drive layout from the 1 Series and the E87 purists mourned. The F20 went front-engine, rear-drive on the same CLAR platform, but with a turbocharged focus that changed the character. The N20 four-cylinder in the 125i made 218 hp and was fast enough. The N55 six in the M135i made 320 hp and was properly quick, hitting 60 in 4.9 seconds. The interior jumped a generation in quality over the E87 with better materials and a usable iDrive. But the driving experience shifted. More refinement, less rawness. The M135i was the one that justified the platform, a hot hatch in everything but drivetrain layout, with the straight-six smoothness that only BMW delivered at this price point. Good car, different character than its predecessor.