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

TVR Cerbera (1996-2004) review – the British bargain supercar
TVR Cerbera
Reviews

TVR Cerbera (1996-2004) review – the British bargain supercar

The singular, spectacular Cerbera is a genuine supercar that’s often overlooked – and, arguably, underpriced
2 Nov 2026
BMW i3 50 review – why it's the best electric car we've driven
BMW i3
Reviews

BMW i3 50 review – why it's the best electric car we've driven

The BMW i3 name has returned, but now in a much more conventional form than before. It's quick in 50 xDrive form, and retains Munich's sophisticated d…
30 Oct 2026
The best cars we’ve ever driven – evo’s five-star cars
The best cars ever
Best cars

The best cars we’ve ever driven – evo’s five-star cars

Five-star cars are the very best cars we’ve ever tested, and sure-fire hits for all in search of the thrill of driving
29 Oct 2026