At the moment, the hottest 1 Series hatch you can buy is the BMW M135i xDrive. However, when compared to its predecesor, the BMW M140i, it doesn’t actually seem so hot. It’s especially un-hot (cool?) when you compare it to the Mercedes-AMG A45 and Audi RS3, which are both more powerful and much faster. So you’d imagine that BMW might want to come up with something a bit hotter, a bit more potent, to help take on its more powerful rivals.
In some new spy video, we can see what seems to be some sort of M Performance 1 Series hatchback wrapped in camouflage. But why would BMW wrap any 1 Series in camouflage unless it was an all new model? We’ve already seen all of the officially announced 1 Series models in production form and it’s not time for a 1 Series facelift. So what model remains to be made? The BMW M140i is the only logical answer.
At around the fourteen second mark, we get to see the camouflaged 1 Series and it seems to be some sort of sporty model. We can hear the growl from its exhaust and, especially in continued laps, we can also see it lapping pretty aggressively. Both those two factors with its dotted kidney grille design and what see to be BMW’s M Performance-grey mirrors, and this is likely some sort of M Performance Series.
If it is a BMW M140i, it will likely have an up-rated version of the same 2.0 liter turbocharged four-pot as the M135i. The current car makes 302 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. Expect around 350 – 375 horsepower from the same turbo four-pot and the same eight-speed Aisin automatic and Haldex-based all-wheel drive system. However, it mihgt need even more firepower than that, as both of its German competitors make 400 horsepower.
We’d be very interested to see if this is indeed a BWW M140i. We’re hoping it is, s that would give BMW an even hotter hatchback than what it already has. If not, the M135i is all we’re gonna get.
