The 1 Series may sit at the bottom of BMW’s lineup, but you could still spend big money on a build. When the F70’s configurator in Germany went live back in June, we managed to max it out at €70,000. New press shots from the 1 Series’ launch in the Czech Republic show a similar high-end version with nearly all the bells and whistles.
For starters, we’re dealing with the king of the hill – the M135. The hot hatch gets an Individual matte paint (Frozen Portimao Blue) and optional 19-inch wheels with M compound brakes. The blue accents inside the headlights are reserved for the adaptive lights with a matrix high beam. You’re not paying extra for the quad exhaust since it’s standard on BMW’s compact M Performance cars.
Stepping inside, it has the body-hugging front seats with an illuminated M logo echoing the big-boy M cars. This M135 is missing the panoramic glass roof, one of the few options this F70 build doesn’t have. The interior shots are a good opportunity to check out once again how much the 1 Series has changed, not necessarily for the better. BMW’s obsession with minimalism has claimed another victim since most of the traditional switchgear is gone. Heck, even the iDrive knob has been eliminated.
Equipment aside, we can also get acquainted with the engine cover for the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit. It has an M badge (of course!) and what looks like fake carbon fiber. Since the adjacent images show an M135 for Europe, that B48 engine makes only 296 hp. Outside of the EU, it offers the full 312 hp. The difference stems from emissions regulations forcing BMW to detune the four-pot. Thankfully, the 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) torque stays the same.
Earlier this week, the M235 joined the lineup as the M135’s sedan sibling with a US visa.
Source: BMW Czech Republic
