This Is The New BMW M135 And No That’s Not A Typo

The fresh BMW M135 and 1-series range as a whole has arrived, and the first thing we talk about is a missing letter at the end of the model name, because it’s actually quite significant. The old ‘i’ designation that once stood for fuel injection but became a signifier for all sub-M Division petrol BMWs after carburettors died off has fallen by the wayside, hence ‘M135’ and ‘120’.

We can expect more ‘i’ badge removal happening for BMW’s petrol models going forward, as the letter will eventually be reserved to preface the names of EVs like the i4 and i5. Another change is that the ‘M1’ and ‘1’ parts of the badges are bigger than the remaining digits - expect to see this format on other models soon.

It’s the end of an era, but we should probably get back to the car, which BMW dubs a “fourth generation” of the 1-series, although really, it’s more of a heavy update. The basic structure of the car appears to be the same, but at least the front end is a pretty big departure, featuring a new bumper with what appears to be smaller kidney grilles than before and a new set of light clusters.

The rear looks more familiar but there’s still a rejigged bumper and fresh light clusters. The M135 also gets a new quad-exit exhaust arrangement. The car has grown a little, with the length increased by 42mm and the height by 25mm. The wheelbase is exactly the same as before.

In terms of engines, your choices in the UK will be limited. There isn’t a sole diesel option, and from launch, you’ll only be able to pick from the 120 or the M135 xDrive hot hatch. The 120 uses a mild-hybrid 1.5-litre inline-three turbo engine kicking out 168bhp, making for a 0-62mph sprint of 7.8 seconds.

The M135 is a lot pokier, but actually a little less powerful than before, with its ‘B48’ inline-four turbo engine dropping from 302bhp to 295bhp, which leads to the 0-62mph time slowing down by a tenth of a second to 4.9 seconds. The top speed remains electronically limited at 155mph.

Whether you go for the sporty one or not, you’ll benefit from various dynamic upgrades. The body is more rigid than before, the anti-roll bar mounts have been improved, the dampers tweaked and the caster of the front wheels increased by 20 per cent. The Adaptive M Chassis (standard if you opt for an M Sport-trimmed car) drops the ride by 8mm.

Inside, the dashboard follows a similar shape to the outgoing model, but there’s a new single-piece curved display which houses a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.7-inch touchscreen infotainment setup. The physical climate controls have gone, as they’re now operated from the bottom of the touchscreen, and as we’ve seen from other recent smaller BMWs, the classic iDrive rotary controller has been binned.

Both versions of the new 1-series are available to order now. The 120 is £29,950, while the M135 weighs in at £41,000. The first UK deliveries will begin in October.