F40 128ti

[Glendora Spink]

TheGTI TCR lease value was 38000 in 2019 and to replace that with a GTI Clubsport or Golf R with the options to like to for like with the TCR would make that lease value pushing into the mid 40,000 now, making an affordable lease not so affordable.

Not test drove but sat in a couple now, and quality is nowhere near wife present A1, some cheap materials and its so minimalist its gone to point of sterile, Its obviously still a nice car, but really did not like it also, if that makes sense.

There is a white one at Marshall VW Letchworth so had a good look over at weekend and it looks great, however, found the interior a little cheap in places (which is to be expected suppose coming from the Golf which is 10000 more) and no matter how much wanted to love it, given its overall looks, on that first contact, the interior left me feeling it was falling short. One thing to note and suppose a plus, the O/S is the same as the MK 7.5 and not the MK 8

Late entrant to this list as realised would only put 750 options on it as most of options not bothered about and managed to get inside a black one at weekend for an hour and really really liked it, massive lift in the interior to all others on the list and felt like my TCR in Sport setting, it was really lively and fun (obviously could not really push it, so in burst could do) and though you could feel the ride on a poor surface, it was not onerous at all (Better than the current A1 which has S Sline suspension)

The 128ti is now the car edging it, even though the usual temptation to push the brief has brought it into the frame, but given my allowance has gone up, the 128ti in white and on 18" wheels means its 2500 cheaper than the TCR lease value in 2019, so it would be the first change where after 3 years have gone backwards in value and not had to spend more just to stay even.

The 128ti would do all the grunt miles and TCR would have an easier life, but can see this being my last company lease after next cycle (there is even redundancy whispers) and so keeping the TCR has an eye on it picking up the mantel a little further down the line when i really am unlikely to like any of the offerings out there as even more increased prices, the other car likely being an electric maybe? Who knows,

Wife still has eye on one of the Mini though and so it will be one more look at Mini or BMW before press the buttons Friday and wait 6 + or plus more months (despite the lease company insisting car will be delivered in that time frame! would have money it does not, but we will see)

I really like the Hyundai also, saw one in grey yesterday drive past in high street, smart looking car and some nice noises, despite the cheaper interior to Golfs, A3 (but likely not the new A1 or Polo as they really have gone down a notch from previous incarnations)

The BMW surprised me, thought it would be a 40,000 car as surely it was option bare and i would be ticking away at all the boxes down the list. However, Parking Assist 350 (Rear View Camera) and Lumbar Support 250 and one other cannot remember made it 750 in options only and just over 35000 when remove the on road prices from configuration.

Strange times, would not normally keep the TCR, the second car has always been the lesser, but though it will obviously depreciate and cannot call it an investment, paying that bit more to keep it with an eye to future. Its likely a 10-15 year car and by then as will be looked after, be hopefully like the ED35 which really hold prices over and above standard models

Kia and Hyundai seem to be working on producing their joint effort EV6 GT and Ioniq 5 N models so I hope the ICE performance models aren't neglected The next i30N iteration could be truly epic based on progress in the last few years!

I would absolutely not try to discourage you from a 128ti, as my F40 M135i is a great replacement for my 7.5R. But you might be slightly alarmed by the tales of woe on orders and deliveries on both BMW models from the Leipzig factory:

Indefinite delays, removal of options before and after the order is placed, is probably no worse than other makes, but it's best to be aware! Mine suffered only 2 months' delay last year and was almost exactly as ordered, but the situation seems to have got much worse.

The new BMW M135i xDrive was always going to have a tough time convincing the diehards. Against its much loved predecessor, the M135 lost two cylinders and the option of a manual gearbox - and gained a driven front axle. On paper, not much about the F40 1 Series flagship endeared it to the BMW faithful; sadly that didn't change much in reality, either, the M135i being perfectly capable and eminently liveable - but rather charmless.

Perhaps, then, this VW Golf GTI rival might be the fast BMW 1 Series to have: the 128ti. It changes the formula once again, offered only with front-wheel drive and passive suspension, yet promises much: it is lighter than the M135, has been tweaked from top to bottom to take advantage of that fact and can even claim some tuned-at-the-ring kudos. BMW goes so far as to call the new 128ti "fleet-footed, direct and uncompromising."

Plenty of work has gone into ensuring at least some of that claim rings true. Though power and torque is now only going to one axle, the same Torsen diff as found in the M135i is fitted here; in the ti the locking factor is now 31 per cent under acceleration compared with 36 per cent before. Steering for the car is bespoke, aimed to reduce torque steer but retaining some sporty feel, and the M Sport passive suspension set up is unique as well. Though firmer anti-roll bars are carried over from the M135i, the 128ti gets springs and dampers that are stiffer than the flagship for "even sharper driving dynamics". And get this: 19-inch wheels are optional, but the no-cost-option performance tyre upgrade - a Michelin Pilot Sport 4S - is only available on the 18-inch rim. Nothing like prioritising handling over kerb appeal to really get the enthusiasts onside.

Though not a class blessed with beauties (Renault Sport Megane aside), the 1 Series isn't the most attractive hot hatch out there - even with the ti badge add-ons. Perhaps because of them, as red accents for the intakes, sill and rear vents, plus the colour-matched badges, don't help much. In optional Misano Blue or Melbourne Red, the red bits are black and work better, or they can be deleted entirely - which might be preferable. The red highlighting works much better inside at least, and the standard sports seats are great.

Though giving away a chunk of performance on paper to the M135i - 265hp and 295lb ft is 41hp and 37lb ft down - the 128ti certainly doesn't seem to be lacking anything on the road. Those obsessed by benchmark numbers will point to the 1.3-second difference in 0-62mph sprint but that says as much about the xDrive traction as it does any outright performance deficit. The 128ti is slower - but not by a huge amount. The eight-speed automatic gearbox does the same admirably here as it does in the all-wheel drive car, its short ratios delivered decisively, and manual control on offer via chunky shift paddles. It's still an effective rather than a memorable powertrain, which could probably be said about a lot of the rivals, but feels to complement the package pretty well. What is interesting to note is that this ti sounds better than the M135i, the noise seemingly less augmented and truer to what ought to emanate from a 2.0-litre turbo. BMW's claim of a "thrilling, richly sporting aural experience for the driver" seems a bit much, but there have been far worse attempts at manipulating four-cylinders.

It helps that the 128ti making the noise drives brilliantly. A front-wheel drive BMW might make as much sense to some as a chicken sausage or cinnamon Coke, but there's no arguing with the results. At the manufacturer's first attempt (leaving aside the Minis which share a smaller variant of the 1 Series platform) the 128ti is immediately competitive with rest of the FWD hot hatch field - and makes the M135i seem a little unnecessary in the process.

By the first speed bump it's a tangibly more serious car; which isn't to say it's crashy or unrelenting, rather that it has a tighter grip on its body movements than we're used to. Where sub-M models can be slack and bit lazy in body control, the 128ti is taut and composed. Truth be told it's firm enough to make the 19-inch wheel an option probably best avoided, albeit in a way that signals intent and quality as opposed to simply cranking up spring rate. Even at low speed, the ti is a more satisfying car to use than the M135; that bespoke steering tune lends an improved sense of connection (even though the chubby wheel remains) and the reduced kerbweight makes it feel more agile in any situation. Given a lot of our driving is so ordinary, it's nice to feel more a part of it at everyday speeds.

Perhaps more impressive, though, is what things are like when you go a bit quicker. There's a tenacity and vibrancy to the driving experience that's makes it really entertaining, the 128ti feeling sharper than even an 80kg weight saving - and a still-chunky 1,445kg - would suggest. Everything that's desirable about a good hot hatch is here, with an eager turn in, adjustable mid-corner balance and really strong traction, aided here by the Torsen diff and ARB. The what? Well, it's 'near-actuator wheel slip limitation' - or traction control that's wired into the engine itself, and said to be 10 times quicker to respond than the DSC system. It was technology seen on the Mini Electric, and works just as well here, the front wheels always driving hard out of a corner and with precious little interference. For incorporating the benefits of a limited-slip differential on the front axle with almost no drawbacks, BMW deserves praise - it adds another dimension to a well resolved drive. Who'd have thought in the same week we'd be featuring the turbocharged, front-wheel drive Renault Sport hatchback without an LSD and a BMW hot hatch that makes such effective use of one?

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