When the Munich firm launched the hatchback 1 Series, the motoring world hoped for a stunning 'driver's car' that would be a runaway sales hit for the German car maker. Sadly, the hatch failed to deliver. Yes, it is a great machine to drive with its rear wheel drive set up, but sadly it has never been a car to glance back at after you’ve parked it.
The car was clearly too conventional to look at, but the entry level Beemer has just got a shot in the arm thanks to the chunky, well- proportioned Coupe.
BMW has made some of the most successful coupes out there. The 6 and 3 series continue to be as desirable as ever and now the Baby-Beemer coupe joins them.
The reason BMWs look so good is due mainly to the fact that all bar the four-wheel driver models are rear wheel drive. This allows the designers to sculpt beautifully short overhangs at the front. Engineers agree that having the front wheels steer and the rear wheels drive makes the optimum use of available grip from the tyres while delivering excellent driving balance.
In real world driving however front wheel drive cars tend to be more conservative in the way they handle and, dare I say it, more forgiving in wet or greasy driving conditions, but you simply cannot beat the feeling and driving pleasure rear wheel drive gives when you know what your doing.
Inside the Coupe there is seating for four only. There is a surprising amount of space up front and, while all the instruments and dials seem 10% smaller than in larger BMWs, the cabin is a nice place to be. The all-important driving position is a next to perfect. The boot is decent too.
My test car is the 123 diesel. It has a twin turbo 2 litre diesel four cylinder engine that produces 204bhp and 400nm of torque. With those figures, it is certainly quick and it can sprint from 0-100km/h is just 7 seconds.
On average the 123 will use 5.2 litres of fuel to travel 100km thanks in no small part to BMW's energy saving 'efficient dynamics'. When the car is stationary the engine will switch off and switch on again automatically when the clutch is depressed.
Fuel consumption figures and C02 readings are worked out by running cars through various cycles of use, and Beemer’s system is set up to maximise its score. My 123 has a very respectable C02 output of just 138g/km.
Like so many manufacturers, BMW is guilty of having a very pricy options list. My car came with over seven grand worth. Bluetooth integrated with the stereo is a shocking €1,075, while a USB/ audio interface for your iPod is €420!
In a car that is aimed at a youthful market these two items are now basic requirements and should be standard. With a few options fitted my test car stands at €58,790 (Base €51,450) and that is a lot for a 1 series.
The start of July will see the base price for a 123d Coupe fall by a whopping €7,488 to €43,962. The 1 Series Coupe is a fun car but pricy.
Michael Sheridan
