BMW 1 Series Coupe
As much power as an M3 coupe and more than 50mpg? The future is now – if BMW has anything to say about it.
I am a hardened “propeller head” and appreciate all things BMW – but even I was amazed when I read the stats on the new 123d coupe we’ve got on loan at the moment.
The BMW 1 Series 123d in M Sport trim looks fabulous – we love its classic Bee-Em proportions and cool styling. But its four-pot 2-litre twin-turbo diesel engine doesn’t exactly set the pulse racing – until you floor it that is.
With a whopping 295lb/ft of pulling power (the same as the 400bhp V8-powered M3) and 200bhp, the 123d coupe pulls like a freight train. The 0-62mph dash takes just seven seconds, but floor the happy pedal in any gear, any revs, and at any speed, and the coupe kicks you in the back and surges up the road with outstanding urgency.
Put simply – it’s really quick.
But here’s the trump card – the 123d coupe averages more than 54mpg. And on my daily commute (66 miles), I drove carefully for 45 minutes, followed the Beemer’s instructions on optimal gear changes, and managed to add an extra 100 miles to the tank’s range.
It doesn’t sound amazing, but it doesn’t sound like a diesel either – and considering the performance and frugality, it’s a sacrifice worth making.
Shame about the run-flat tyres, otherwise the 123d coupe could be one of the best cars in the world…
Read Used BMW 1 Series Car Review
Vijay Pattni.
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Got one but the SE. Not as i your face as an ‘M’ sport but just as quick. I have achieved 32 mpg on a ‘steady’ run but your reviewer is correct to say giving it it’s head and low 20′s is the norm. Fast,classy and safe.
Tempted to agree – had a 123d (3 dr) off the BMW press fleet for a drive down to Exeter and was sublime. Fuel economy was excellent, but mostly, as you say, the power delivery was incredible – not quite as exciting to drive as a Noble M400, but one of the best all-rounders I’ve driven!