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Autocar Roadtest - BMW 123d Coupé
30.11.2007 |
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123d M Sport Coupé
Diminutive sports coupés infused with quality engineering.
Vehicles like these form the bedrock of BMW’s revered
tradition, and with the new 1-Series Coupé, the firm seeks a return to a sporting ethos it believes will produce the lowest average owner age profile of any car it currently makes.
The new car is part of a comprehensive broadening of the 1-Series range that began with the introduction of the three-door hatch and continues with the 1-Series Convertible due in the spring of 2008. For the enthusiast driver, the signs are good. The 1-Series is an inherently sporting drive; losing the hatchback body brings increased chassis rigidity and, of course, there’s the purist’s layout of choice with rear-wheel drive.
Under the bonnet, it’s the fitment of the superb twin-turbo straight-six in the 135i that has garnered much of the press coverage. But it’s the new diesel (the most powerful four-cylinder turbodiesel in the world) that we test here. This promises as much in the way of on-road fireworks as it does a reluctance to visit the black pump.
DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
3 1/2 stars
“Elegant, sports-style lines” is how BMW would like us view the 1-Series Coupé, but we’ll leave it to your aesthetic judgement to critique this unusual-looking car. What we will say is that it has a knack of dividing opinion, with its collection of sweeping lines and juxtaposed shapes. In any case, as one tester commented, the word ‘coupé’ does seem a little fanciful with these proportions; ‘two-door sports saloon’ feels more apt.
Careful examination of the blueprint reveals why: it’s 133mm longer than a 1-series hatchback and a mite wider, but although it’s obviously both shorter and narrower than a 3-series coupé, it’s actually taller, contributing to the ‘turret’ look of the cockpit.
Although the 123d appears a small car when you stand alongside, it makes a rather bigger impression on the scales; at 1495kg, it’s no lightweight. Perhaps more revealing still, is the knowledge that a 135i weighs just 40kg less than a 335i coupé. Although this is disappointing, it shades coupé heavyweights such as the Nissan 350Z (or the 1800kg 407 coupé) by a respectable margin.
The underpinnings are shared with the hatchback – which means MacPherson strut suspension on the front axle and a five-link fully independent set-up at the rear. You steer by an electrically assisted rack-and-pinion system on the two diesel models, with a more traditional hydraulic rack used on the 135i to improve feel and feedback.
As with all new BMWs, there’s a full suite of fuel-saving measures, such as auto start-stop, grouped under the ‘EfficientDynamics’ banner. It’s the engine that has us the most excited, however (see Under the Skin). When a small-capacity diesel can muster over 200bhp and break the 100bhp-per-litre mark, even the most ardent petrophile has to take notice.
INTERIOR
4 stars
Once again, this car is proof that few manufacturers understand the importance of a good driving position like BMW. The sports seats are superb, with excellent lateral support and a huge array of adjustment. This includes the extension of the base cushion and the way the seat can be dropped deep into the belly of the car, much to the delight of taller drivers. The steering wheel also offers a comprehensive range of adjustment in both reach and rake, and the pedals and gear lever are ideally placed for enthusiastic driving.
Inside, the coupé’s fit and finish are much the same as any 1-Series and while the perceived quality throughout the car is exemplary, this does make for an entirely predictable ambience. Whether this appeals is as much a question of individual taste as anything, but a few special design highlights would lift a rather sombre demeanour. Nor does it feel especially coupé-like from the inside; although the door tops are high and the glasshouse is relatively narrow, the high roof and upright rear screen offer nothing like the ambience of an Alfa Romeo Brera or a 350Z. Of course, the 123d counters by offering far more space than either, even if rear legroom and headroom are compromised for taller passengers. Sitting in a 1-Series hatchback feels dreadfully cramped by the standards of the class, but here the 123d exceeds most coupé expectations, helped in no small part by making the back a strict two-seat arrangement instead of a rear bench.
Extending the rear bodywork has allowed for an additional 40 litres of space in the boot, taking the total to 370 litres. Apart from a rather narrow aperture, it’s a welcome feature.
PERFORMANCE
4 1/2 stars
Let there be no doubt, this is an absolute gem of an engine. It doesn’t seem long ago that the raucous punch of a Volkswagen/Audi TDI motor was an extraordinary achievement from just two diesel-fuelled litres, and yet this twin-turbo masterpiece manages to not only easily outpace any rivals, but offer class-leading refinement too.
Boost is available as long as there’s around 1300rpm on the rev counter. Once the needle has swept past the 2000rpm mark you’re into a solid and substantial band of torque that is held remarkably constant towards the red line.
Choose any barometer of performance and the 123d impresses. It springs from rest to 60mph in just 6.7 seconds, making it the equal of most top-line turbo hot hatches, and yet can dust the fourth gear 40-60mph increment in a paltry 4.1 seconds, proving its huge flexibility. In the real world, this is a genuinely fast car.
The pleasure of this engine runs deeper than mere numbers, though. One of the most enjoyable aspects of its character is the way you can brush the accelerator pedal in, say, fourth gear and instantly feel the car gain momentum. It’s as if its boat-like form has been collected by a giant wave crashing forwards. And despite the magnitude of the power and torque on offer, it’s never harsh on the ear – save some mild cold-start clattering – nor unruly in its delivery like some of the spirited turbodiesel engines of the past.
Factor in the outstanding fuel economy (drive in a relaxed manner and you should be able to beat 50mpg) along with a minimal environmental impact (just 138g/km of CO2 for a vehicle possessing such potent performance), and it’s easy to see this as the 1-Series Coupé engine of choice.
Still, the reality is that even using all the latest technology available it hasn’t got the thrilling rev range of a performance petrol engine (or the sound of one), so it’s essential to use the slick-shifting six-speed manual ’box to keep the engine spinning where it works best and to then lean on the admirably well judged brake pedal to dampen progress as required.
RIDE AND HANDLING
3 1/2 stars
If you’ve ever driven a 1-series hatch on low-profile rubber, you’ll really appreciate how well the 123d rides. With the optional M Sport lowered suspension of our test car it translates every camber and twitch in road surface to your backside with fanatical determination, and the aggressive damper rebound that characterises the 1-Series remains, leaving your head nodding vigorously on uneven roads.
But the jarring slap of run-flat tyres over sharp ridges and potholes that makes a 130i so wearisome has been simply wiped from the repertoire. No doubt this is partly down to the added stiffness of the booted body shell, allowing for a rethink on the suspension tuning.
It’s now possible to drive this 1-Series over long distances and all kinds of road surfaces in genuine comfort, giving the 123d the useful appeal of a mini-GT.
With a shorter wheelbase than a 3-Series the 123d has a nimble, slightly edgy way in which it responds to steering inputs. It has a voracious appetite for changing direction and in this sense feels more alert than the 135i, thanks no doubt to the aforementioned lower kerb weight of this version.
The downside is that it lacks the poise and rhythm of a 3-Series, because unless you concentrate hard on your steering inputs it’s all too easy to find yourself tackling a sequence of curves with a series of aggressive stabs at the wheel. In fact, it’s the steering which marks the biggest disappointment of the driving experience, with not just the expected lack of feel through the overly thick rim, but a vague and lifeless trough in the assistance around the straight ahead that becomes an almost nervous eagerness once you’ve turned through it.
For everyday driving it has an ideal level of assistance, and all the accuracy and weighting one might need, but when you want to drive the 123d with conviction you’ll find yourself relying on the considerable grip levels generated to provide the thrills.
BUYING AND OWNING
3 1/2 stars
This might be a small coupé, but the price tag certainly isn’t. With the M Sport pack fitted to our car, it retails at £26,290. And that figure jumps to £30,835 with options such as the appealing red leather fitted. Compare it to a 330d Coupé M Sport at £34,755 and it looks pricey, for all its considerable abilities.
Once you’ve swallowed the financial implications of a 123d purchase, the prospects are better. Thanks to a CO2 output of just 138g/km, it attracts just an 18 per cent Benefit In Kind charge for company cars, and the frugal nature of the motor allows for large gaps between refills; we managed 50.1mpg on our touring route.
1. One of the more controversial design elements, this upturned line is awkward; it makes a large ‘negative’ shape in the door.
2. M Sport trim brings an attractive multi-spoke wheel design, although tyre size stays exactly the same as that of an SE model. Run-flats are no longer a problem where the ride is concerned; this is a remarkable turnaround from BMW’s troubles of the recent past.
3. 1-Series Coupé gets a redesigned front valance over the regular hatchback and the 135i’s is subtly different again.
4. No xenons on our car, which seems stingy at the price. Adaptive lights that bend their beams around corners are on the options list.
5. Tail lamps seem to get ever more intricately designed nowadays and these are no exception. Attractive jewel-like clusters run across the bottom of the units.
6. Pretty kicked-up tail is slightly at odds with the large cockpit area in front of it. Wide third brake light fitted under the lip.
7. Some testers don’t mind the odd rear; others find the rear wheels too far forward and the glasshouse too tall. You decide…
8. It wouldn’t be a BMW if it didn’t have a hoffmeister kink, the distinctive dog-leg shape to the C-pillar. BMW continues its coupé tradition of fitting pillarless side windows, and there’s some noticeable wind noise at motorway speeds.
HISTORY
BMW is keen to associate the 1-Series Coupé with the sports saloon/coupé models of the late ’60s and early ’70s, particularly the much-loved 2002 tii and 2002 turbo models. So far the 1-Series hatchback hasn’t quite managed to recapture their spirit, but with the 3-Series growing in size with every evolution, there’s now room for a small saloon or coupé to pick up the torch. Visually, the 1-Series Coupé owes its proportions more to the 3-Series Compact models of the late 1990s, although they were hatchbacks.
ON THE LIMIT
Once you’ve got a handle on the 123d’s character you’ll not be surprised at the way it drives at the limit. Long for a dedicated hooligan of a car and you’ll come away disappointed.
With a fair amount of weight to carry and a mass-market sporting brief, the 123d has plenty of understeer built into the chassis; this car leans hard on the outside front wheel should you enter a corner too quickly. Nevertheless, judge your entry speed right and there’s pleasing neutrality to the chassis, especially once you’ve fed in the power and balanced the car through the corner (easy with the torque on offer). The electronic diff lock then plays its part, allowing a little sideways slip at the rear and preventing the inside rear from leaving a solitary black line on the road. What a shame, then, that the electric power steering doesn’t offer a greater sense of connectedness with the road.
So it’s nimble, grippy and sporty in a slightly clinical way: a grown-up small coupé with big-car polish, but not quite the zest you might expect from a car carrying the propeller badge.
AUTOCAR VERDICT
4 Stars - Superb engine, top refinement, but not enough driving fun
The 123d is a small coupé with a big-car feel and performance to its character. Many will find their feelings towards it irreversibly formed the moment they set eyes on its distinctive shape, and for those who approve, the new engine will surely clinch many a deal. It is this unit’s outstanding qualities that lift the 123d to a four-star rating here, and fitment into other cars in the BMW range structure should have rivals worried.
Beyond its engine, the 123d has considerable long-term ownership appeal, thanks to a comfortable, high-quality interior. But it isn’t quite the spirited little terrier of a car many had hoped for, proving too smooth, heavy and remote to really appeal to an enthusiast. Perhaps it will take the possible resurrection of the ‘tii’ badge to provide real driving entertainment.
TESTERS’ NOTES
ADAM TOWLER
Little details mean a lot: the clear instrumentation, the rubber-coated cubbyholes and the quality leather that make this car feel expensive. Just as well, given the price.
MATT PRIOR
Picking a rival for this car is hard: what else combines this size, practicality and diesel performance?
MATT RIGBY
Run your fingers over the ‘favourite’ buttons and the iDrive screen displays what you’ve programmed in before you press the button to select it. Quite brilliant.
JOBS FOR THE FACELIFT
- We know electric steering assistance is here to stay, but can it offer a more feedback?
- Put it on a diet
- Become more resistant to cold-start clatter