BMW 1 Series 2006 Review

Tasty indeed.

Now, that brings us nicely to another tasty combination ... mouthwatering, really. BMW's natty little 1 Series chassis and the Bavarian maestri's sublime three-litre straight six. The result is the 130i Sport.

BMW do not actually use the "M" word for this car, other than to acknowledge that the M Sport package of suspension, wheels, tyres, trim and other shiny bits comes standard with the base $62,900 price tag.

This is a Clayton's M1 — a really, really special five-door hatch that deserves to be acknowledged and admired. In launching the baby 1 Series more than a year ago, BMW stayed true to the marque's key tenets: it was a driver's car and it was a rear-wheel drive.

Forget the option-ticking frenzy that accompanies most BMW sales. Straight out of the wrapping, this is a car to cherish.

With 190kW of power and 315Nm of torque — not outlandish in pure performance terms but class-leading for a small hatch — the 130i feels lean, mean and ready to party from the first punch of the starter button.

Yep, the 130i Sport has joined the growing band of "sports" cars with a starter button. Happily, on this one it looks good.

With a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.2 seconds the littler Bimmer is quick but not in the manner of a slingshot. Renault's Sport Megane Cup can give it 30kW and a fair race to the ton. However, the 130i is fun ... that is F-U-N. There are precious few cars of any ilk that will finish a duel with this little rocket with its reputation intact. And it's all done wrapped in leather and style with a modicum of practicality thrown in for good measure.

A rear seat — a touch tight as it is — and five doors makes the 130i a liveable daily-drive. Ferrying the kids around or picking up the groceries has rarely been so much fun.

The 130i Sport's six-speed box is a sweet match to the free-spinning engine. Get into the powerband from the mid-2000rpm mark and the urge doesn't stop until you are within spittin'-distance of redline.

It would be quite reasonable to fear that shoehorning a bleedin' great straight six into the nose of a smallish hatch would have a dire effect on many of those things — such as weight distribution and balance — that play such a big role in driving dynamics.

You know the scenario: goes like stink in a straight line but best to avoid the corners. Not so. BMW has warped the laws applying to lesser folk to produce the lightest three-litre six in creation and balance it in a chassis that positively screams to be thrown around.

The steering feel is comfortingly weighted and wonderfully precise. Tip it into a corner and the One settles on to the suspension, turns the nose towards the business ahead and gobbles it up without the fear of attracting unwanted attention with smoking tyres, a screaming engine or body contortions.

Suspension is fully independent, there are anti-skid, four-wheel disc brakes, electronics for stability and traction control, six airbags, airconditioning, CD sound. The sports seats are well designed for comfort and offer good support and bolstering. Overall, the interior design is Germanic function rather than French flair but it works.

Is the 130i Sport good value? For a small hatch, that would be a no. As therapy against a world being overwhelmed by mediocrity, it is a resounding yes.