Added cool for refreshed 1 Series range | Car Reviews

#02#Since the BMW 1 Series was launched in 2004, it has become very popular with buyers seeking a rear-drive hatch with compact proportions. Despite the unique selling point, it has always seemed rather expensive compared to its more established rivals (read Golf GTI). But BMW is not deterred, opting instead to move its premium level 1er even more upmarket with revised styling and the addition of a three-door variation scheduled to go on sale on 26 May.

Changes to the five-door model, representing the car's mid-life facelift, have naturally been incorporated into the design of the new three-door variant, including a larger double kidney grille and a wider lower air intake, giving the models a subtly more aggressive appearance. The headlamp surrounds have also been revised for a more focussed look, reinforcing the sporting slant of BMW's smallest offering. A tension line on the side sill leads to a re-profiled rear bumper and serves to enhance the three-door's styling, while frameless doors and a sloping rear window accentuate the hatch's silhouette. The three-door 1 Series also sports revised tail lamps, which are fitted with LEDs when Xenon headlamps are specified from the options list. Inside, the quality of materials has been enhanced and the door panels and dashboard have been restyled, along with switchgear that is similar to that found on 3 Series models. All of these enhancements serve to move the car further upmarket and denote a more premium product.

Marking the refreshed styling and three-door body style is the flagship 130i M Sport Limited Edition. As we've already discovered with the five-door version, the 130i M Sport's lively engine has a linear power delivery, worthy of the M badge. Electrically-variable active steering, which varies assistance at speed, is well-weighted and reacts well to steering inputs via the smaller M Sport steering wheel. The six-speed gearbox is smooth and direct with a clutch pedal that is light in application, but the true announcement that you are in something special comes from the exhaust note: it has an addictive 'raspy' quality, beckoning the driver to push the engine to its 4,000rpm sweet spot, where all 265bhp become available. The powerplant comes alive around 2,000rpm and really starts to pull nicely from 2,500rpm, continuing to offer decent power through to its 6,650rpm redline. On long motorway journeys the drone in the cabin between the latter two points may become intrusive for certain drivers, or they might simply opt to turn the volume up on the audio system.

Suspended by an all-aluminium front axle and lightweight steel five-link rear set-up, the 130i proves to be a very entertaining drive. It tracks well over smooth surfaces, but road imperfections transfer impacts through the large 18-inch wheels (shod with low profile 205/45 R18 front and 225/40 R18 rear tyres). Ruts, bumps and cats eyes are announced by large thuds infiltrating the cabin, but they are not excessively jarring. The payoff is in the form of the enhanced driving dynamics in the curves, where the car corners almost completely flat. With its 50:50 weight distribution and the front-engined, rear-wheel drive arrangement, the 1 Series is both agile and well-balanced, tackling corners with aplomb.

All 1 Series models feature BMW's Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), which utilises the ABS and stability control systems to prevent the drive wheels from spinning; it also features Cornering Brake Control for greater stability through bends. The system also includes Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) - summoned at the push of the DSC button - to allow a 10 per cent greater degree of wheel slip for 'more spirited' driving. The 130i M Sport takes this system a step further with DSC+, which adds brake drying, brake pre-tensioning, brake fade compensation, and a soft stop and hill start assist feature. #p##06# The 130i Limited Edition is very well-appointed, with high fit and finish levels complemented by the beautifully tailored leather seats and a host of technological gadgetry, including iDrive and a centre-mounted navigation screen; all of the creature comforts you would expect in a car that breaks the £30,000 mark. The cockpit is a bit confined (especially at the rear), but the tactile quality of the dashboard and centre console - angled toward the driver - is at a high standard. The large centre-mounted GPS screen is easy to read and a small, rubber-lined storage tray in the centre console is ideally suited for storing small items like mobile phones.

As the only rear-wheel drive compact in the competitive C-segment, the three-door 1 Series expands a line-up that will continue to grow in popularity. With its dynamic driving attributes, 88.5bhp per litre output and near-perfect weight distribution, the 130i will certainly continue to enjoy a following among dedicated enthusiasts, even if it remains an expensive alternative.

2007 BMW 1 Series range overview

Three-door:
- BMW 118i three-door: £17,815
- BMW 118i ES three-door: £18,640
- BMW 118i SE three-door: £19,765
- BMW 118i M Sport three-door: £21,460
- BMW 120i three-door: £18,845
- BMW 120i ES three-door: £19,670
- BMW 120i SE three-door: £20,795
- BMW 120i M Sport three-door: £22,420
- BMW 130i M Sport three-door: £26,385
- BMW 130i M Sport LE three-door: £30,300
- BMW 118d three-door: £18,225
- BMW 118d ES three-door: £19,050
- BMW 118d SE three-door: £20,175
- BMW 118d M Sport three-door: £21,870
- BMW 120d three-door: £19,650
- BMW 120d ES three-door: £20,475
- BMW 120d SE three-door: £21,600
- BMW 120d M Sport three-door: £23,225
Five-door:
- BMW 116i five-door: £16,390
- BMW 116i ES five-door: £17,215
- BMW 116i SE five-door: £18,340
- BMW 116i M Sport five-door: £20,000
- BMW 118i five-door: £18,345
- BMW 118i ES five-door: £19,170
- BMW 118i SE five-door: £20,295
- BMW 118i M Sport five-door: £21,955
- BMW 120i five-door: £19,375
- BMW 120i ES five-door: £20,200
- BMW 120i SE five-door: £21,325
- BMW 120i M Sport five-door: £22,915
- BMW 130i M Sport five-door: £26,915
- BMW 118d five-door: £18,755
- BMW 118d ES five-door: £19,580
- BMW 118d SE five-door: £20,705
- BMW 118d M Sport five-door: £22,365
- BMW 120d five-door: £20,180
- BMW 120d ES five-door: £21,005
- BMW 120d SE five-door: £22,130
- BMW 120d M Sport five-door: £23,720