Road Test: BMW 130i Sport

By Feann Torr - 19/Jan/2007

The BMW 130i Sport is one of the most intriguing vehicles I’ve ever driven. Not for the fact it’s a German car, nor even for such reasons that it’s a luxury German hatchback.

This is one of the most intriguing cars I've tested because it’s a rear-wheel drive hot hatch. 

I’ve been a huge fan of hot hatches ever since testing the 2.0-litre Peugeot GTi back in 2003, followed by the Renault Clio Sport. I discovered that the performance hatch is a great solution to today's increasing vehicular requirements; it provides both performance, practicality, and fuel economy, and often at a great price.

Like this snappy French duo - save for the Golf R32 and Audi S3, which are quasi 4WDs that use Haldex coupling systems - today’s performance hatchbacks are predominantly front-wheel drive, where the engine power finds the road via the front two wheels.

What we have here is a rear-wheel drive hatchback, and it’s a big event in the automotive world. The last batch of hot hatches we tested included the likes of the VW Golf GTI, Holden Astra SRi and Ford Focus XR5 Turbo. All these are turbocharged front-wheel drive cars.

Then this brawny little BMW sidles up and scoffs at both the use of turbocharged power and front-wheel drive configurations of these traditional performance hatches. Part of the tiny Beemers arrogance is due to the car's luxury heritage and cachet value, but the 130i is somewhat vindicated in its snobbishness, because this is something very different - and very capable, I might add.

This paradigm shift in the way we observe the humble hatchback is in fact in line with BMW’s global design philosophy – almost every non-SUV model it delivers in standard configuration is a rear wheel drive vehicle, from the massive 760iL limousine to the 320i small sedan. So, with a powerful 6-cylinder engine that’s normally the reserve of high-end, six-figure 3 Series BMWs, the $65,000 BMW 130i is the most cost effective way to get this decidedly potent 3.0-litre 6-cylinder engine. And did I mention that it's a rear-wheel drive sports hatch. Let the fun begin...

Drive: 4/5

A rear wheel drive hatchback? Is this is a joke...?

It's quite serious, and particularly when the car in question is powered by lightest 3.0-litre 6-cylinder engine in the world, complete with a magnesium composite engine block. If there were such a thing as a hyper hatch club, this car would be the founding member.

It's quick, it handles wonderfully and is easily the most rewarding hot hatch I've driven to date.

As a general rule of thumb, hot hatches are great drivers cars, because for the most part they have a small footprint (or tyre print, if you will) and a low mass that results in exceptional handling and flickability through tight and twisty corners. 

While larger sports cars and sports sedans may be faster in a straight line, these little buzz boxes will often level the playing field when tracking through corners.

But until now most of these cars have been front-wheel drive, and the dragging, uninspiring nature of understeer crops up, sometimes reducing the fun and causing such cars to veer wide of their intended path. 

But with rear-wheel drive the BMW 130i exhibits subtle oversteer, so when you put the pedal to the metal through a corner, the car's nose won't push wide, and usually goes exactly where you expect it to, and as a result the driving experience is unique. 

The reason most front-wheel drive cars have a tendency to understeer is because the front wheels must do two very strenuous jobs - that of steering and providing drive/forward motion. The BMW 130i's rear wheels do the driving, while the front wheels are purely for adjusting the car's direction.

This is why you'll never see a race car, whether an Aussie V8 Supercar or an Ferrari F1 racer, with a front-wheel drive setup. They're always rear-wheel drive.

A good description of the 130i? A bit naughty. It's about the size of a Toyota Corolla, albeit with a more radical design, and instead of pootling around at a moderate speed this German hatchback has very strong acceleration, so much so that it battles the DSC+ and traction control systems quite often.

At standstill when you floor the throttle, the engine's power is retarded somewhat so as to prevent the rear wheels spinning, so if you want the best takeoff, you must turn off traction control and feed the power in with a degree of forethought. But when you turn off traction control, be prepared for some rear end slippage, as this engine was not originally intended for a car so small and light (it also powers the BMW X5 and 530 sedan).

I should also say that when you're gunning along, pushing the 130i to its limits and slicing through corners at relatively high velocities, the DSC+ is felt, but isn't overly obtrusive. It lets you keep most of your speed through a corner and won't harshly rebuke you by slamming on the brakes or subtracting too much engine power, but it will stop the rear end from breaking loose under full throttle applications, and is one of the better stability control systems available today.

So despite being plagued by electronic nannies - DTC, DSC+, CBC, DBC, ASC+T - the car doesn't feel overly restricted. Many of these systems can be disabled too, so if you fancy yourself a driving legend, you can really let it hang out, so to speak.

From my experience, the car was hard to fault in a dynamic sense. It has a really good attitude through corners, and felt incredibly balanced with oodles of grip from it's 17-inch rims (shod with run-flat tyres) in almost all conditions. The steering wheel in this M Sport version felt great, with chunky contours and a soft leather coating, while it's power steering system provides good feedback and fairly precise control.

Granted, shoddy roads would upset the car's usually graceful balance, but environmental factors like these affect all but most innovative of cars (Audi RS 4 - I'm talking about you).

You do feel a little movement under the car as it passes over larger pock marks in the road, but it’s rarely jarring or acute – always progressive.

And that's the 130i to a tee - progressive. Some cars you have to forcefully manhandle into corners to get the best results, but this thing is very composed and relaxed. You guide it through corners rather than shove it around like much heavier sports sedans. And it's not slow, not by a long shot, just really nice to drive hard. It handles very, very well. 

It's not intimidating - the power delivery is very smooth - and it tracks through corners with a precision that no other hatchback can match, though the Renault Megane Sport Cup comes very close.

The tyre walls are very stiff (run flats) so they tend to squeal and protest quite early in corners which can upset passengers, but the fact still remains that the vehicle can be pushed ever further. Riding on 17-inch rims, the BMW 130i Sport is fitted with 205/50 R17 front tyres and wider 225/45 R17 rear tyres, giving the car a very aggressive countenance and lots of traction.

There's a whiff of understeer at times, particularly when you're spearing in to a corner with too much speed and trying to get the thing to turn, but in general it exhibits very keen handling, and it normally oversteers just a smidgen when you floor the throttle just before the apex of a corner, which inspires huge amounts of confidence not usually associated with performance hatches. And best of all it gives you impeccable control over the machine.

You can almost feel the thousands of man hours than went into testing and adjusting the suspension on this car at Germany's famous Nürburgring 20km race track, which has an fairly crappy surface, it must be said. It feels nicely balanced and is a real joy to push deeper and deeper into corners, all of which is complemented by the crisp 6-cylinder exhaust note that isn't loud, but has a certain presence that seems to have a subtle reverb. When these factors combine, the driving experience is equal parts fun, thrilling, and rewarding.

Another reason the car feels so completely solid when spearing through both wide open sweepers and much tighter corners is the weight distribution  - it's fantastic. It makes the car feel much lighter than 1,375kg kerb weight would have you believe, and this mass is split between the front and rear 50:50, giving the car exceptional turn-in.

The car on test was the automatic model, featuring a 6-speed ZF automatic gearbox, and though this model is not as quick as the manual version, it's not far off the mark. With 195kW on tap from its 3.0-litre inline 6-cylinder engine, the 130i doesn't need much persuasion to initiate it's sonorous charge from 0-100km/h, which takes 6.2 seconds, and the auto gearbox is quite nice in that you can touch one of the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters and the tranny instantly slots into tiptronic mode. 

This mode is actually quite decent (both left and right paddles can change up and down – good for both left and right handed drivers) and is up there with only the Audi S4 as one of the few vehicles I’ve driven that has an engine-gearbox combination that's conducive to this sort of steer-wheel gear shifting style. Normally, these paddle shifters feel so artificial and last minute that they destroy the driving experience, so it was a surprise to discover the BMW 130i Sport could pull it off. The paddles also have a satisfying click on them, and being a ZF-made gearbox, the 6-speed auto is remarkably quick to shift.

The gearbox is very sporty and works well with the engine's impressive top end power, but it's disappointing to see that the gears don’t hold when you hit the redline. Instead of bouncing angrily on the rev limiter, the gearbox will always change into the next gear, which saves the engine from unnecessary stresses but makes pedantic driving purists like myself very upset. If I want to shag the engine, I should be allowed to do so.

And what about the brakes? Like many other aspects of this car they feel very progressive give you a good deal of control over the car. The front discs measure 330mm and rear discs 300mm, and both are ventilated for improved thermal dynamics, and even when you're pushing them hard you can feel exactly how they're affecting the vehicle, which is usually just a slight shift of weight to the front of the car. They have a strong feel, and together with CBC, or cornering brake control, the provides a high level of control when decelerating so that even when you've overcooked a corner and need to brake while turning, the car won't go haywire.

This car is easy car to drive hard. Even when it does understeer when your pushing a bit too hard, it still maintains a good level of tyre adhesion and grip. It's hard to fault. The only things that irked me about driving the 130i - and these were only minor - were the engine's somewhat reduced response beyond 6000rpm, the auto gearbox's inability to hold gears and run-flat tyres that audibly protest long before they reach their grip limits.

This hyper hatch is geared towards carving it's way through corner after corner, and has a fairly firm ride. But at the same token it's compliant enough to soak up any mid corner bumps so that the car doesn't get shaken off its line, which is a testament to BMW's suspension tuning capabilities. This firm-but-compliant ride also means that everyday commuting and general urban driving won't become painful either, which will be good news for those who plan on buying one as their daily driver.

It's an easy car to drive in most scenarios - even round town it’s quite comfy and relaxed. Firm, yes, but never stiff or overly harsh. It has a well measured ride, one that can adapt to a range of different conditions. 

From memory, I can think of very few cars that reward the driver so much when driven with no thought but for the next apex. It’s a staggering quick vehicle when it's limits are pushed, despite the fact that its engine sometimes feels as though it revs too slowly at higher speeds (something the twin turbo 135i will remedy).

I really enjoyed my time driving this car - it was a pleasure to pilot in almost all situations. There are many cars out there that are just as rewarding to drive, and a handful that have higher performance thresholds, but there are no other hatchbacks that can challenge the 130i's seamless driving experience. This is a truly rare performance car.

Engine: 4/5

As the lightest 3.0-litre 6-cylinder motor on the market at the time of writing, what with its exotic magnesium alloy/silicon carbide composite engine block, the 130i is gifted with exceptionally good balance, not to mention a good deal of poke. It'll fry the rear hoops quicker than you can say "My word, these run-flat tyres smoke a lot," and how many hot hatches can boast that?

This 3.0-litre engine is also one of the most powerful naturally aspirated engines in its class, developing a super fit 195kW of power, which hits the skids @ 6600rpm. That's a very high power peak, yet the engine's maximum torque of 315Nm is on tap from just 2750rpm, which is remarkably low.

The juicy hit of torque early in the rev range gives the car a very strong feel through the bottom end that flows through into the mid-range, and when you're sitting behind the wheel and dialing in more throttle, the 130i feels delightfully nimble and swift and it's deep power reserves make overtaking a cinch.

The engine is plenty tractable, able to coax the car along at very low revs and keep fuel consumption low, yet has the kind of top end power that allows it to pour on the speed and fire out of corners like an over-engineered bullet.

Indeed, this is a very sweet engine with a smooth-but-sure power delivery, featuring specially hydro-formed twin camshafts controlling the 4 strokes of combustion, and there's also an electrically driven water pump. One of the coolest things about the engine isit's aluminium-magnesium engine block, which is based on the same technology and bedplate block that were used in BMW M5's critically acclaimed 5.0-litre V10 engine. 

As such, this engine likes to rev - all the way to its 7000rpm redline. But for all it's exotic materials and soul-stirring acoustics I couldn't help but feel it's top end was somewhat muffled. When the engine spins up, the tachometer moves very rapidly between idle at about 500rpm and 5500rpm, but when under a full throttle load it seems to take it's time squeezing out the last 1500rpm.

Perhaps I am being a touch pedantic, because on the whole this engine is a highly engineered and generally impressive piece of work, but I just felt as though wringing every last drop of power from the engine was more arduous than it should be.

Again, this test was conducted on the 6-speed automatic version of the 130i, which is inherently a tad slower with its torque converter sapping power from the engine, but it shouldn't impinge on the engine's ability to rev.

On the open road at 100km/h, the engine sits in 6th gear doing 2250rpm, which affords it a very good cruising range and good fuel economy. BMW claims fuel consumption of 6.6L/100km on the highway cycle, which is almost exactly what we recorded. The city cycle doesn't fare as well, with an average fuel usage of 13.7L/100km, and the combined cycle sits between the two, at 9.2L/100km, which is quite good for an engine that cranks out almost 200 kilowatts of power.

During our week long test we covered 620km in the hi-po Beemer - half of that was flat chat driving, pushing the engine hard, the other half highway cruising and urban commuting - and we scored an 11.4L/100km, which is very impressive, particularly for a car with automatic transmission. The auto tranny also makes commuting and city driving less of a chore than always rowing through a manual gearbox and constantly pumping the clutch, and so I'd recommend the auto for drivers expecting to do a lot of commuting.

The note from the engine may not be quite as outlandish as the new R32 Golf from rival German automaker Volkswagen, but what it lacks in decibels it makes up for in resonance. It sounds great, sending tingles down the spine at times. It's the kind of sound that turbocharged 4-cylinder engine can't match for pure sensory bliss. As far as acoustics go, this car is up there with the best performance cars sold in Australia, sitting alongside vehicles like the Ferrari F430, FPV GT, Audi S4, and the VW Golf R32.

Exterior: 3/5

For everything that's good about this car - the high revving engine, the balanced chassis, the ergonomic interior - one thing seems to elude the 130i: the styling. Like many of the modern Bee-Em-Vays, it often takes a year or so for the avant garde designs to appeal, and though there is nothing terminally wrong about the 130i's design, you could spend about half as much and almost get twice as much eye candy.

For one, the standard wheel rims are 17-inch. When Holden's Astra SRi turbo costs $30,000 less, has a more appealing aesthetic and rides on wonderfully sculpted 18-inch wheels, it sure does make you wonder.

The BMW 130i Sport can be optioned with 18-inch alloy rims, but they will cost you $1,250. But I reckon that'd be money well spent, as they would certainly add another level of attraction to the car by improving its road presence, and you get slightly lower profile tyres too.

Compared to the garden variety BMW 1 Series models, the 130i Sport gets some extra bodykit addons, including deeper side skirts, plus stylised front and rear aprons that give it that unmistakable 'ground hugging' look. These extras come as part of the M Sport package, which is fitted as standard to all 130i models in Australia.

And being a BMW, the overhangs are short and the clearance between the tyres and the tops of the wheel arches are minimal, adding to the vehicle's air of quality craftsmanship.

But there's something skewed about the proportions of the car that don't quite work when looked at from some angles; if you want to stand out from the crowd and have the coolest hot hatch around, you may be disappointed with the 130i Sport.

The long bonnet and swept back greenhouse with its curving roofline look elegant, but don't scream 'performance'. Which is weird, because in the right hands this car is spitefully fast. Perhaps it's that prestigious German idiom of understatement that seams to permeate many contemporary designs that was foremost in the minds of its designers?

Approached from behind, the car's distinguishing features include greyed-out lower rear apron and the twin exhaust pipes. The other dominating features - the rear windscreen and brake lights - made me shrug my shoulders. Nothing special.

Viewed from the side the car regains some street credit, as it features deeply sculpted doors that catch light and shadow (rather than the uniformly flat doors of most cars), and comes complete with white LEDs underneath the door handles so that when you unlock the car keylessly via the key fob, they light up brilliantly. Very nice.

And how about the front end? One admirer we crossed paths with in Sassafras (in the Dandenong Mountains in Victoria) said it looked like a pig dog. An interesting description, to be sure, but I'm of the opinion that the front end is quite imposing, and a bit angry. Perhaps it is a pig dog then?

If you whack the low beams on, small LEDs light up circles around the headlights, akin the 5 and 7 Series, and provide the car with a very suave character. The kidney grille is pure BMW and the leading edge of the headlight clusters curve around to finish in a teardrop shape, which I'm not too keen on. 

All told, the BMW 130i Sport is a fairly well muscled hatchback with a good degree of menace, but compared to the current crop of performance hatchbacks it comes across as a bit odd, a bit different. But hey, if you want something that dares to be different, you'll probably relate to its unorthodox style.

Interior: 3.5/5

As you would expect from a luxury German vehicle, the 130i comes equipped with a range of comfort and safety features, from six airbags, to leather seats. And this being a sporty model you also get one of the best steering wheels on the market. It's very nice to take hold of and made me want to drive the car at every spare moment. Strange, I know, but quite true.

Only two versions of the 130i are sold in Australia - the 6-speed manual and 6-speed auto. Both ship as standard with the M Sport package in Australia that adds things like the M sport suspension, plus that awesome M leather steering wheel, M door sill finishers, Anthracite roof lining, aluminium glacier silver interior trim and Boston leather upholstery. 

Stepping inside the car for the first time, it's clear that you're $60,000 has not been entirely squandered on the high tech R6 engine. The seats are very sporty and have plenty of lateral support, and the driving position is neither too high nor too low, and has enough adjustability to ensure most drivers will be able to relax in comfort. Everything feels nice and the seats - like the 120i - feature adjustable side bolsters, so you can really lock yourself into place.

From the drivers seat, the BMW 130i Sport is pleasantly ergonomic - you never need to stretch to reach any of the controls, and I also liked the fact that the auto shifter is designed to look like a manual shifter. One small issue that irked me when driving, however, was the cup holder underneath the central armrest. You can put a bottle in there, but it gets pushed forward at an awkward angle when you fold the central armrest down, which will spill your drink because it is mandatory for any self-respecting Australian to rest their left arm when cruising around in an automatic car. 

Another small quibble I had with the car was the window sills. They are a little too high to fat arm it (and that's for 6 foot plus bodies). You can wedge your arm up there, but it's uncomfortable after about 12 seconds.

The model we tested included satellite navigation and the iDrive system, which is a $4,200 option, which is too much if you ask me. Everything works, and you can fiddle about with everything from the radio station to the heating controls via the one central control dial, located between the two front seats. But it takes time to get used to the system and it's multifariousness, and is more likely to cause you to lose your concentration than simplify tuning the stereo presets.

Some parts of the dash look also a bit average, though the overall design is very pleasing, largely because of its simplicity. There's no wild curves and dynamics kinks, it's just practical, ergonomic, and it works. The centre console, too, is minimalistic with only the basic features taking up room, such as the HVAC controls and the... Nope, just the HVAC controls. The instrument cluster came across as a bit low key with simple white-on-black dials that light up orange at night; I was expecting something with a little more pomp, but they get the job done nevertheless.

There are other areas where the interior excels, such as the great sounding stereo and easy ingress and egress thanks to the low ride height, but the dream starts to fall apart when a glance is cast rearwards. There is bugger all space in the back seat, which may not bother the driver, but your mum won’t be too pleased.

Up against the R32 Golf’s rear seat room, it comes off as second best. There is just so little rear bench room that anyone other than primary school-sized kids will find themselves gnawing on their knee-caps. The boot is of a decent size for a hatchback, with 330  (that expands into 1150 litres when you fold the rear seats flat) that is enough to fit a golf bag and big sack of potting mix and half-built PC.

While the 130i Sport isn't quite as well thought out as the typical Audi interior, it is very good, and the sound damping is well above average, which means thathighway cruising is very quiet. However, this is in stark contrast to when you dial up 6900rpm from the lightweight 6-cylinder engine, when you can hear it quite noticeably.

At the end of the day, this is BMW's entry-level model, and it is does a great job of taking care of the enthusiastic driver. Those who are after a bit more luxury and technology may be a tad underwhelmed, but overall it's got a simple, elegant interior, with alloy trim scattered around the interior (gearstick, dash, door handles) to give a suitably sports-luxury aesthetic.

Overall: 4/5

So, what's the rub on this rear-wheel drive hot hatch? Though it's not as blindingly quick as I thought it was going to be in a straight line, it's without a doubt the most enjoyable hatchback I've ever driven, and if you keep the throttle pinned, it's quite capable of firing out of tight corners with the kind of alacrity never thought possible in a car this small. It does have its flaws, such as the tight rear seats and run-flat tyres, but on the whole this car is a real delight to drive.

And while the chassis is pert, and the handling up there with some of the best sports sedans, it's also got a modicum of compliance in its M Sports suspension system, giving it a split personality that is equally happy to spend half the day blitzing its way through tight and twisty mountain roads as it is stopping and starting before traffic lights.

The interior isn't as large as some of its rivals in the hatchback class, and those with families may have to opt for the larger and significantly more expensive BMW 330i sedan if the 3.0-litre R6 engine is a must-have, but other than that the BMW 130i Sport is hard to fault. It has a bold and brawny style that won't age as quickly as some of the current crop of hot hatches and is very nice to drive in a range of different situations.

With all the electronic driving and safety aids of its bigger brothers, scads of mid-corner grip, a very light kerb weight and a chassis that has to be experienced to be believed, there are many good reasons for checking out this unique hot hatch. Did I mention it loves sprinting through mountain passes?