UK magazine AutoExpress gets behind the wheel of BMW’s newest hot rod, the M135i.

BMW M135i is powered by a 3-liter, straight six-cylinder engine and 235 kW/320 hp and 450 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm. The technology package includes a TwinScroll turbocharger, direct High Precision Injection with central multi-hole injectors, VALVETRONIC variable valve control and Double VANOS variable camshaft timing.

The BMW M135i xDrive sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds (just tenth of a second slower than the Porsche 911) and reaches a top speed of 250 km/h – the top limit permitted by the vehicle’s electronic speed control system. Average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle is 7.8 liters /100 km, and the CO2 emissions level is 182 grams per kilometer.

But how does the car handle itself on the road? Let’s see an excerpt of their review:

Unlike the raucous 1 Series M Coupe, this hatchback is very well suited to everyday driving. Just flick past the ECO-PRO and Comfort driving modes to Sport and you immediately notice the steering weight up and the throttle response sharpen.

Press the button once more and you’ll find Sport+, which partly disengages the traction control and further improves the hatchback’s driving dynamics.

Although devastatingly quick, the acceleration always feels manageable – it’s you driving the car, not the other way around. The 0-62mph sprint takes 4.9 seconds, which is only a tenth of a second slower than a Porsche 911.

The 135i looks the part, too. As with all M cars, its styling is discreet, not ostentatious. It gets a set of sculpted bumpers, side skirts with big creases and gaping air vents at the front. Ferric grey mirrors and chromed exhaust pipes complete the look.

Full review