Fifth Gear tests the new BMW 118i

The Fifth Gear team filmed a test of the new 1 Series from BMW using an iPhone’s video camera. This was not an artistic choice; it was forced on them by the torrential rain that fell in Germany that day, which ruined the traditional film crew’s equipment. The poor image quality conveniently keeps us from admiring the “magnificence” of the 1 Series’ bodywork, which is quite a relief.

Setting aside the technical and aesthetic aspects, the tester tries to determine where the new 1 Series has improved on its predecessor and where it hasn’t. First point: dynamic behaviour. It remains at a very high level. It is agile, the steering conveys the instant grip of the tyres well, and rear-wheel drive adds to the fun.

The trade-off lies in ride comfort. The suspension is firm and sensitive to imperfections in the road surface, so finding calm and relaxation on board is difficult. This was also true of its predecessor.

The boot is one of the areas that has improved the most. It now matches its rivals. 360 litres is estimated to be enough to carry the luggage of all the occupants, especially since only children could travel in the rear seats. The cabin, however, remains small.

As for the engine, no complaints. The 1.6-litre turbo producing 170 CV (sold as the 118i) has strong performance both low and high in the rev range. It moves the car with great ease (0-100 km/h in 7.4 s), while returning modest consumption figures (5.8 l/100 km).

The tester’s conclusion is that the BMW 118i has a great engine and is fun to drive, but despite innovations in multimedia connectivity (it can connect to an iPhone and use Twitter and Facebook through it), it is only marginally better than the old model.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5AHL5_ce6E&feature=channel_video_title

Via | YouTube