German Car Zone

speed_kills · 11-04-2007, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnI

We should be aware the N54 engine is not a very light engine! Even the 130i hatch when debuted was criticized as "too nose heavy" - with slight tendency to understeer. Something that eg. 118i & 120i do not experience.

I'm sure the best 1er - regarding driving dynamics - will definitely be the one with I4 turbo petrol engine. Great power, great torque, and not too nose heavy.

135i is still not a pure enthusiast's car - it's a mass market product. The tii version & other sport versions will be more hardcore.

yes bmw is all about big engines, but in the 1er the smaller S4 would help is dynamics alot. The 135i is just too heavy, almost 3400lbs, and that twin turbo is good but not perfect...i would like to see the same tech the 35i as, in a 20i making 250/275hp

dr Dunkel · 11-05-2007, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speed_kills

"For rest of the car, the praise is a little less gushing. As with the 135i, the 123d is a neat and tidy handler, with an ultimate tendency to understeer.

Even the E46 M3 had an ultimate tendency to understeer and from what I gather this was a conscious decision made in order to make the cars more safe to drive.

Manufacturers of FWD-cars, on the other hand, tend to try to make their cars more fun to drive by trying to make them oversteer (see for example the, in this department, overachieving Ford S-Max) to cure the cars inherent tendency to understeer and thereby ruining the driving experience.

Edit: some clarifications

German Car Zone

First Drive: 123d M Sport Coupe (AutoCar)