Part 2: Sanity and a 1000 miles.

[pumaknight]

I got lucky this weekend. I went up to Yorkshire to visit my Granny. It is about a 500 mile round trip. ¾ of it is motorway cruising, but a ¼ of it is pure driver’s heaven. Long bendy roads with huge undulations for about 50 miles!! My parents decided to join me so I was about to experience the 1er 3-up across these roads made for driving.
As you might have guessed, I love my car. But that doesn’t really tell you anything. I mean I loved my first car and that was an 80hp Renault 5 sh*t box….but it was mine and I loved it. Drove the nuts off it as well, but that is another story.
So after such a long trip, what do I think of my new car??? Is it driveable, or is it a car destined to scare me whitless every time I drive it?

Point 1: Traffic management is a dream
To have 300+ hp at you beck and call has to be experienced to be believed. The motorway of a Friday evening is a busy affair and most of the driving is done at speeds of up to 50mph; actually for 1 hour it was speeds of up to 5mph (road works and horrendous traffic volume just do not mix).

As a car with so much bhp and a savage clutch and brake system, it is extremely easy to drive in heavy traffic. No clutch bounce and no feeling like you are fighting the car, she just poodles along. You can even pull away without touching the accelerator in 2nd gear. Yep , the engine is that versatile. I was expecting pressure sores from the sports seats, especially after only travelling 5 miles in 1 hour, but not a bit of it. My thighs felt as fresh as the minute I got into the car. That is a truly remarkable thing. Unfortunately, the car does not come equipped with water reduction technology, so after the jam, I was desperate to pee – cue the pull into the services for a break.

Point 2: The traction control is gentle but overly sensitive
One hot meal later and a timely emptying of my personal reservoir, I eased out onto the motorway again. Actually that is a complete lie. I had a tiny space to filter into the traffic, or face a long wait for the next gap. In any other car, I would have waited, but full of the glee of twin turbo power, I floored her!! A quick twitch of the rear and off I go. I snatch second and find that I am already well up to speed and risking running into the traffic in front. I mean, how much power does this thing have????

Granted I did, skip over a bump when I accelerated, but did not expect the TC to kick in. It is a very refined TC system. But still a tad intrusive – as you will see later.

Talking of the bump, the car does have tendency to pitch a little when riding over the large undulations in the road. It is not too bad as to call in porpoising, but it is noticeable. The front rides over bumps as expected, but before the front settle, the back kicks up. On the straight, not an issue. On a bend……could encourage over steer if you are not careful.

Point 3: My Mum likes it!!
The motorway cruise capabilities of this car are just stunning – my mum, who is a very bad passenger, fell asleep, “…so smooth and refined…” she uttered after the journey. That is worth a few gold stars in itself. But let’s get this silly motorway out of the way and speed onto the hilly roads of the North Yorkshire Moors.
Bearing in mind that I had my mum and dad in the car, and it was dark, you will understand why I did not push this car across these roads – but to be honest, this is one of the major points of this car.

Point 4: Watch your speed!!
I observed that there mustn’t be any locals on the road tonight, cos I was leaving everyone behind - not true – the truth was that the car is so stable and sure footed, that you will be whipping along at speeds in excess of normal but you will not notice. No dramas at the wheel, no undue body roll – just a confidence tat the car is capable of so much more than common or road sense would allow.

This car is a beast and you will continuously find yourself going much faster than you think if you do not pay attention – and I would strongly advise paying attention whenever you drive this car, because at the speeds you will end up doing, any loss of concentration will inevitably bite you – HARD!!

On Friday, we had some heavy cross winds. But the 1er just spears through them with ease. Although it did have a tendency to feel like she was lifting her nose, making the steering a little light whenever the wind was off the front – not too bad, but worth noting.

3 up and going up a slope that is rated at a 1 in 4 (25%). I need to pass a car towing a caravan. Normally, I would wait, knowing that I would run out of steam well before I ran out of road. But in the 1er?? NO such dilemma – Ease out, check that nothing is coming and bammm, off I go. I had to ease off the accelerator, or I would have hit 90mph!! For sedate 40mph in third , this is incredible, really incredible!!

Point 5: Did I really need TC there????
Funny thing TC – there are times when you are glad it is there, but also time when you questions whether it actually helped you or not.

Picture this: I come out of a roundabout, the rain pouring hard. The back twitches as we float across a rather deep puddle across the road. I steer in with cat like reflexes, but the TC cuts in correcting the twitch for me. Now we have a situation where I have steered into a skid that is no longer there, cos computers have sorted it out for me. Cue the embarrassing but safe wobble on the suspension. I can get used to it I suppose, but a less aggressive TC option would be appreciated.

Point 6: How can a 300+ bhp engine be so driveable?
No really, I cannot even begin to convey how driveable this car is. In part this is due to the flat torque curve you have all read about. But that is not just it. The power comes on so smoothly, you sometimes wonder if you have pressed the pedal far enough – trust me, you have – the speed with which you are hurled down the road pays testament to that.

But driveability is more than that – you can use this awesome power whenever you want, of course, but you can also modulate the throttle and ease around corners and along miles of road with only a hint of throttle, no surge and no ridiculous speed moments – yep, this car can cruise and cruise as well as it can blast and cause havoc.

So I have a car that can make me scream with delight and soothe me into a gentle state of relaxed ease, all in one package???? Yep I certainly do…..for that I thank you BMW, I thank you indeed.

Thank you for reading!!

Part 3 will be pictures (at last) of my car in Yorkshire – in between the rain and wind.

[Crowley]

very nice read ..

I know what you mean about cruising along and looking down .. your doing 80mph ... what .. I could have sworn I'm going 60mph .. lol ....

With the broad tq band, the HP and drivability is great. It remindes me a lot of my 04 Mustang Cobra .... When I modded that , it had 509rwhp and 520rwtq .... drove like it was stock .. I have a feeling that this car will be similar .. with mods as well ..

Crowley

[the machinist]

You can even pull away without touching the accelerator in 2nd gear.
:eyebulge:

[pumaknight]

Originally Posted by the machinist

You can even pull away without touching the accelerator in 2nd gear.
:eyebulge:

Yep - gentle release of the clutch and off you go - very impressive!!

[ansun]

Great Read

[TP 135i]

A most enjoyable tale............thanks
And, of course, I agree with all of your feelings about the car.
I haven't tried the 2nd gear start thing yet.....Hmmmm sounds like fun.

[Road Runner]

pumaknight, I must say, I enjoy reading your write ups far more than the 1er reviews in the regular auto rags. Not that those reviews are bad, but just because your evaluations articulate the car's characteristics in a really tangible manner more suited to us every day enthusiasts.

So kudos and thanks.

[pumaknight]

Thank you ery much for the kind comments. In the words of a famous person:

" If you keep telling me you like 'em, i will keep writing 'em"

[C_Topher]

Thanks, pumak. Great stuff - can't wait. You are getting me more and more excited.

[Zuzu]

Great Read..Just hope my 135iM 6 speed manual Convertible drives and rides as well as the coupe.... Delivery still 2 months away...

[slipkmaggot]

for someone who wont be able to order this car for a while this is like half torture half fun

[ansun]

Originally Posted by pumaknight

Thank you ery much for the kind comments. In the words of a famous person:

" If you keep telling me you like 'em, i will keep writing 'em"

Is that random famous person you? lol jp

[edge350]

Thanks, man. Great read.