BMW 1-Series

	While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, few would argue that the two-door appears ungainly alongside the Audi and has little sense of individuality or excitement.

The powerplant is dazzling – easily the best thing about the whole car. It’s wonderfully smooth and sophisticated, sounds cultured and is hugely potent. At 1,560kg, the BMW is far from light, but it blasted from 0-60mph in only 5.1 seconds and hit 100mph a mere 7.4 seconds after that.

To put its performance in perspective, that’s in the same league as the Porsche Cayman S and Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Unsurprisingly, the Audi and VW were left trailing behind.

Even more impressive than the engine’s top-end urge is its flexibility and responsiveness. There’s no lag, hesitation or gaps in a powerband that’s perhaps the broadest of any engine. Peak torque of 400Nm arrives at 1,300rpm, and it’s maintained all the way to 5,000rpm.

In daily driving conditions, this means sixth gear pulls hard from 35mph, plus there is never any need to change down and fuel consumption isn’t excessive. We rate this as the best real-world engine available today.

It’s backed up by a crisp six-speed manual box (an auto will be available in March) and excellent brakes, which are sensitive without being grabby.

The way the 135i goes and slows is simply exceptional – so it’s a pity the chassis isn’t up to the same standard. We’re loathe to say it, but as with the M3, the 135i can’t deliver on its promise.

Admittedly, it’s a quiet motorway cruiser, has long gearing (70mph pulls only 2,450rpm) and a superb driving position, plus is well balanced, while its compact size means it’s wieldy to drive. But the suspension isn’t that supple. The BMW gets pitched around on any surface that’s less than perfect, so the steering requires constant correction, which limits your confidence in the car. It doesn’t truly come alive – instead, it feels slightly numb and disinterested.

What doesn’t help is the fact the cabin is so plain, with none of the TT’s sense of occasion. The fat steering wheel and hard-edged gearlever aren’t comfortable to hold, either. And although it costs £29,745, the 135i isn’t that well equipped.