i dont buy the fast diesel/good mpg argument at all mate. with prices of diesel higher and these high compression, big turbo units needing looking after plus costing a bomb to buy there is little if anything saved. and you get a horrid noise a narrow power band and dirty hands if there are no placcy gloves left

diesels are for chugging, slow diesels are good for mway trawls. lazy cars not drivers cars.

get an R26.R and remap that it'll save you a fortune

 

Aside from a couple of styling details such as

"sad" headlights
downward swoop between the wheels which makes it look like a really fat person got in and the car buckled
Both of which are from the Z4 but seem to be a BMW theme now

I the 1 series is one of BMWs better lookers. It's certainly in proportion and is probably about the same size as the original M3 (sorry, not up on my BMW codes)

Obviously BMW has followed all other manufacturers by making cars bigger and then slotting a model in below.

Ford Fiesta > Ka
VW Polo > Lupo
etc

 

The -02 series was Fugly, too.

The 1er has an excellent Cx - particularly the ill-proportioned hatchback.

The staight-six demands a square front and the RWD 50/50 mass distribution demands very awkward axle placements.

Sharing architecture with the 3er means all they could do was smash in the sides and ends - exactly as the -02 was to the Neue Generation 1500.

I really think BMW had little choice, TBH. The old Z4 was just being deliberately stupid, so must rank as more rank...

In the old days, Frua or Italdesign or someone would have shown a rebody at a motor show, but that no longer happens, sadly.

 

Tax.

Mine (company) is fully expensed. It's never going to set the world alight with it's performance, but it costs me quite a bit less than the equivalent petrol car would.

Not that I'm given the choice... company policy insists on diesel.

And I always keep a couple of those disposable gloves in the car, just in case the garage doesn't have them.

 

Seemingly thousands out there that would disagree.

Our 335d is fantastic (for a diesel) and perfectly suites my wife's stlye of driving - effortless speed without the need to rev and the toque band is much wider than you think.

But as mentioned by WRumbled, company car tax tends to persuade most to go the route of diesels. Also, they now generally have better resale value and contrary to your view, they are not expensive to run. Talking from experience, the only expensive part of running our 56 plate 335d is the tyres. The servicing is very reasonable and every 14k-15k (which is the same as my 135i).

 

right.. i've got ten minutes so here goes

BM 3 series coupe example. 325i is faster, lighter and cheaper (and better to drive i'd wager)

325 M Sport
CO2 170

 

Depreciation isn't what it used to be either. As more and more deisels are purchased, supply 2nd hand has increased and thus the premium diesels used to command is disappearing.

 

325 is a cute example, the 325i is quite a good car, it leaves you underwhelmed with overall performance, but it's the same N52 3.0 engine used in the 330i so it's a peach.

Go and drive the 320i and 320d back to back and tell me which you prefer. The 320d is better in every way.

But, you know I agree with you to an extent, but if you need a car where you want something fast, efficient and fairly 'sporty' there are some good diesel options out there.

You need to get a ride in a remapped 335d, it's scary how fast they are, and the bhp doesn't tell the whole story, the 500Ib/ft torque is fun.

Anyway, totally OT now, back to the 1er... it's a great looking car

 

I usually compare it to the Austin A35.

Cannot think I'd prefer it if it looked like Michelotti's BMW 700; that was quite pretty.

 

You're not pulling that one Andy. the 320d is 31.1k,