With the six-cylinder engines and rear-wheel-drive platform gone, the latest 1 Series is unable to match the excitement of its predecessor. Nevertheless, BMW still has a couple of performance-oriented versions of its compact hatchback with the M135i and the 128ti. We’ve been extensively talking about the former while the latter has rarely made the headlines in recent months.
The Turismo Internazionale in one of the most expensive configurations available was photographed by our colleagues at Bimmer Today. BMW’s answer to the Volkswagen Golf GTI is a tricked-out customer car displayed at Autohaus Matthes in Meiningen, a town in the southern part of the state of Thuringia, Germany. It sits on 18-inch (554 M) wheels with the anniversary roundels celebrating 50 years of M and has striking red body accents combined with an “M Performance” side decal in Frozen Black.
The most substantial upgrades are noticeable at the back where the BMW 128ti has received a chunky roof spoiler and a carbon fiber diffuser. The same lightweight material has also been used for the shark fin antenna while the front bumper hosts glossy black flick aero flicks. Eagle-eyed viewers will observe the high-gloss black side sill insert partially blocks the red “ti” graphic installed in front of the rear wheels.
As with other BMWs fitted with M Performance Parts, there are no changes underneath the hood. The 128ti retains the turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine with 265 horsepower (195 kilowatts) and 400 Newton-meters (295 pound-feet) of torque delivered to the front axle exclusively via an eight-speed Tiptronic Sport automatic transmission. The feisty hatch needs 6.1 seconds until 62 mph (100 km/h) and tops out at 155 mph (250 km/h).
It’s a known fact BMW will be giving the whole 1 Series family a Life Cycle Impulse in 2023, bringing the iDrive 8 across the range. The all-wheel-drive M135i range topper is getting slightly more oomph from an updated B48 engine, which also powers the 128ti. However, it’s unclear whether the FWD hot hatch will also pack an extra punch. It could use more muscle considering the Golf GTI Clubsport has nearly 300 hp on…
