The BMW M135i isn’t the enthusiast’s darling it used to be. After switching to a front-drive chassis, the little 1 Series hatchback lost some of its magic. However, it’s still a high-performance hot-hatch that works well in everyday life, so it’s still a popular customer car. And if those customers want a bit of extra spice on their car, they can check out these M Performance parts seen at the 2022 Essen Motor Show.
Just because the M135i is a front-wheel drive-based hot-hatch doesn’t mean it can’t be quirky and interesting. This one wears a very cool Urban Green exterior paint color and is fulled decked out in carbon fiber M Performance parts.
Interestingly, BMW gave the M135i some very cool raw carbon parts, which looks more exotic than typical carbon fiber. The fibers seem very scattered and chaotic, which give sit a stylish look that feels special. It’s still polished and premium looking but it’s not the usual neat carbon look. That look isn’t on every part, though, just the rear diffuser and side mirrors. The roof spoiler, side skirts, front canards, and lower front lip are all pretty typical carbon fiber.
On the inside, it get an M Performance steering wheel, which has Alcantara sides and a 12 o’clock stripe. It also gets an Alcantara armrest with M Performance colored stripes and stitching. But otherwise it’s not too much different.
This car also sits on new wheels, which are available in a variety of different colors, including black and gold. These are obviously black and they look good in contrast with the flat green paint.
Under the hood, the BMW M135i is unchanged. That means its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine makes 302 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque and is paired to an Aisin eight-speed automatic. Being an M135i, and not a lesser 1 Series model, all-wheel drive is standard, so there’s no front-wheel drive version of the car. However, some enthusiast actually prefer the front-wheel drive BMW 128ti, which is lighter and more enthusiast-driven, thanks to its simpler drivetrain, lower power output, and a…
