It has been brought to our attention that there are many Americans besides just us who wish they could more easily get their hands on the sort of two- and four-door hatchbacks that Europeans buy by the truckload. Not only that, but we also dream of having access to the full range of clever four-cylinder gas and diesel engines our Old Country brethren take for granted.
In yet another example of such forbidden fruit, we traveled to Berlin, Germany this month to drive the latest “F20” four-door version of the car considered by many to be the first hatchback to take the premium European compact genre big-time. Admittedly, that judgment call is a bit of a toss-up between the 1 Series and the Mini Cooper and Audi A3, but the 1 Series has done BMW proud selling nearly 1.3 million units worldwide in a single generation since late 2004. This success story is not unlike that of the X3 compact crossover that is just now entering its more sophisticated second generation.
For this drive, we had a matte corral red 118i with 1.6-liter TwinPower Turbo inline four-cylinder at our disposal. The N13 engine’s 168 horsepower were ably complemented by 184 pound-feet of torque available between 1,500 and 4,500 rpm. This powerplant is actually a heavily adapted and retuned longitudinal version of the transverse N18 1.6-liter found in the Mini Cooper S. To go with this single twin-scroll turbocharged unit, buyers will need to choose between an optional eight-speed Steptronic automatic or the happy little car seen here with the same six-speed ZF manual found in the fantabulous 1 M Coupe.
Having escaped Berlin, we hit the surrounding area’s semi-deserted, heavily forested farm country in our 118i Sport Line trimmed model with 18-inch alloys. The taller 3.077 final drive ratio really hooks into the six main gears to give us the power to toss the 1 Series wherever we like with abandon. BMW says this 2,855-pound hatch should hit 60 mph in 7.3 seconds, but after a day’s worth of driving, we think they’re full of it – the 118i should be able to easily crack that speed in seven seconds dead or our family name ain’t Blog.
Compared to the previous 118i with its somewhat anemic naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four, this new dog does better tricks. We’re talking about 18 percent more power and 19 percent greater torque from a lighter engine, and as the drivetrain is also equipped with BMW’s Valvetronic system to help minimize throttle losses, the whole setup takes on a greater urgency. Add the Sport Package and you’ve got a roomy car that drives like a slightly larger Mini Cooper S in most circumstances.
