The BMW 1 series Coupé is a relative of BMW’s three- and five-door hatchbacks. It does seem to be the slightly chunkier cousin, though; its lines having been shortened slightly. It’s not an ugly machine but, as with other members of the family, it can’t quite be called ‘sleek’.

One of the reasons is because, as with other manufacturing sectors, there seems to be a trend for making ‘one size fits all’ – which really translates as ‘one size fits none’. The thinking clearly is to appeal to abroader cross section of the populous. This is supposed to be a Coupé but it doesn’t feel ‘slight’ enough to fit in with genuinely stylish head-turners such as the Audi TT. Saying that, there’s more to this than meets the eye and, anyway, I like it because it makes me look thinner.

CHOICES

There are three engine choices to select from: The 120d willreach 62mph in 7.6 seconds, the 123d gets there in 7 seconds but, if you reallywant to sweep away the cobwebs, there’s also the 135i with its two turbos thatwill deliver 62mph with 5.3 seconds. It’s a tidy presentation but surely, ifyou’re going for the top end package, aren’t you going to be tempted to upgrade?

That’s too easy. This Coupé carries the hallmarks of BMWsquality, but its solid not showy. If you want showy, go for a hot hatch. Fromthe drivers viewpoint the interior retains its cool by being calm – some might say understated, with the mean-spirited edging towards under-finished. The driving position, though, is fantastic and the cabin space is good and roomy. The chair levers even allow a driver to lift a collapsible chair over their chestand onto the back seat. The levers also allow a driver to adjust to a position where all of the peripheral controls are in easy reach. The ride is a little ruffled on rough ground, although in the event of a puncture the run on flat tyres will give you 50 miles of leeway before you need to get them sorted out. This might be a lifesaver if you’ve overstuffed the boot. The front end has tendency to get a touch excited if you take tight bends without due diligence.

More practical considerations are again dealt with as anall-rounder and not a specialist. The boot isn’t the deepest; saying that, 370litres isn’t bad and it certainly is long – although there’s no way anybody could actually reach an object that rolls to the back! I’d be inclined tojustify the back seats as even more boot extension, unless they’re for your kids – anyone else might struggle with the limited leg room that’s been stolen to feed the luxurious front seating space.

REFINEMENT

BMW isn’t going to build a car which has anything but excellent brakes, and decent steering – indeed, those boxes are ticked. All ofthe engines have a certain refinement too, and run smoothly and discreetly.

Another relative is the BMW 118d Coupé that uses the sameengine as the 2008 World Green Car of the Year. This is one of the cleanest diesel-powered sports Coupé’s available. Fuel economy from the 123d is aroundthe 55mpg mark which is reasonable and near to 60mpg with the 120d which is impressive. With the 135i you’re going to struggle not to choke the remainder of our depleted rainforests – and oh, how we laughed at the supposed 30.7 mpg(unless you happen to be reversing downhill).

This also happens to be BMW’s most affordable Coupé model,so its popularity is fairly assured. The upfront payment is around the £2,500mark which has helped it to become one of the most popular BMW models with Motability customers.

SUMMARY

OK, I know that you’re not looking at the BMW Coupé for bootspace or for a sensible Sunday drive but the alternatives to the Series 1 Coupé are going to be borderline ‘unsuitable’ for anyone packing a wheelchair or thatworks anywhere that requires you to wear a tie. In short: performance, good; handling, solid; style, London rather than Paris – but hey, c’est la vie!

BMW 1 SERIES COUPÉ

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY…

What Car?

Enjoyable to drive, thanks to communicative steering. Diesel versions are impressively frugal and the larger engines have plenty of power.Residual values will be solid and the driving position is spot-on.

Easier.com

The new BMW 118d Coupé and BMW 120i Coupe have been introduced to offer the stylish lines of a Coupé in a package that blends performance and economy.

Auto Express

The way the Coupé goes and slows is simply exceptional. The 135i gets a remarkable twin-turbo petrol engine that blasts it to 60mph in only 5.1 seconds. That’s in the same league as an Aston Martin V8 Vantage! But the two diesels are brilliant too, particularly the twin-turbo 123d. It’s one of the best diesels we’ve ever driven.

Top Gear

The best of the ‘baby’ Beemer range, though at prices that suggest you might also mistake the most serious competition coming from BMW’sown 3-Series.

ALTERNATIVES

Prefer a similar-sized car from a different manufacturer? Hereare some of the alternatives.

Audi A3

£12,604-£18,208

115 models on the Motability scheme

WhatCar says: It’s not easy to justify the A3’s high prices when a Golf with the same engine costs a lot less, but few rivals can match the A3 forcabin quality, desirability and residual values/ It’s a fine all-rounder.

VW Golf R32

£11,652-£21,026

21 Golf models on the Motability scheme

AutoCar reports: This second-generation VW Golf R32 picks upwhere its predecessor left off: a 3.2-litre V6 engine, 4Motion four-wheel drive with a Haldex clutch and the mantle of being the fastest, most powerful production Golf ever. But it shares more than just spec appeal with the R32 that preceded it.

Mercedes C-Class Sports Coupé

From £18,800

28 Mercedes C-Class models on the Motability scheme

TopGear.com says: If you don’t want a BMW but wantrear-wheel drive and a premium marque, the Mercedes C-class is it. In adifferent league in terms of looks, driving dynamics and quality to the oldone, Looks sensational as an estate too.

The Basics

Model

BMW 1 Series Coupé

Cost

£20,500-£29,615

Motability

124 Series 1 models are available through the scheme, with Coupés ranging from a two door manual diesel to a manual petrol sports model.Call 0800 093 1000 or visit www.motability.co.uk.

THANKS TO…

Thanks to Harry Fairbairn, Glasgow: 0141 638 6522 (check),www.hfbmw.com

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