The BMW 1 Series has lost two doors but it's also gained some serious aggression.
The new three-door range ushers in the most powerful current-shape 1 Series in the form of the M135i.
Yet if its price tag of R451 314 makes it more fantasy than reality, there is a full range of three-door Ones starting at R266 269 and also including a new 125i model.
POTENT NEW M135i
Let's get back to the big gun. The M135i forms part of BMW's new M Performance range, which is meant to bridge the gap between the 'everyday' BMWs and the pukka M Division cars.
But since there is no 1 Series M to speak of for now, the M135i is the hottest One you can buy and earns that trophy with a modified version of BMW's familiar direct injection TwinPower turbocharged 3-litre straight-six petrol motor.
Tinkered upon by the M Performance division, this mouthful of an engine pushes 235kW at 5800rpm and 450Nm from 1300rpm. That, says BMW, will launch it from 0-100km/h in 5.1 seconds when paired with the six-speed manual transmission and 4.9 seconds in the case of the eight-speed automatic option.
According to the claimed consumption fantasy book, the M135i will sip just 8 litres per 100km on the combined cycle.
To give it the necessary finesse and control, BMW has endowed the M135i with what it calls M-characteristic suspension components, while numerous unique body features make it more aerodynamic and mark its territory in the parking lot.
Sportier interior components are also part of the deal and those dreading the practical limitations of just two side doors can opt for a five-door M135i.
THE DEPUTY - 125i
The launch of the three-door 1 Series coincides with an expanded engine range in which the new 125i takes on the role of deputy performer.
Like many modern Mercs and Beemers its badge doesn't match the engine capacity but it should meet your performance expectations, with outputs of 160kW at 5000rpm and 310Nm from 1350rpm.
Displacing 1997cc, the four-cylinder petrol motor boasts direct fuel injection and a twin-scroll turbocharger. Against the clock, BMW claims a 6.4-second 0-100 and 245km/h top speed (6.2 sec and 243km/h for the auto), with respective consumption penalties of 6.6 and 6.4 l/100km.
From November this year BMW will offer a (presumably 125kW) 118i version of the three-door but available right from the start, and flying the entry-level flag, is a 116i. Like the five-door equivalent, this one has a 1598cc engine worth 100kW and 200Nm, with numbers of 8.5 seconds, 210km/h and 5.5 - 5.8 l/100km.
Standard, on all of them, is a six-speed manual gearbox, which can be replaced by an eight-speed autobox (or a sports version of that) if you prefer to let the car do the work.
As with the other 1 Series models, the three-door can be ordered with Sport Line, Urban Line and M Sport packages and there's a huge range of driver assistant and mobility services available, including lane departure warning, parking assistant, speed limit info, internet access, real-time traffic information and enhanced integration of smartphones and music players.
PRICES
1 SERIES THREE-DOOR
116i manual - R266 269.50
116i auto - R284 440.50
125i manual - R338 907.00
125i auto - R356 479.50
M135i manual - R451 314.00
M135i auto - R470 302.00