BMW M135i (F40) | PH Used Buying Guide
There is a new M135. Always a good time to reassess the old one...
Key considerations
- Available for £16,500
- 2.0-litre inline-four turbo petrol, all-wheel drive
- Four-second 0-62mph times all day long
- Not quite as fast or edgy as the six-pot M140i or M135i…
- …but superior to both in many everyday ways
- Quietly, highly effective, and apparently reliable
The high-ups at BMW must be chewing their knuckles whenever the launch of a new M-car is drawing near. After all, few sub-brands come with quite as much baggage in terms of customer expectations. That nerviness must have been running at fever pitch when the F40 M135i xDrive was released in 2019. The signs weren’t good. It was less powerful not only than the M140i that preceded it but also than the first 320hp 3.0-litre turbo straight-six F20 M135i of 2012, a proper Q car that had gained instant fanhood following a fanfare of highly favourable road tests.
That version offered a classic big-engine-in-a-small-car experience and cost just under £32k new. It wasn’t perfect though. As time went on some flaws started to show up. Steering racks got wobbly, cam covers leaked, the suspension was a bit suspect, exhausts and bodywork could get rattly, space in the back was tight, you had to keep a close eye on the N55 motor’s oil levels, and the lack of an LSD made life tricky in the wet.
Despite all that, owners who saw the potential in that first M135i and who were prepared to try and unleash it really loved them. If you want more detail on the original F20 M135i – high-milers are available for as little as £7k in late 2024, by the way – go here because the guide you’ll be reading from this point on is for the F40 xDrive, a very different sort of M135i.
Instead of a lusty 3.0 straight-six it had a 2.0-litre turbo four. Instead of a six-speed manual it had an 8-speed torque converter auto. And instead of classic BMW rear-wheel drive it had on-demand all-wheel drive. It was roomier and more useable than the old car and its interior generally looked more liveable, but the absence of the big six under the bonnet seemed like a step too far for some M fans who believed that the thirteenth letter in the alphabet should stand for ‘mega’, not ‘middling’.
At the time of writing in November 2024 a brand-new, or at least moderately enhanced, F70 M135 (no more ‘i’ in the name) had just been launched in the UK. Our Matt, who comes with extensive experience of all M135s with or without the ‘i’, has driven it.
If, after reading his report, you feel that your life is incomplete without one, you will need nearly £42k for a base version. That’s over £5k more than the F40 M135i had been in 2019, or getting on for £18k more expensive if you want it speccing up to press car level. This new F70 M135 is a bit lighter than the F40 but it’s not as powerful or as torquey, which might get you thinking that the F40 car is a more appealing prospect at used prices starting from £16.5k. Cars at that sort of money will have done more than 120,000 miles though. Is it worth the gamble?
SPECIFICATION | BMW M135i xDrive (F40, 2019-24)
Engine: 1,998cc inline four 16v turbo petrol
Transmission: 8-speed auto, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 302@4,500-6,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 332@1,750-5,000rpm
0-62mph (secs): 4.8
Top speed (mph): 155
Weight (kg): 1,600
MPG (WLTP official combined): 36.2-38.7
CO2 (g/km, WLTP): 177-167
Wheels (in): 8 x 18
Tyres: 225/40
On sale: 2019 - 2024
Price new: £36,500
Price now: from £16,500
Note for reference: car weight and power data is hard to pin down with absolute certainty. For consistency, we use the same source for all our guides. We hope the data we use is right more often than it’s wrong. Our advice is to treat it as relative rather than definitive.
ENGINE & GEARBOX
As also seen in the Mini GP, the M135i’s 2.0-litre B48 engine was BMW’s most powerful four-cylinder unit. Despite sporting an enlarged turbo and stronger internals, it was still around 10 per cent down on power and torque on the old M140i six-pot turbo. On the plus side, the four was 30 kilos lighter than the six. Exhausting through twin tailpipes and with sound augmentation through the speakers, it was quite low profile in terms of noise and drama once the pops and crackles of the initial startup had died down, but there were few complaints about its efficacy.
There was no manual gearbox option and the Aisin-built 8-speed Steptronic Sport wasn’t a double-clutch transmission but the slight slurriness of the change quality was compensated for by an engineered-in surge on upshifts and by the sportingly close arrangement of ratios. With launch control activated, allowing full peak torque to be delivered in the bottom two gears plus the extra benefit of a mechanical limited-slip diff on the front axle, the car would dependably reel off 0-62mph times in the high four-second bracket.
Having said that, the ZF-boxed M140i was quicker in terms of kickdown response, standing acceleration and in-gear acceleration, despite being marginally heavier (by about 15kg) than the M135i. Making up for that to some extent was the newer car’s better economy. On a cruise, you could regularly see mpg figures of over 50 on the M135i’s trip computer. Whether that’s what you wanted from your M-car was another matter of course. BMWs are on a variable-servicing programme in which the frequency is determined by driving style and component wear rates. A basic oil and filter services shouldn’t cost more than £280.
CHASSIS
The old M140i’s six-cylinder engine sat well back in the bay, giving the car a 50/50 front/rear weight distribution, whereas the forward positioning and transverse layout of the B38 motor in the FWD-based F40 One Series chassis gave the M135i a 60/40 front/rear split.
Its M Sport suspension was set 10mm lower than that of normal One Series cars and you got extra bracing and larger anti-roll bars too. Thumps and steering kickbacks were felt and heard over British potholes but the ride quality was remarkably good given the nature of the car, especially if the kind first owner had paid £500 extra for the two-damper-mode adaptive suspension.
Like the engine, the M135i’s all-wheel-drive system was never in your face. Most of the time it was putting power through the front wheels. The point where you could just about sense the front twitching a bit was pretty much the same point at which you could start to feel some of the power going to the back end. Up to 50 per cent could be diverted there in the right conditions. The front end was pointy and keen. Light torque steer plus lift-off oversteer came with the reassurance that the AWD gubbins and that front Torsen diff would haul you safely out of the corner.
BMW attributed some of the M135i’s drive composure and engagement to something called a ‘near-actuator wheel slip limitation integrated into the engine control unit which shortened signal paths and allowed traction to be controlled up to ten times faster than with conventional systems’. There you are then. Dynamic Stability Control including controlled slippage through the DTC setting plus Performance Control (traction control through braking) were standard. Outside of the three main driving modes – Eco Pro, Comfort and Sport – you could tailor all the individual characteristics without impacting on the others.
A minor refresh in October 2021 increased front wheel camber values and recalibrated the springs and dampers. There was also a new hydromount for the front suspension wishbones and redesigned mounts for the rear axle’s trailing and control arms. The objective was to improve roll behaviour and by extension steering feel. Even without these modes the M Sport rack was quicker than the regular F40’s, and excellent, although ultimate enjoyment levels were compromised for some by the overly plump wheel rim.
18-inch M light alloy wheels were standard fitment with a range of 19-inch options. Rear discs have become scored on some cars. There have been plenty of instances of cars making a groaning noise in reverse, usually but not exclusively when there was between half and full steering lock being applied. Nobody seems entirely sure what caused this but the majority vote among owners seemed to be that it was brake-related (pads touching the 360mm discs) rather than transmission-related. Having said that, one owner did get the transfer box replaced in an effort to try and sort it. We don’t know if that worked but what did seem to work for some owners, in terms of smoothing out the braking anyway, was a switch to PAGID brake components. With the original equipment, the M135i’s stopping distance from 60mph to zero was appreciably shorter than the M140i’s.
BODYWORK
Externally the F40 was marginally shorter than the old F20 but BMW managed to create more space inside the new car, not just for passengers who received more legroom, but also for cargo: at 380 litres the F40’s boot space was 20 litres up on the F20’s.
Like many things BMW, the huge new kidney grilles that were roundly lambasted when they were unveiled are slowly easing their way into public acceptability. Still, the visual shock was more efficiently damped on black M135is with the grey grille surround. The bonnet and tailgate were both made of aluminium. Disappointingly, the ‘vents’ on the rear wings were not vents.
There have been reports of windows dropping of their own accord when the car was locked up and left. One theory as to why this might be happening was the window anti-trapping system getting triggered by climate change (who hasn’t had that). Error codes didn’t flash up for it. A window reset – holding the button down for ten seconds and then up for ten seconds – was the recommended cure but we don’t know how often it worked.
Metallic paints like Storm Bay grey were a £560 extra. New paint options arrived with the late-’21 refresh, including Sao Paolo Yellow non-metallic, Frozen Pure Grey and Frozen Orange metallic. Adding a pano glass sunroof – a One Series first in the F40 – cost £1,000. It incorporated an electrically operated roller blind and a net wind deflector.
INTERIOR
Owners of late-generation Volkswagen Audi group cars who found themselves switching to an F40 M135i would have been pleased to see more physical controls in the BMW than in their frustratingly ‘virtualised’ cockpits. They might also have appreciated the quality of the materials chosen by BMW for the M’s cabin.
Irrespective of where they were coming from, few would have criticised the slickness of the BMW’s Connected Drive infotainment system, the long-drive comfort and contemporary design of the M Sport seats upholstered in Trigon cloth and Alcantara, and the ease with which a usefully low-feeling driving position could be achieved.
Somewhat cheekily BMW charged you an extra £150 for split rear seats with a through-load hatch and the same amount for front-seat lumbar support or, incredibly, a luggage net. Standard audio was six speakers and 100 watts, with a HiFi option of ten speakers and 205 watts. Harmon Kardon surround-sound audio with 16 speakers and 464 watts was a £750 option on its own, or it could be had as part of the £1,350 Pro Pack which also threw in sun protection glass and 19-inch wheels. We seem to remember seeing somewhere that you couldn’t have those bigger wheels with the adaptive suspension, but you may know different.
Live Cockpit Plus with a touch controller, navigation, two USB ports and a wifi interface was standard on all F40 One Series cars, as was Apple CarPlay prep as part of the Connected Package Plus. The M135i had an upgraded Live Cockpit Professional setup which added Intelligent Personal Assistant, on-street parking info, Connected navigation and Intelligent Vehicle Functionality, which learnt drivers’ habits.
Other option packs were available. Technology Pack 1 cost £1,500 and included adaptive LED headlights, Parking Assistant (automatic assisted parking in spaces that were either parallel or perpendicular to the road), high beam assist, head-up display – another 1 Series first on the F40 and a very desirable feaure if you can find it in your used M135i search – enhanced Bluetooth with wireless charging and wi-fi hotspot prep. For the same sort of money, Comfort Pack 2 added steering wheel heat, powered tailgate operation, electric front seats with memory for the driver’s perch, along with Comfort Access which basically allowed you to open the doors just by touching them as long as you had the fob within range.
Owners with Alexa at home found that it integrated really well with the BMW, permitting them to pre-warm the cabin without stepping out of the kitchen. Once you got in the car the Alexa-style experience continued with a silky-voiced maiden offering to do your bidding in response to your ‘Hey BMW’ commands.
The main digital instrumentation was clear enough if you didn’t mind a tacho needle that went the wrong way, ie anticlockwise. While we’re on this subject, there have been recent rumblings from some owners about the white needles on the speedo and tacho. In the daytime they’re supposed to be as bright as the numbers on the dial but it appears (sic) that some are becoming faded, dim, or flat-out invisible. We believe that BMW is aware of this.
Some owners found that their horns didn’t work when the steering wheel was turned. The sensor telling you about low screen wash levels has been known to fail too. Creaking sounds in the nearside rear passenger area have been acknowledged by BMW. They put out a fix which involved removing the door card and putting in some sticky tape and silicone lubricant.
PH VERDICT
One view of the F40 M135i was that it didn’t quite meet the high expectations that were set for it by the legions of M fans who have always guarded ‘their’ sub-brand so fervently. It was certainly less of a standout car than previous iterations.
Nobody who had relished the experience of the old rear-drive six-pot models was going to say that they were glad to see the back of them, but the xDrive M135i did have talents of its own. It stopped quicker than the M140i, drank less fuel, and it was roomier, more comfortable, quieter, tighter, and, some might say, more elegant (in certain paint schemes anyway) than the old car. There again, quietness and elegance might not have been what you wanted in an M-car.
What most did want was an adjustable, satisfying and safe drive and the M135i delivered exactly that. It was a highly capable machine that did a good job of confounding those who had criticised the all-wheel drive system on grounds of complication. Those who are still minded to think that way are entitled to their view, which they might well back up by choosing the equally rapid and wonderfully well-rounded Mk 8 Golf R instead - but in that case they would have to learn how to live with a dash design that could test the patience of a saint.
The BMW drivetrain didn’t have quite the same vitality as the Volkswagen’s but it did have a grown-up feel to it and, let’s be honest, there would be very little between the two cars on a cross-country thrash. What we’re saying is that you shouldn’t use perceived complexity as a justfication for ignoring the understated effectiveness and, as far as we can see, fine reliability of the F40 M135i.
In 2020 you could lease an F40 M135i for under £230 a month. It would be double that and more in 2024, but as noted in the overview you could buy a used one outright for £16.5k. Something that cheap will have more than 120,000 miles on it, but for a little more money – £17k-£18k – you will be able to find an M135i with fewer than 100k miles on it. Something like this grey 2020 example with 101,000 miles at £17,290. Keep your wits about you at this end of the market though as there are quite a few damaged repaired cars knocking about.
Clean examples with sensible mileages (70k or thereabouts) realistically start at £20,000. Here’s a 69,000-miler in Melbourne Red with desirable option packs and a full history at £19,795. There’s a decent selection of 60-70k cars on PH Classifieds at this £20k price point. Throwing another £3k into the pot will halve that mileage, while hoisting your budget to £25k will get you into a low-miles early car like this. £26,300 buys this 2022 car with 10,000 miles. Late low-milers like this one will be £35k+.
What's a non-gammon mindset? I need to know if I have a gammon between my ears or not....
In the same way you can argue that Porsche achieved large part of their racing success (50s, 60s, 70s) with 4 cyl engines. By the same measure this 6 cyl engines only Porsche legacy is not so 100% true.
As a hatchback / car / do everything they're bloody lovely. I say this as a BMW fan and current m340i owner.
Great build quality, usable technology, quiet, comfy, pretty refined. Loads of space and a decent sized boot. The one I borrowed a few months ago returned 40mpg on my commute instead of the 32mpg I get in the 6 cylinder. They even drive nicely, which is the most important thing.
They're just not exciting (to me) though. I missed the shove from the B58 which is why I didn't own one for long. The engine was a bit dull and the aisin gearbox was a little dimwitted at times.
But that's comparing apples with oranges. If I were in the market for a 2.0T 4wd auto hatch this would still be at the top of my list. Might not surpass the Golf R on dynamics, but it does for absolutely everything else.
I know that most of us mourn the RWD 6 cylinder previous generation in many ways, but I still imagine this one to be a very decent all round daily driver though.
For example I was a big fan of the 6 cylinder engines in the E90 330d/F13 640d, whereas I didn't like the 4 cylinder engine in the E61 520d very much at all in comparison. However the good thing about a 4 cylinder engine is that they do feel much lighter over the nose for turn in etc over a 6 cylinder though I reckon.
As a hatchback / car / do everything they're bloody lovely. I say this as a BMW fan and current m340i owner.
Great build quality, usable technology, quiet, comfy, pretty refined. Loads of space and a decent sized boot. The one I borrowed a few months ago returned 40mpg on my commute instead of the 32mpg I get in the 6 cylinder. They even drive nicely, which is the most important thing.
They're just not exciting (to me) though. I missed the shove from the B58 which is why I didn't own one for long. The engine was a bit dull and the aisin gearbox was a little dimwitted at times.
But that's comparing apples with oranges. If I were in the market for a 2.0T 4wd auto hatch this would still be at the top of my list. Might not surpass the Golf R on dynamics, but it does for absolutely everything else.
I love the 6 cylinder (I enjoyed by first M135i and currently my M2), but I don’t turn my nose up to the 4 pot. A very capable all rounder for me.It's a lovely car. Build quality is very high, spec is high (hers is standard plus Pro Pack and Metallic paint), it's a fun, responsive drive. Grips well, goes well, good throttle response liked to a very rev's willing engine. Comfy on longer journeys, fun on a twisty b-road. The assimilation with a mini are relevant, it does have a go-kart vibe about it. You have to be going some to unsettle it or lose traction.
But, you have to be sensible with how you class it. It's not an M-Car. It's not meant to drive or entertain like an M2, or E30 M3. It's not really a successor to the old M140i (the 2-series picks up that mantle), it's a rival for the A35, S3, Golf R maybe Honda TypeR. We drove all of those and the BMW, for us, was a league ahead as a car for her. More quality & solid than the Golf/Civic, better drive than the Audi or Merc, again, IMO/IME.
First one was a stock car with the 819M alloys and in mineral white, due to me cancelling my order for a 128TI due to constant slipping delivery dates. It’s substantially more grown up and better built that the Covid run about Fiesta ST3.
Current one is pro pack mineral grey with the 557M alloys, it’s special without looking too flash. Perfect daily and I don’t think for value for money and economy it can knocked compared to rivals (14k miles and 18 months old and she’s averaging 43mpg) it still has physical controls and is planted on the road when making progress.
You're doing well at 43mpg, Mrs S's is still at mid-30s but the car has only done 2200 miles so far.
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