The BMW 128ti is a ‘Junior’ M135i and gunning for the VW Golf GTI

The BMW 128ti is a new performance 1 Series BMW, sitting below the M135i and with front-wheel drive, and looks very promising.

Do BMW drivers care whether their car is rear-wheel drive? Of course they do, say the BMW anoraks. But they don’t really. Although BMW declined to deliver the 1 Series as a performance model with FWD, instead delivering the M135i with 4WD.

The 4WD in the M135i does make it grippy, but it sort of takes away the fun too, so BMW has now decided that it’s new little brother – the BMW 128ti – won’t get 4WD but will keep the FWD of other 1 Series BMWs.

Due to debut soon, BMW has been off to the Nurburgring to play with the 128ti (so nice to see the ‘ti’ back in use), so BMW has decided to give us a bit more infor.

The 128ti comes with the twin-turbo 2.0 litre from the M135i, but here it delivers 265bhp and is good for o-62mph in 6.1 seconds, and comes as standard with an eight-speed Steptronic ‘box.

But BMW hasn’t just ripped out the xDrive setup and de-tuned the engine, but have reworked the suspension and steering to suit too, given it a Torsen limited-slip differential, lowered M Suspension, BMW Performance Control tweaked for agility and the same M Sport brakes as the M135i.

It sounds like it could give a real challenge to the VW Golf GTI when it arrives. Well, depending on price.