Yey - 135 (N55) DCT has arrived !

[MattGTA]

Finally picked her up yesterday. First impressions are excellent - full review to follow.

It'll be interesting to see how the car compares with the E90 M3 I ran last year, and to see how I get on with the DCT. I've got a trip down to Italy via the Alps at the end of the month, so an excellent opportunity to become properly acquainted is only a few weeks away.

[Fun Bus]

Looks lovely, chuffed for you. May I ask which boxes you ticked on the options list? Some are obvious from the pics if course!

[MattGTA]

Hi,

Many thanks.

I went for DCT, coral red leather, pro nav, bluetooth, cruise, PDC and a tracker.

[MattGTA]

and, of course, the most important option of all, a 2 inch smiley !

[martin mrt]

These are my current favourite BMW, i would LOVE to try one out especially with the DCT

Interesting options list but no xenons??

[MattGTA]

Xenons on the M3 drove me mad - the cut off was really abrupt and they were almost always aiming too low (so I couldn't see far enough ahead) or too high (so I annoyed people coming the other way) hence I skipped them on the 1.

[635djimmy]

Congratulations on the purchase looks a lovely bit of kit.

[Beedub]

wooooowww thats lovely, have bmw now got proper paddles now instead of those rediculous things we have on our 535D?? can you post an engine shot also please!!

[road_rager]

looks very nice, you don't have to leave it parked in the street i hope?!

[MattGTA]

Yes, real paddles now (right up, left down) which is so much more natural.

I'll try to get an engine shot later today. I did notice it has "Twin Power Turbo" written in big letters across the engine cover - sounds to me like BMW are playing word games

A few things stand out already - how much difference the 'Sport' button makes to the speed of manual gear changes, how well the DCT impersonates a proper autobox when you want it to, how direct the steering feels and how much low down pull there is in any gear.

It keeps reminding me of the E30 - in many way, it's a modern day 325i

[gizlaroc]

MattGTA said:

It keeps reminding me of the E30 - in many way, it's a modern day 325i

Absolutely, my 2 1ers remind me of my old 325i, and is why I say that the 1 series is probably the most BMW like car they currently make at the moment.