Thursday 18th October 2012

Chris Harris video: BMW M135i vs Audi RS3

Harris gets to grips with menu pricing and finds the taste most appealing

---

I think, and I hope, that somewhere in this test lies a significant change for the motor industry. The clues lurk within the M135i's pricing.

As tested, this car was a tickle over £37,000, which to any of us is monstrous for a three-door hatchback. However, contained in that price are over £7,000 of optional extras. But the big news is that so few of them are crucial for enjoying the car. The fundaments of the M135i are available for the price of the base vehicle and the ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox (no, I haven't gone mad). That's under £32,000. The forthcoming Mk7 Golf GTI, with a smattering of toys will not be that much cheaper. When you have driven this little BMW, that rice will seem a bargain.

Desirable but overpriced: Audi, in a nutshell

What we have here is the emergence, albeit not in name, of a menu pricing system. If you want all the clever gubbins, it costs you big wedge, but BMW will supply you a base car for far, far less money. Instantly, the £39,850 Audi wants for the RS3 looks unreasonable.

We drove the cars on road and track and cruised and flagellated them for a week. Many people came into contact with the RS3, not one of them came away feeling that the driving experience in any way matched that perfectly judged bull terrier stance, the undeniable Audi sex-factor and the excellent powertrain.

Should the BMW have a mechanical locking differential? You'll need to watch the vid to find out. Can I really be serious about wanting an automatic gearbox? If it was my daily driver - yes. You need to experience the BMW's powertrain in this configuration to believe just how exciting and capable it is. Do I think the M135i looks dull as cold porridge? Of course, but it's not my job to judge the way things look on your behalf.

All this and much more (road, track and a drag-race) is covered in the vid. A faulty radio mic caused a few audio issues at the end - apologies for that.

Enjoy.

---

 

[tommy vercetti]

finally!!

[okie592]

but why buy either when you can have a sandero

[StottyZr]

Haven't watched the video quite yet. But doesn't one cost 50% more than the other?

Edit: Oh you noticed

The video was a great watch. The BMW sounds 10times nicer than the Audi on the track, looks like BMW are onto a winner.

The looks are starting to grow on me too. Saying that, I now find it bareable instead of horrifically ugly...

Edited by StottyZr on Wednesday 17th October 20:52

[s m]

Great stuff

[Waugh-terfall]

Bargainous rice? Are BMW taking the fight to Uncle Ben as well?

[Robsti]

Good review and the BMW looks a great sleeper!

[Dave Hedgehog]

sport button does not affect the RS3 ride, it does not have mag suspension

must try harder chris

[tommy vercetti]

Chris, off topic, but at the start of this vid around 20 secs, is that the same place where you drove your M3 in the autocar feature?

[ZX10Ben]

What an excellent video! Well done Monkey!

Looks are subjective, but they're both bloody ugly! No denying the performance and value of the BMW though, and the noise it makes was amazing for a non M car!

If I had to choose, BMW all day long! (and I say that as a bit of an Audi fan). Looks like the RS brand is slowly being diluted and is more of a fashion statement... What a shame.

[FisiP1]

Chris, you didn't get punked by the fake noise piping system did you? Or does this particular car not have it(fingers crossed). Sounded Fantastic.

The BMW is surely going to make the new generation of VW and Audi's pricing of warm/hot golf/A3 variants look completely daft? Golf gti for 30k+ when you could have this BMW anyone?

Did love the vid, and I am a fan of VAG usually, but this BMW is one of the few products they make anymore that still interests me.

[Gunslinger1979]

Audi has a lovely engine note but at £40k that's about it for me considering it is another Audi which is uninvolving to drive. Back to Renaultsport-land for me then.
Less is more once errr more...

[PKZ4M]

Great video..... Having just decided to get a 1 M Coupe, to replace my Z4M, should I reconsider? Is a 2nd hand 1 M worth c. 10k more than a new M135i?

What should I get?

[Matthew Clarke]

Total VW fan but thinking of trading my ED30 in for a M135i. And as long as Im in it I dont have to look at it :P

Would still love to see that Audi 2.5L engine in a wide body golf though with a bit of rear bias.....

[dasherdiablo1]

Bugger I've put a deposit on an S3 and am supposed to be collecting on Friday but now I'm thinking I should get the Bimmer..... bugger....I'm a BMW man through and through as well.....

[epom]

I really want an RS3 lately, odd considering this and the Focus RS thread arent really to kind to it. Oh well.

[britsportscars]

Audi in dull handling understeer review shocker...
Well it's not really a shock is it? Evo have been saying this about most performance Audis for ages.

[theboyfold]

Matthew Clarke said:

Total VW fan but thinking of trading my ED30 in for a M135i. And as long as Im in it I dont have to look at it :P

Would still love to see that Audi 2.5L engine in a wide body golf though with a bit of rear bias.....

That's my exact situation. I never thought that I would be lusting after an automatic BMW 1 series.

[OlberJ]

The new Z3M Coupe has arrived! Fantastic.

Is there any plans to make a proper M version?

[FisiP1]

theboyfold said:

Matthew Clarke said:

Total VW fan but thinking of trading my ED30 in for a M135i. And as long as Im in it I dont have to look at it :P

Would still love to see that Audi 2.5L engine in a wide body golf though with a bit of rear bias.....

That's my exact situation. I never thought that I would be lusting after an automatic BMW 1 series.

Same here.

By the way, Chris mentioned the RS engine can handle a lot more power, but hasn't there been quite a few people post on here with lunched nearly new engines still in stock form? So I don't know how much I'd trust them with even more HP.

[CJP80]

I think BMW has Audi beaten here. The new S3 with 'only' 300bhp is going to struggle against this.