It's easy to be dismissive now, but the F20 BMW M135i really was a bolt from the blue back in 2012. Because while there had been six-cylinder 1 Series (and even 3 Series Compacts) before the M135, none had ever truly captured the imagination of both press and public. That perception changed pretty drastically with the introduction of this car.
By 2012, with the 1 Series having been on sale for eight years and two generation of 3 Series Compact before it, it was assumed that BMW wouldn't bother with any kind of M-influenced flagship for its smallest model. There had been a 135i Coupe, and of course the limited run 1 M, though the potential for a hot rod hatchback remained unfulfilled.
Then the M135i arrived, its appeal remarkably easy to explain: £30k, 320hp, straight-six, rear-wheel drive. There simply wasn't anything else like it. And although those stats didn't tell the whole story - the price inevitably crept up over time and there were plenty of options to add - that didn't really matter. BMW had finally put a turbocharged straight six into a 1 Series hatchback, and the end result attracted a lot of love from across the motoring spectrum.
That appeal only increased as the 2 Series Coupe and Convertible joined the range, both cars being a little easier on the eye than the regular 1 Series. It was the hatch, though, that really earned cult classic status, fairly innocuous to look at and yet packing an almighty punch. That the M135i was launched as a three-door manual only increased its purist appeal yet further; even just a handful of years later that seems like a specification from a bygone age. A nice specification, it ought to be said.
This particular M135i proves in fact how old the car actually is, having covered 108,000 miles since being registered in 2012. Handily for this feature, it's the highest mileage example by more than 20,000 miles, and also the cheapest by more than £2,000. We now live, ladies and gents, in the age of the £10k M135i. Which is quite an exciting prospect.
There's more than just the price that appeals, too. All the miles have been accrued with its original owner, implying nothing more strenuous that long motorway journeys, it has the rare manual gearbox and there was a service including brake fluid change 5,000 miles ago. The pictures are encouraging, as well; there's clearly wear on things like the steering wheel and gear lever, though the driver's seat bolster remains intact, the wheels are unblemished and the Estoril Blue paint still shines in the sun - it's far more presentable than you might have expected.
Now, unlike many of the High-Mile Club cars, the next owner of this BMW will likely be the first M135i driver ever to take the car further into six-figure mileages. There are buying guides around, of course - see the PH one here - though there might be new issues that crop up simply because nobody has yet driven them that far. The N55 3.0-litre straight six was at least in service for years before being wedged in the front of a 1 Series, so there should be a wealth of knowledge around on the problems that may crop up when you go beyond 100,000 miles.
Still tempted though, right? That's what the M135i has always done: making the allure of great BMW straight six in a small hatchback pretty difficult to deny. Nobody needs reminding that there's plenty of aftermarket parts available for these, too; given anything original on this one would surely need replacement soon, it would be the perfect time to upgrade. Before you know it, the £10k M135i will have become the M3-humbling track car - what a BMW that could be.
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