CorpusCallosum
Oversteer Expert
This article is not your usual Week at the Wheel so it's worth describing the test conditions experienced by the 1 Series. In a week, we subjected the new Convertible to about 2,000 miles of driving. Following a launch event in Jerez - near the southern coast of Spain - we drove in one swoop the 700 miles to Barcelona. For much of the day temperatures hovered around the mid-twenties, so the roof was stowed away and the (optional) wind deflector in place. Thanks to deserted roads, this section of the journey was carried out at the highest average pace of the week, with as few motorway miles as possible.
Over the following days we drove high into the French Alps to Méribel, where the temperatures dropped to as low as -20-degrees centigrade and we experienced heavy snow fall. Following a few days at high altitude, the long trudge up through France to Reims was accompanied by blizzards and driving rain and the same weather greeted us on exiting the Eurotunnel in Folkestone before battling with typical M25 traffic on our way to Heathrow airport. To say it was a varied test is an understatement.
Kevin Rice from BMW design talked us through the style of the new BMW 1 Series Convertible in Spain. Apparently the brief was for the open-topped version of the 1 Series to be the most elegant. Roof down, it certainly is that, bearing more than a passing resemblance to its bigger 3 Series Convertible brother. It's undoubtedly the least controversially styled 1 Series in the range too, though roof up its profile is very close to that of the Coupé's. Unlike the 3 Series, BMW never considered a folding hardtop for the 1, as it would have meant serious packaging compromises to maintain the flat rear deck.
As it is, the Convertible's boot holds a significant amount less than the Coupé it is based on, though at least there's the option to increase the capacity a little if you're sure you won't want to drop the hood, thanks to a movable section within the boot. Unfortunately, the Coupé's handy folding rear seats are not fitted even as an option in the Convertible, presumably as the space is used up with chassis strengthening members. Buyers may opt for a pass-through option, but it's only of use for slim items.
As Kyle discovered at the international launch of the 1 Series Convertible, the 3.0-litre straight-six in 125i guise is no firecracker. That's not to say that it can't produce the goods - as the claimed 6.8 seconds to 62mph and 148mph top speed attest - it's just that it's happier ambling along at a cruise, requiring use of the whole rev counter for overtaking manoeuvres. Thankfully, its engine note is as good as any current six-cylinder BMW's, which means you'll seek out tunnels and drive as much as possible with the roof down in order to bask in its sound - often in a lower gear than is strictly necessary.
If you do that of course the EfficientDynamics gear shift indicator will merrily instruct you to change up, but its not all that intrusive and using the six-speed 'box is a joy in any case.
One of our favourite real-world BMWs of modern times is the 123d Coupé. It blends engaging handling with a firm, yet not uncomfortable ride and better steering feel than most of the rest of the range, along with the excellent new twin-turbo diesel engine. A lot of that is carried over to the Convertible, though the open-topped car is actually more relaxed on the road though perhaps not quite as sharp. It will delight most owners, as it is enjoyable to drive, but pushing it to its limits keen drivers will discover that its surfeit of grip over grunt dominates proceedings. It's not that understeer is excessive; just that power oversteer is rarely to be found. In summary, it's a safe, pleasant driving experience, but not one to get overly excited about. The forthcoming 135i Convertible should satisfy such desires though.
Equipment levels are acceptable enough in the new Convertible, though we'd like the pass-through flap in the rear to be standard, along with other bits and pieces. However, the 1 Series now feels like a quality offering and realistically the only other car on the market that can be counted as a rival is the equally new Audi A3 Cabriolet. Audi makes do with four-cylinder engines and though they have almost as much grunt as the 125i, they're just not as compelling an option. Keener drivers will also prefer the rear-wheel drive layout of the BMW, though that may apply to a smaller percentage of buyers than we think.
In terms of economy, the 125i Convertible is a little worse off than its Audi rival with correspondingly higher CO2 emissions, though there isn't a yawning chasm between the figures. In our 2,000 miles in the car we averaged about 27mpg, which isn't great, but the car was full of heavy ski gear for most of that and a good portion of the distance was taken up by high-speed motorway in France and Spain.
It's hard not to like the new 1 Series Convertible. It may be aimed at female buyers, as much as it is at men, but it's a decidedly enjoyable car for anyone to steer. No, the 125i version isn't terribly exciting, but it is competent. With the 3 Series Convertible slowly moving more upmarket, there is undoubtedly room in the range for an open-topped 1 Series and it has been well-executed.
