Unlike the BMW 128ti, a direct rival for the Golf GTI, the M140i is rear-wheel drive. Combined with 50:50 weight distribution, it has an engaging, well-balanced feel. A 3.0-litre straight-six mill ...

The engine is rated at 261bhp – 19bhp more than an equivalent Mk8 Golf GTI and 41bhp down on the M135i ... Unfortunately, counter to its simplified mantra, BMW will not offer a manual ...

So, these enthusiasts perked up back in 2020, when they heard that BMW was to introduce a new front-wheel drive hatchback and a car that may well have been able to challenge the GTI’s supremacy.

The BMW 128ti was a front-wheel-drive hot hatch rival to the Golf GTI, praised for its handling but limited in sales but unavailable in the U.S. marke ...