BMW has another compact Coupe in its stable and I’ll put my neck out and tell you it’s a winner. It has strong ties to the successful 2002, which was in production from 1966 until 1978 but is no direct copy or reproduction.

The new 1 Series Coupe simply has similar design and marketing goals to the old 2002 and therefore some striking similarities. While the launch included information on 120d and 123d diesels as well as promises of a 125i, the real fun part was the chance to drive the range topping 135i Coupe.

135i Coupe is going to shake up the practical performance car market. I reckon that at high altitudes it is even going to give the top dog M3 a run. We’ll have to wait and see what test figures the 135i Coupe delivers at altitude but reckon that the force-fed version could raise a few eyebrows.

I got to drive a 2002 Turbo a few days before the international 135i Coupe launch so deciding if the new version fills its philosophical ancestor’s boots was left to the world launch, which took place in Gotland, Sweden. The launch involved driving the roads around Visby and some quick laps around the Gotlandring race circuit. Gotland is a Swedish island located in the Baltic Seaand has some spectacularly quite twisty roads that lead to a racetrack. A brand new track for a brand new car was the promise we got and neither disappointed.

Oozes familiarity

Although a new design the 135i Coupe oozed familiarity with short overhangs and a long nose. With an M aerodynamics package fitted as standard the 135i tends towards the aggressive aesthetic and has a large air intake, side sills, rear spoiler, an anthracite rear air dam insert and dark chrome exhausts. M Sport also handles suspension and brakes with some six-pot front and two-pot rears.

Inside the cabin all 1 Series Coupes are a mix of top-class simple finishing and all the bells and whistles expected of a car in the class. Further customisation can be done with options like an upgraded iDrive system complete with external MP3 player integration. The list of upholstery and trim combinations is also vast.

Behind the wheel of the car the first thing you notice is the good weight distribution. Suspension does the job of providing a comfortable ride but without making the Coupe a wallowy handler. Turn in is sharp and predictable and the feedback provided by the steering wheel is awesome.

Flawless power delivery

Perhaps the biggest difference between the 2002 Turbo and 135i Coupe is the power delivery. Both make use of a turbo-charger to add some extra kick but the 135i delivers the power to the road in a smooth way thanks to some low inertia turbos. You don’t want to attack wet traffic circles in the 2002 because it comes in with a whack when the red needle hits 4000rpm. The 135i flawless power delivery is also a key figure in making the car a brilliant handling vehicle as the driver can add gentle throttle input when desired.

Even with DSC switched off, traction was impressively maintained by the electronically controlled diff lock function (Only on the 135i and 123d models), which brakes the desired wheel to reduce spin. Maximum power of 225kW at 5800rpm is quoted and 400Nm between 1300 and 5000rpm ensure the 135i has class leading figures. Acceleration is brutal and succinct gear changes on the six-speed manual should see the car reach the 100km/h mark in a claimed 5.3 seconds. Top speed is limited to 250km/h.

I like it and I want one. The 135i Coupe is finally showing the world that you don’t need a turbo-charged hatch to be the top of the premium compact group.