BMW 1 Series 116i SE 5 Door - Review, Specification and Technical Data

Review

The BMW 1 Series has divided opinion amongst the trade press and public. It's a car about which you can accentuate the positive or the negative with equal ease depending on what you expected from it in the first place. It certainly isn't all things to all people and it was always a bit of a compromise for BMW as they looked for access to a new market sector currently dominated by the likes of the VW Golf, the Audi A3 and the Ford Focus. Was it a fudge too far? Alone amongst its competitors the Series 1 has stuck with the traditional rear wheel drive. The effect has been to restrict the amount of space in the back because of the transmission tunnel. But if you're not a family person you may well appreciate the superb road holding, stability and responsive steering that BMW consistently achieves with rear wheel drive. You are also more likely to be pleased with the distinctive and unusually eye catching body styling and, for a BMW, the relatively modest entry price. It would be hard to quibble about the level and standard of security and safety equipment and innovative computer driven information displayed, such as average speed and fuel consumption. There is also a two stage intensifier for the rear brake lights which, if the public got used to it, could be used elsewhere by other manufacturers to signal whether you're braking to slow down or to stop sharply. Because of shortage of space there is no spare wheel. Instead, it has 'run-flat' tyres. Not a car for everyone but equally not one to be dismissed.

BMW 1 Series 116i SE Specification

• Self adjusting clutch
• Six-speed manual transmission
• 16-inch V-spoke style light alloy wheels
• Airbags driver and passenger, front and side
• Head Airbags front and rear
• Alarm system with remote control (Thatcham category 1)
• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
• Brake Force Display - brake light intensity geared to brake force
• Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
• Electronic immobiliser
• First Aid kit and warning triangle
• Front foglamps
• Halogen headlights
• High-level third brake light
• Lights on warning
• Park Distance Control (PDC) at the rear only
• Removable rear head restraints
• Runflat tyres with Tyre Puncture Warning System (TPWS)
• Rear three-point seat belts (3)
• Front inertia reels seat belts with latch tensioner, adaptive belt force limiter and belt restrainer
• Side impact protection
• Windscreen wipers with adjustable interval
• Child seat ISOFIX attachments rear
• Rear seat bench, foldable and 60:40 dividable
• Front seat height adjustment (manual)
• Air conditioning - automatic
• Air microfilters
• Electric front windows
• Headlamp height adjustment
• Interior auto dimming mirror
• Visible VIN
• Steering column height and reach manual adjustment
• Three-spoke leather steering wheel
• AUX input point for auxiliary playing devices (iPod or similar)
• External temperature display
• Average fuel consumption dsiplay
• Fuel range display
• Average speed and current consumption display
• Radio/audio - BMW Business CD with six speakers