A little over thirty years ago BMW introduced one of its most fervently worshiped cars of all time: the 2002 Turbo. Packing the company’s first production turbo engine into a lightweight body, the 2002 Turbo was an instant hit among enthusiasts. BMW wants us to believe the new 135i M-sport coupe is derived from the same formula, and at first glance, they seem to have hit the mark – but only rigorous testing will prove whether they’ve managed to capture the magic of past models.

On paper, the numbers look good. With 302hp, 296ft-lbs of torque and a length of “only” 436cm (172in), the BMW 135i sounds like it has all the ingredients to make for a zippy little package. The car is just 22cm (9in) shorter than the 335i Coupe, but slashes 0.2 seconds off the 0-60mph time, bringing it down to just 5.3 seconds – not bad considering the price.

The real gem in this car is the six-cylinder, 2979cc twin-turbo engine which is exclusive to the coupe in the 1-Series but also installed in various other performance models in the BMW lineup. Where most forced-aspiration engines need you to keep within a certain rev range in order to extract the most power from them, the BMW twin turbo has an abundance of torque from as low as 1300rpm (but the real jolt hits at 2500rpm), allowing you to push the car without being uncertain about the power band. The engine itself is not very loud, but the noise that it creates once you hit 5,000rpm is so delicious yet refined, you’ll want to as wind the engine up (and the windows down) whenever you get a chance.

The interior of the car is pure BMW, with much of the same features seen in previous 1- and 3-series models. The only complaint we could think of was the cheap plastic feeling of the driver’s side door arm-rest – otherwise, the interior was well put together. In terms of sitting room, the front two passengers are afforded much the same luxury as the 3 series. It’s in the back, where the rear passengers sit, that the coupe loses some points as the room is a little tight for any trips longer than an hour. On the plus side, the rear seats can be folded down giving almost the same utility as the hatchback when transporting awkward or large objects.

In terms of safety devices, there are six air bags (front, side and curtain for both rows of seats), Xenon headlights, run-flat tires with air-pressure sensor and brake lights which vary in brightness according to the intensity of the braking. The run-flat tires are much improved from the first generation, and ride comfort is fantastic even though the car sits on low-profile tires. There’s also the traction control and stability control systems, as well as a system that stops the car rolling back on hills and brake fade compensation. One of the more interesting features is the “dry brakes” which, in case of rain, remove the film of water to maintain optimum braking ability.

While the car has a fantastic engine, we were disappointed to find it still weighs in at a hefty 1560kg (3430lb), only 40kg (88lb) less than its big brother, the 335i Coupe, and as a result is less agile than you might imagine. Nevertheless, the 135i is still extremely effective and satisfying when you put it through its paces. The six-speed manual gearbox is also a beauty and provides a solid, engaging feel while never feeling stressed or slow when swapping cogs.

Unlike the new M3, the 135i isn’t designed to be a hybrid road and track machine and thus the suspension is a little bit soft allowing for some body roll that slows transfers during violent direction changes. Disabling all the electronic safety systems and trying to hoon around will have you still encountering the electronic nanny, which uses the braking system to try to control the car at the rear wheels and keeps any small slides at bay, although if you were ham-fisted enough you could get the car swinging its tail around. The car instills a lot of confidence in the driver with its direct steering, so much so that one almost feels as though the front of the car is an extension of one’s arms, although the initial understeer at a hard turn in can be a little disconcerting.

While the ‘M Sport’ 135i Coupe doesn’t have what it takes to be a true M car, BMW has achieved what it set out to create – a small sporty coupe with excellent performance and foolproof handling. When you consider it’s only half a second slower than an M3 to 60mph the 1-series makes an excellent value. Enthusiasts might be slightly disappointed by the lack of rawness, but only the most demanding of track-day oriented buyers could be disappointed with the performance of the car. And they’d be better off with an Ariel Atom or KTM X-Bow anyway.