MarkCup's BMW M140i

[Ex-User (19928)]

I’d say you’re both making the right point. Focus RS is fine for the road IMO (don’t have kids and I’m a 9/10 hooligan I’d say..). Perfectly acceptable compromise for the performance over a Focus ST for example. It’s just the BMW (once you’ve fit the diff) is even more of a hooligan, with more performance and more comfort. The M140is embarrass a lot of cars for the money IMO.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Just a shame about the styling of the BMW, although that is very subjective of course. The practicalities don't help it either I guess, as it has always been behind the FWD-based stuff in terms of interior space etc.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

I think it’s pretty good looking but then I think I’m in the minority there. There’s a facelift (ie, looks like a 140) 5 door M135i in silver (quite a rare colour on that car and you can’t get it on the M140i) near my gfs parents house and I want to leave a note on it offering to buy it. Looks epic.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Looks is the endlessly debatable topic I guess. I've never been a huge 1-Series fan, so I'm probably not the best person to ask. That being said, my friend has an 07 130I M-Sport and I do have a bit of a soft spot for that for some reason. The leg room is comically bad though.

 

[c4pob]

I guess, but being bounced around like a brick in a washing machine is only fun for so long. Especially if you’re not really gaining anything from it.

As a driver it was absolutely fine. As a passenger it was not. I was quite rural when I had it and whilst it was an exceptional B Road machine, it was only ok when not “pressing on”. I will add though, I didn’t find it crashy, just very firm.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

As a driver it was absolutely fine. As a passenger it was not. I was quite rural when I had it and whilst it was an exceptional B Road machine, it was only ok when not “pressing on”. I will add though, I didn’t find it crashy, just very firm.

It does seem a bit of a thing with Fords. When I had my Golf R, a friend had a MK3 Focus ST and the ride in the Focus wasn't quite so well resolved. It was ok most of the time, but when cruising on dual carriageways, it did feel a little fidgety compared to the Golf. You could say the same about R.S. Meganes though; they're mega firm compared to most other hot hatches.

 

[McGherkin]

I will point out that I was exaggerating slightly, it's not ridiculously bad but it is firmer than it needs to be IMO.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

I do wonder if it's what the market demands. Even a lot of M-Sport BMWs and S-Line Audis feel stupidly firm for what are, essentially, cooking model cars. People associate hard ride with high performance, so I think it is intentional to some extent. That and the fact that roads in the UK are shocking, which exaggerates it compared to places like Germany.

 

[McGherkin]

People associate hard ride with high performance

It's this, completely. They know that if they don't make it hard they'll get lambasted for making a 'roly poly loose mess', so they all do. And because they keep out-harding each other, it's a race to the bottom with the end result being a complete lack of suspension.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

I don't know if I like the sound of "out-harding" people...

It's definitely a factor though, without a doubt. The big wheel thing plays a part too. We've gone from having big, chunky sidewalls 20 years ago, to having rubber band tyres on most stuff now.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Its also because growing up, all the Ford boys fitted Spax suspension and/or cut springs to their Fiestas, so when they eventually trade up to a Focus RS, they also expect the ride to be hard as f*ck. If they're my age, they are also used to their RS Turbo or CVH XR3i sh1tting itself and blue smoking all that follow, hence the HG failures on the FRS ... its just like when we were young

 

[JB21]

Not sure manufacturers are trying to 'out harden' each other. Surly it's just a case of not getting the damper/spring rates right for the UK roads.

Are they even long term testing these cars on shitty UK roads before release? Or maybe the majority are tested on the Continent with smooth roads?

It seems with modern performance Fords they are getting it wrong, cant really comment though as I've never driven one.

Previous generation fast fords had great ride quality like the Focus ST mk1, Focus RS mk1 and 2, Puma, Mondeo ST200 & ST220 etc.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Ford have a section of track at Lommel that is supposed to simulate British roads apparently.

I think it's a combination of things in reality. Stylists demanding big wheels, the difficulty of finding a set-up for all markets, packaging, customer perception of "sporty". It goes on and on. They'll never please everyone.

 

[davo172]

...and for the first time this morning I genuinely sh*t my pants.

Accelerating onto a dual carriageway, 4th gear, 60 mph-ish, over a little bump/crest, and then SNAP, I'm looking at the verge. F*** me. I gathered it up, wasn't very graceful, tried my best to make it look like, you know, I intended to do that bro'.

I've learned from it...but still, phew, cloth was touched.

🤣🤣

 

[497adam]

How are the Khumo’s? Interested as looking to take the Mrs’ 330d off runflats


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[David Stuart]

Interested in your go pro 7 black setting.

I’ve only used mine a couple of times. Ended up with a good quality pic but the hypersmooth is really annoying when it floats going around corners.


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[MarkCup]

How are the Khumo’s? Interested as looking to take the Mrs’ 330d off runflats

Too early to say really, they seem to have plenty of wet grip on the road but at Goodwood, which was wet and greasy, they had nothing.

It's been a long time since I've had a wet trackday though so I've no real comparison.

Interested in your go pro 7 black setting.

I’ve only used mine a couple of times. Ended up with a good quality pic but the hypersmooth is really annoying when it floats going around corners.

Where do you have it mounted? I have mine on the headrest strut mount and it deals with the seat movements well.

If you have it rigidly fixed i.e. suction, and forward facing out of the windscreen, turn stabilisation off or else it does that wandering thing. The headrest is the only camera position that I use with hypersmooth, all others and it's off.

 

[David Stuart]

Too early to say really, they seem to have plenty of wet grip on the road but at Goodwood, which was wet and greasy, they had nothing.

It's been a long time since I've had a wet trackday though so I've no real comparison.



Where do you have it mounted? I have mine on the headrest strut mount and it deals with the seat movements well.

If you have it rigidly fixed i.e. suction, and forward facing out of the windscreen, turn stabilisation off or else it does that wandering thing. The headrest is the only camera position that I use with hypersmooth, all others and it's off.

I have it mounted off the top of the roll cage so in a similar position to you. It might just be a touch further forward.


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[MarkCup]

...and...



Not much to see, tip-toeing mostly, there was so little grip!

I'm please with the production...that's the first time I've ever shot 4k at 60fps and apart from locking the auto exposure through the windscreen in error, I think it's come out well. I still have some work to do on the audio though.

 

[MarkCup]

I have it mounted off the top of the roll cage so in a similar position to you. It might just be a touch further forward.


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So it's rigidly mounted...turn off stabilisation and see how that works out. I think that'll fix it for you.

 

[Mk1T]

Mark, have you ever tried uniroyal rainsports before?

The sidewalls will be a bit softer than what you are used too, but I would have thought a set for winter would be very decent on this!

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[MLB]

Hi Mark, you mentioned the PS4 in your video but have you considered the Goodyear Eagle F1SS as well or was the choice for the kumho's purely a budget consideration to see if they were any good?

Fully fitted the F1SS come in just under 450, not that much of a price difference.

 

[MarkCup]

Hi Mark, you mentioned the PS4 in your video but have you considered the Goodyear Eagle F1SS as well or was the choice for the kumho's purely a budget consideration to see if they were any good?

Fully fitted the F1SS come in just under 450, not that much of a price difference.

I haven't but I know someone who has and he rates them highly. It's not that the Kumhos were a budget option for me, it's that they were so good on Reg's car that I just had to give them a try.

That they come in £50-£100 less than other more premium brands is a bonus. Well, it is if a) they have decent dry grip and good on limit behaviour and b) they last a decent mileage.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

I felt nervous for you Mark!

Don’t know if the feedback somehow came through the video or I was just sensing your trepidation?

PS4 back on after you’ve turned those into smoke? Your wheels should fit my car if you fancy a laugh 😝

 

[MLB]

I haven't but I know someone who has and he rates them highly. It's not that the Kumhos were a budget option for me, it's that they were so good on Reg's car that I just had to give them a try.

That they come in £50-£100 less than other more premium brands is a bonus. Well, it is if a) they have decent dry grip and good on limit behaviour and b) they last a decent mileage.

Ah you did mention that, I'm interested to see how they perform and wear as it may be an option for my next set instead of the F1SS. Keep those videos coming!

 

[MarkCup]

I felt nervous for you Mark!

Don’t know if the feedback somehow came through the video or I was just sensing your trepidation?

PS4 back on after you’ve turned those into smoke? Your wheels should fit my car if you fancy a laugh 😝

Yeah, very nervous, just trying to get a feel for what I had to work with grip wise, and it wasn't much! I dropped some pressure from the tyres for the following sessions and that helped a fair bit.

 

[Sir_Dave]

trying to get a feel for what I had to work with grip wise

Would probably help if the F2*'s steering wheel wasnt connected to a 3 wheeled Vauxhall Astra in another county
The car/you felt really nervous though, although difficult to tell whether it was the new tyres (clearly not that great in the wet), or because the track was just drenched. Sod driving DSC off in those conditions though, id have just turned it back on and let the car help me out a bit lol. 1er's are snappy at the best of times!!

Awaits the youtube comments "deffo need motech stance springs m8,", "spaceorz help with understeer, wider front end like the RS3 innit", "car would handle far better with bootmod3 and 430bhp" and "should have kept your Focus RS m9, Chantelle can drive drive quicker than that round our council estate"

 

[MarkCup]

Would probably help if the F2*'s steering wheel wasnt connected to a 3 wheeled Vauxhall Astra in another county
The car/you felt really nervous though, although difficult to tell whether it was the new tyres (clearly not that great in the wet), or because the track was just drenched. Sod driving DSC off in those conditions though, id have just turned it back on and let the car help me out a bit lol. 1er's are snappy at the best of times!!

Awaits the youtube comments "deffo need motech stance springs m8,", "spaceorz help with understeer, wider front end like the RS3 innit", "car would handle far better with bootmod3 and 430bhp" and "should have kept your Focus RS m9, Chantelle can drive drive quicker than that round our council estate"

Watching it back I did laugh that my first sense of the car just slightly understeering, was that I could hear it, not FEEL it! I concede that the steering could do with a bit more feedback.

I was really nervous...later sessions were run with some safety systems on, although not intentionally...and that's another story entirely. It did help massively with pace and confidence though.

I say that not knowing how any of the session's lap times compare though, that'll follow at some point. By the end of the day I think I was pushing it a whole load more and there was a slight improvement in track conditions.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Would probably help if the F2*'s steering wheel wasnt connected to a 3 wheeled Vauxhall Astra in another county
The car/you felt really nervous though, although difficult to tell whether it was the new tyres (clearly not that great in the wet), or because the track was just drenched. Sod driving DSC off in those conditions though, id have just turned it back on and let the car help me out a bit lol. 1er's are snappy at the best of times!!

Pussayyyyy

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Watching it back I did laugh that my first sense of the car just slightly understeering, was that I could hear it, not FEEL it! I concede that the steering could do with a bit more feedback.

Sadly, that seems to be the case with almost everything now. Steering feel is becoming an extremely rare commodity!

 

[MarkCup]

I started to gain a bit of confidence in this one, dropping some air out of the tyres really helped...and then it didn't...

 

[MarkCup]

A couple of updates, the first is footage of two randoms I just happened to come across so I edited it into something, the second is boring AF.

 

[McGherkin]

Interesting that the Kumhos seem to talk more. TBH I'm so used to the PS4s I'd just take the extra wet grip but it's nice to know there's other options.

Also how dare you go doing mad skidz on the public road.

 

[Rojer]

@MarkCup Apart from the engine difference, is there much to separate the 135i and 140i?

 

[MarkCup]

Interesting that the Kumhos seem to talk more. TBH I'm so used to the PS4s I'd just take the extra wet grip but it's nice to know there's other options.

Also how dare you go doing mad skidz on the public road.

I can't say the Kumhos talk more...as said it's difficult to compare directly on track unless I drove back to back in the same conditions. They do talk though, very clearly...whenever I want a little slip I'm always able to just step slightly beyond so when it goes, it's nice and controllable.

@MarkCup Apart from the engine difference, is there much to separate the 135i and 140i?

I think they're nigh on identical...as far as I'm aware it's just the facelift body styling, later facelifted interior, and engines that differ between all of them.

 

[celicaturbolly]

Want some clutch kick action, I can't do it in mine

 

[MarkCup]

Want some clutch kick action, I can't do it in mine

That one's going to take some planning if I'm going to keep the do-gooders at bay

For now, videowise, here endeth the year for me...

 

[Rojer]

Nice video, some good information. I wonder what it would be like with the auto box.

 

[MarkCup]

Nice video, some good information. I wonder what it would be like with the auto box.

With the loooong overdrive-like 8th gear it'll be more economical for sure...I'd imagine the trip computer would read just as accurately though.

 

[MarkCup]

It's not been cleaned since just before my trackday back in November and looks better for it I think.

And, yer, these Kumhos are showing signs of accelerated wear at the back for some reason...