BMW 123d Coupe M Sport (2008) CAR review

We quite liked the BMW 135i, but the bulk of the 1-series Coupe sales will be diesel. How times change. The 120d boasts 177bhp (to think we thought a 1990s 325i, with 170bhp, was fast) but it’s the range-topper that’s the most interesting.

The 123d, benefiting from BMW’s sequential twin turbo technology already seen on the 535d, boosts this 2.0-litre four to 204bhp. That’s right – 100bhp per litre. That's a pretty exceptional achievement for petrol engines - but for a diesel to crack it is, well, quite something else.

Jeez... this BMW 135i sounds impressive

And there’s more. It has 295lb ft of torque at just 2000rpm - which matches the twin-turbo 135i - but unlike the petrol flagship which likes a bit of a drink, the 123d returns 54.3mpg on the combined cycle. Yes, 54.3mpg. And it emits just 138g/km of CO2. And will still shoot to 62mph in 7.0 seconds and push on to 148mph.

That's a simply remarkable set of stats to sit in the same paragraph as each other. Apparently, BMW’s engineers celebrated by turning the water they were drinking into wine. Lafite Rothschild 1947, no less.