BMW 1 Series buyers asked to compromise for adaptive dampers

BMW Australia can offer buyers of the new BMW 1 Series the option of adaptive dampers, but only with 18-inch wheels.

And there are other concessions to be made. Buyers will pay $400 more for the adjustable dampers, they won't be able to specify the dampers for the entry-level BMW 118i, and they'll have to kiss goodbye to the 19-inch alloy wheels fitted to the BMW M135i xDrive as well.

The 19-inch wheels that come with the small car's standard M Sport suspension are incompatible with the adaptive dampers, according to the prestige importer's executives at the local launch of the new F40 generation of BMW 1 Series yesterday.

"Not on the 118i, you can get it on the M135i," replied Product Manager for 1 Series, Prabs Datar, when asked about the adaptive damping option.

"19-inch wheels are standard equipment [for the M135i], so what you're pretty much doing is choosing a no-cost option 18-inch wheel – and then you can choose adaptive dampers with that.

"There is an engineering requirement with the suspension itself. In order to put the adaptive dampers over the standard suspension, with 19-inch wheels it's not possible... it's not physically possible. That's why they have to change the actual suspension to go with the 18-inch wheel. That allows for the adaptive dampers to go on."

Datar advised against owners fitting after-market 19-inch wheels to a new M135i with adaptive dampers fitted.

"It could potentially have some warranty implications, because it's not designed for that purpose," he said, and also revealed that buyers had not shown enough interest in adaptive damping for BMW to offer the M135i with adaptive damping and 18-inch wheels as standard.

Both the BMW 118i and M135i are specified with standard M Sport suspension, lowered 10mm. Adaptable dampers and higher-profile tyres on the 18-inch wheels could result in a softer ride than the standard set-up, without significant detriment to the car's agility and primary safety.

But BMW is being guided by buyer preference for bigger wheels and lower-profile tyres. As a sign of the importer's confidence they've got the numbers right, the first shipment of M135i is already in the country, and not a single vehicle shipped in comes with adaptive dampers and the 18-inch wheels.