BMW 128ti set to fight Golf GTI for hot hatch title

The Volkswagen Golf GTI, Ford Focus ST and updated Hyundai i30 N will have fresh competition early in 2021 when the new BMW 128ti hits the market.

Confirmed for release in Australia in the first quarter of next year, the BMW 128ti was previewed last month but fresh images of a lightly disguised prototype and further details of the new hot hatch were released overnight.

The new images fully exhibit the sportier styling the 128ti will possess, including its front red winglets, side skirts, brake callipers and decals that can be finished in black or red.

Created to sit below the all-wheel drive M135i xDrive, the 128ti is strictly front-drive and weighs a useful 80kg lighter as a result.

The first modern-era BMW to wear the famous 'ti' badge, the 128ti uses the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the BMW M135i, but with power and torque backed off to 195kW and 400Nm.

Despite having less power, the sporty BMW hatch can still hit 100km/h from standstill in just 6.1 seconds – that's 1.3sec slower than the flagship M135i, but a useful 0.2sec quicker than the latest Golf GTI. Top speed is 250km/h.

Unlike the small Volkswagen GTI that helped create the hot hatch genre, the BMW only comes equipped with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, but does get a mechanical Torsen limited-slip differential that aids traction.

As standard, the 128ti comes with a special M Sport suspension tune that sees the small BMW hot hatch ride 10mm lower than the standard car, sitting on stiffer springs that get more reactive dampers and thicker anti-roll bars.

Braking, meanwhile, is lifted straight from the M135i and sees the 128ti get large front 360mm discs and powerful four-piston callipers. At the rear it uses 300mm discs with floating calipers.

To enhance the sporty ambience within the cabin, engineers have used 'internal exhaust amplification' that pipes in some of the deep burble.

The BMW 128ti gets 18-inch alloy wheels, but larger 19s are optional. Speaking of which, BMW M Sport will also offer buyers a front splitter, rear spoiler and a carbon-fibre rear diffuser and mirror caps.

Inside, there's lots of red accents and rouge stitching used on the Alcantara sport seats, armrests, instrument panel and floor mats.

There is an 8.0-inch central infotainment system that can be upgraded to a pair of 10.25-inch displays, and a large 9.2-inch head-up display is also included.

Pricing is not set for Europe yet, but in the UK market the 128ti is thought to be priced at around £32,000 ($A58,000). To be competitive Down Under the BMW 128ti should be priced at around the same $45,000 (plus on-road costs) mark as the Ford Focus ST.