When I look at the M135 xDrive on paper, my heart thumps a little bit harder. It’s a compact hatchback with a superheated 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 300bhp and 295lb ft.

Launching as part of an extensive range-wide facelift for the BMW 1-series, the new car (now called the M135) follows broadly the same recipe as before – only with more precision dialled into ...