√2011 BMW 123d: owner review

It was my first diesel car, so I gravitated towards performance, and the BMW 123d was one of the fastest available at the time.
Owner: Tony Greco

What we love

In-gear acceleration and handling

What we don’t

Run-flat tyres

It was my first diesel car, so I gravitated towards performance, and the BMW 123d was one of the fastest available at the time.

It had 150kW and 400Nm of torque and could accelerate to 100km/h in 7.1 seconds, yet still capable of returning over 800km out of a 55-litre tank.

The diesels available now would easily outdo these numbers, but at the time it was impressive. The car is programmed to start in second gear, which means you have to use the paddle shifters to override for a quick take-off, otherwise it would be a sluggish build-up of acceleration.

On the positive side, in-gear acceleration and out-of-corner bursts are effortless. Its V8-equivalent torque when the second turbo kicks in turns this sleepy car into a mild beast. It’s one of the few performance cars that can comfortably tow a boat and yet match most hatches through the corners on a hilly road. Not many hot hatches are fitted with tow bars!

I’ve got to say the handling is exceptional with its rear-wheel-drive 50/50 weight split. The diesel clatter is one downside, but it is only heard at idle.

It’s been super reliable other than an expensive battery replacement (diesels need big batteries). The suspension can be a little firm, but this is more to do with having to use run-flat performance tyres, which is something I will avoid on any model in the future. The Boston leather-trimmed interior still looks good 10 years on.

Owner: Tony Greco