BMW M140i (F20)

Just 11 of the 600 cars in the Dream Car Garage catalogue combine a turbocharged inline-6 engine, a configuration that places the BMW M140i (F20) in a narrow technical group before any other measurement is considered. For a collector, that distinction matters because the M140i is not defined by chasing the highest numbers in the catalogue. It represents a particular combination that appears in very few cars here: a compact hot hatchback with a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-6 and rear-wheel drive.

That combination sits at the centre of its appeal. The M140i delivers 335 bhp and 500 Nm from its inline-6 engine, sending power through RWD to achieve 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. Within the full 600-car catalogue, its power ranks 475th and its acceleration ranks 442nd, faster than 158 cars. Those positions place it away from the catalogue’s outright performance extremes, but they also highlight that its identity comes from a specific engineering formula rather than a single headline figure.

The same pattern appears across its specification. Only 23 cars in the catalogue pair an inline-6 with RWD, making this layout an uncommon choice among the available cars. Its 250 km/h top speed ranks 414th, reinforcing that this is not a machine built solely around maximum velocity. Instead, the M140i occupies a space where the format of the car is as important as the performance it provides.

The used price of £28,000 places it at rank 529 of 600, making it more expensive than 71 cars in the catalogue. With a cost per bhp of £84, the numbers show a car positioned as a considered acquisition rather than a low-cost route into its performance level.

Originating from Germany, from a manufacturer founded in 1916, the M140i also joins a substantial part of the catalogue, with 197 German cars represented and BMW contributing 48 entries. Its place is more specific than those broader categories suggest. The M140i occupies one of the catalogue’s smaller technical niches, where turbocharged inline-6 power and RWD meet the practicality of a 4/5 seater hatchback.

For a dream garage, this car creates a counterpoint to the catalogue’s extremes. It is not among the highest-powered, fastest, or most expensive choices, yet it sits within a group of just 11 turbocharged inline-6 cars and 23 inline-6 RWD cars. The M140i completes the collection with a rare balance of layout, size and performance, giving the garage a car whose appeal is found in the precision of its place among 600.