2015 BMW M135i revealed

According to Khabar Khodro, images of the 2015 BMW M135i have been released, revealing the updated styling of the Bavarian brand’s flagship hot-hatch.

BMW announced the specifications of its upgraded 1 Series range earlier this month but has kept images of the M135i under wraps until now.

As with the rest of the 2015 BMW 1 Series range, the M135i trades the old car’s droopy headlights for thinner, squarer lamps, a new flatter grille with chrome slats, a revised front bumper, new L-shaped LED tail-lights, reshaped tailgate, and a tweaked diffuser with new reflector strips.

Under the bonnet, the M135i now matches its M235i coupe and convertible siblings, producing 240kW and 450Nm from its turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six petrol engine.

The subtle power bump has no effect on the hot-hatch’s 0-100km/h acceleration ability, with the six-speed manual model rated at 5.1 seconds and the eight-speed automatic at 4.9sec.

Full Australian specifications and prices will be revealed closer to the local launch of the 2015 BMW 1 Series, which is scheduled for July.