Sneak Peek: 2012 BMW 1 Series
THE new 1 Series five-door has a mean, aggressive face, a pair of bulging one-piece headlamps and an enormous twin-kidney grille.
WHAT IT IS:
BMW’S Compact hatchback, the German brand’s smallest and cheekiest car among its current offerings. As the 3 Series has grown bigger and more luxurious, slanting closer to the executive-sized 5 Series, it leaves a gap open for a car that harks back to the brand’s roots in producing a compact car that’s also a precision driving machine. Enter the 1 Series, now in its second generation.
DESIGN:
The new 1 Series five-door has a mean, aggressive face, accentuated by a pair of bulging one-piece headlamps and an enormous twin-kidney grille. Thanks to the front engine, rear-wheel drive layout, the car has a cab-rearward stance, with a long hood and cabin set far backward from the front wheels. The car does look bigger, and it is—83 mm longer, 14 mm wider, and 30 mm longer wheelbase.
BMW promises a youthful interior, with trademark center panel angled toward the driver, and layered interior surfaces. There’s 20 mm more legroom for the rear passengers, alleviating the 1 Series’ reputation as the only two-seater, four-door car. Even the luggage space gains 30 liters, with split-folding rear seats capable of expanding capacity to 1200 liters total.
ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION:
We couldn’t quite get BMW Philippines/ACC to send us a self-destruct message containing the new car’s specs since they’re launching the vehicle this week but here’s the deal: there will be a choice of all-new four-cylinder petrol and diesel power. All units feature twin turbos. The 116i and 118i are both powered by 1.6-liter engines, in different states of tune. The 116i delivers 136 hp/220 Nm and is good for a 0-100 km/h time of 8.5 seconds. The 118i ups the power to 170 hp/250 Nm, and acceleration time drops to 7.4 seconds, on to a top speed of 224 km/h. It’s the first time that twin turbos have been applied to BMW’s four-cylinder production engines.
The diesel 120d, the probable choice for the launch vehicle, will have 184 hp and 380 Nm, for a 7.2 second acceleration time, coupled with the high fuel efficiency that BMW’s diesels are known to deliver.
THE new 1 Series five-door has a mean, aggressive face, a pair of bulging one-piece headlamps and an enormous twin-kidney grille.
The car will be available with an eight-speed automatic, the abundance of gears giving better performance and efficiency. Engine Auto Start-Stop will also be a likely standard feature.
SUSPENSION:
The BMW 1’s reportedly perfectly balanced weight distribution is abetted by its sporty suspension. The front struts are made mostly from aluminum. The rear uses a five-link independent setup. Dynamic traction control pairs with an electronically locking rear differential to help maintain traction in corners.
POSITIONING:
The 1 Series may be BMW’s smallest car, but it is not exactly an entry-level model. The 3 Series offers more practicality, while the 1 should offer a rawer and more exciting driving experience with its compact chassis and tight setup. Despite the 1 Series being the brand’s most affordable car, it is replete with all of the brand’s latest technology.
BUILT IN:
BMW’s Regensburg plant, along the twisty roads leading to the Bavarian Forest.
