New 1-series

[Mike1215]

How long before the 3 Series goes FWD ?? I’ll have a little cry when that happens.

Be interesting to see if Merc followed suit if they did.....plus would Alfa end their brief flirtation with rwd

[Simon]

How long before the 3 Series goes FWD ?? I’ll have a little cry when that happens.

Be interesting to see if Merc followed suit if they did.....plus would Alfa end their brief flirtation with rwd

There's little upside though - for the 1 I believe it was to bring it onto the same platform as the Mini etc? Whereas there isn't another FWD car on the same platform size as the 3 in BMW's stable.

[Sundayjumper]

Whereas there isn't another FWD car on the same platform size as the 3 in BMW's stable.

Yet !

Audi seem to shift plenty of FWD cars, and if the 1 Series is a taste of their future direction, BMW might be aligning themselves with VAG rather than Merc.

Which will make me very sad indeed

[Rich B]

The only real criticism of the 1 series from “normal buyers” was always the rear leg room and boot space. Not too surprising that BMW have decided the way to fix this issue and save money is by sharing platforms with a FWD car in their lineup.

As for the F40 - like all the new BMWs, it would look ok if it wasn’t for the massive kidneys.

[tim]

I don't hate it as much as I thought I might, at least the M135i version - the cooking one looks awful. I don't like the dashboard display - one thing BMW always got bang on was the clean speedo/revcounter design. Big gopping mouth probably less offensive with a dark body colour/shadow edition style.

At least it's AWD. It'll probably drive very well.

I'm going to cuddle my inline 6 now.

[Richard]

Surely most people bought a 1 series for the badge?

This’ll be the same, but with more legroom

Makes sense to build it on the Mini/X1 platform

Will there be a m140i version? The new M135i (302bhp) is already less powerful than the outgoing M140i (335bhp), but I guess that makes sense, numberwise?

[tim]

I read something that the M240i is staying as it is - and if you want that kind of car, that's where BMW expect you to spend your money.

[IanF]

Surely most people bought a 1 series for the badge?

This’ll be the same, but with more legroom

Makes sense to build it on the Mini/X1 platform

Will there be a m140i version? The new M135i (302bhp) is already less powerful than the outgoing M140i (335bhp), but I guess that makes sense, numberwise?

In a previous article, Autocar stated the new M135i is as fast as the latest M140i due AWD etc., and by moving back down the list of numbers, it’s creating a gap for a full fat M-car.

How much of a fit would there be on the internet if they called it the M1!?

[JonMad]

Interesting they've given it an LSD (on the front).

[PaulJ]

I read something that the M240i is staying as it is - and if you want that kind of car, that's where BMW expect you to spend your money.

I hope this is true as I feel I could mature into one of these one day...

[integrale_evo]

Interesting they've given it an LSD (on the front).

Proof that they expect it to stay in fwd mode most of the time I expect

[Mito Man]

Look at the gap between the front wheel and the door. RIP long bonnet. RIP straight 6.

[integrale_evo]

Which is exactly why they've switched to transverse four parpers. Why leave all that wasted room on every model for an engine configuration only a handful of people bought?

[ZedLeg]

May be they have a transverse 6 clanger, it’s hard to tell how wide the car is in that picture .

[Mito Man]

So I’m guessing it no longer has 50/50 weight distribution either. Or was that never the case with the 1?

[Rich B]

It’s the front overhang that offends me more. BMWs have always had short front overhangs and long rear.

[integrale_evo]

The 118i has 2bhp less and 30lb/ft more than my 20 year old 318ti compact.

It's as if we have become gods

[Ascender]

Utterly derivative design. Which is a shame, because the 1 was an absolute dogs dinner when it first came out but matured in to a cracking looking car which really had its own identity - whether it was the range topper or the poverty spec ones. And now it just looks like any other hatchback, even down to using some of the currently-in-vogue styling cues that every other one uses.

[Mito Man]

Well the good thing is that being a cheaper platform it should be a few grand cheaper than it’s predecessor allowing more people to have access to SHEER DRIVING PLEASURE. Oh. Hang on, nope, looks like it’s purely designed to increase profit margins...

[Brannen]

I saw this video on it yesterday. The guy tries to sell FWD as a benefit... At one point he said it's cheaper to produce, but won't be cheaper to buy.



As someone who has a 1 series currently, I don't think I'll have another now. I know it's probably more the vocal minority, but on their Instagram / Twitter etc, all the comments underneath don't seem to be that positive.