BMW has sold more than 1.3 million units of 1 Series so far; the model is especially popular in Europe. Which is why its third generation has received a lot more attention.
The new 1 Series sits on a new front-wheel-drive architecture, which has made the car 5 mm shorter than its predecessor at 4,319 mm. The width is up by 34 mm and now measures 1,799 mm, and the height now measures 1,434 mm (up by 13 mm). At 2,670 mm, the wheelbase is 20 mm shorter than that of the second generation model. However, BMW promises more space on the inside, thanks to the aforementioned new architecture.
M35i xDrive
The new face features a larger kidney grille which now merges in the middle; the traditional grille bars are replaced by 3D mesh design which apparently was inspired by racing cars. The headlamps are now angled in design, and there’s an option of adaptive full-LEDs.
M35i xDrive
Two sharp creases on the side profile add character, while a rising beltline culminates in the C-pillar forming a Hofmeister kink. The light-alloy wheels for the new 1 Series starts from 16-inch in diameter and there’s also an option of 19-inch for the first time.
Buyers can also go for full-LED tail lamps which feature “L” design element. Rounding off the rear looks are tailpipes with a diameter of 90 mm (100 mm for M35i).
M35i xDrive gets M Sport steering
The fresh interiors can be specced with BMW Live Cockpit Professional which is a combination of two 10.25-inch displays, where the centre touch display is angled towards the driver. More options include 9.2-inch Head-Up display, panoramic roof, backlit trim strips (3 different designs and 6 switchable colours), and Wireless Charging for smartphones.
The Luxury Line gets satin aluminum accents and seat upholstery in Dakota leather; the Sport Line with Black accents, window graphic in BMW Individual high-gloss finish, and sports seats; the M Sport model with satin aluminum accents, front apron with specially shaped air intakes, and BMW M rear apron in high-gloss Black.
118i Sport Line
According to BMW, the new 1 Series is much roomier than its predecessor, especially in the rear compartment. The knee room is up by 33 mm and there is 19 mm extra headroom if the outward-opening sliding panoramic sunroof is specified. Rear passengers also get 13 mm more elbow room, while the driver and front passenger can look forward to an extra 42 mm of the same.
M35i xDrive
As for luggage capacity, the new 1 Series offers 380 litres (up by 20 mm), which can be expanded to 1,200 litres with the rear seats folded down. In addition, the minimum width of the boot has been increased by 67 mm, and electric tailgate operation is offered on the 1 Series for the first time.
Safety and Assistance
Safety and assistance systems include collision and pedestrian warning with city braking function, and Lane Departure Warning system with active lane return. Options include Active Cruise Control – usable up to 160 km/h – on cars with automatic transmission and Stop & Go function – plus the Driving Assistant, which comprises of Lane Change Warning system, rear collision warning and crossing traffic warning.
More options include Park Distance Control (PDC), rear view camera or Parking Assistant. The latter enables automatic assisted parking in spaces that are either parallel or perpendicular to the road, as well as automatic maneuvering out of parallel parking spaces. Celebrating its premiere in the premium compact class is the reversing assistant, which stores the steering movements of the car that has just driven forward at no more than 36 km/h. The system is then able to steer the vehicle in reverse – for distances of up to 50 metres at up to 9 km/h – along exactly the same line it took when moving forward.
More Options
For those who want to spend more, BMW is offering BMW Digital Key (smartphone) and BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant which can be activated by saying “Hey BMW”.
M35i xDrive
At launch, there’ll be 116d (1.5L), 118d (2.0L), 120d xDrive (2.0L), 118i (1.5L), and M135i xDrive (2.0L) variants. Three diesel engines and two petrol units are available, all turbocharged, with power outputs ranging from 85 kW (115 hp) in the 116d to 225 kW (306 hp) in the M135i xDrive. The M135i xDrive is claimed to dispatch 0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds (4.7 seconds with M Performance package, available from 11/2019) on the way to a limited top speed of 250 km/h.
The 116d, 118d, and 118i come as standard with the 6-speed manual gearbox, while the 7-speed dual-clutch Steptronic transmission can be specified for the 116d and 118i. The 8-speed Steptronic transmission is available as an option for the 118d and is standard on the 120d xDrive. The M135i xDrive gets 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission. Intelligent connectivity allows both automatic transmissions to adapt their shift strategy to the route and traffic situation.
Standard specification for the M135i xDrive also includes a newly developed mechanical Torsen limited-slip differential, giving the car a sportier edge by creating a locking effect between the front wheels. It is integrated into the 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission and also features a Launch Control mode which apparently puts the full peak torque of 450 Nm on tap in first and second gear. The M Sport steering and M Sport brakes are also available as optional extras for other 1 Series models.
M35i xDrive
ARB
There is also something called ARB (actuator contiguous wheel slip limitation) technology which according to the company, allows wheel slip to be controlled much more sensitively and swiftly than before. ARB uses a slip controller that is positioned directly in the engine control unit rather than in the control unit for the DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) system. Eliminating the long signal paths means that the information is relayed three times quicker, while the driver perceives wheel slip being brought under control up to 10 times faster, the company said. ARB works in close tandem with the DSC system to bring about a clear reduction in the power understeer normally experienced in front-wheel-drive cars. The ARB technology is assisted by BMW Performance Control (yaw moment distribution). This feature also included as standard on the 1 Series, gives it more agile handling by applying the brakes as required at the wheels on the inside of a bend before the slip threshold has been reached. The result is neutral steering behavior, BMW said.
Besides the M Sport suspension with a 10 mm reduction in ride height, the new 1 Series can also be specified with the Adaptive suspension with VDC (Variable Damper Control). This particular variant lets the driver choose from two different damper response settings – Comfort or Sport.
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