Having gone into production at the beginning of July, the new BMW 1 Series is reaching more and more dealers across Europe. We ve already seen the F70 generation in Thundernight Metallic but that was a range-topping M135 hot hatch. A new walkaround video gives us a closer look at a lowly 120 with this special paint we typically associate with the Z4 roadster.
Perhaps lowly doesn t perfectly fit this new 1 Series since although it s only a three-cylinder version, it s not completely standard. It carries the M Sport Package Pro that blacks out many exterior elements, including the kidney grille. The wheels aren t standard either since the compact hatchback has the optional 19-inch set.
At least from the front, the car s exterior looks like the Life Cycle Impulse the old “F40” never got. Things change at the back where the taillights derived from those of the X2 give the new 1er a more modern look. Inside, it s completely different. The 1 Series was one of the last models with the old iDrive setup, so BMW fitted its dual-screen setup. The video is a reminder of how much the center console has been simplified after getting rid of the buttons.
One thing that hasn t changed compared to the previous generation is the lack of electrification. BMW still won t sell the 1 Series with a plug-in hybrid setup, let alone as a purely electric model. An i1 (codenamed NB0 ) reportedly won’t be launched until 2028 at the earliest. If you can t wait until then, the smaller MINI Cooper 3-Door ( J01 ) is the next best thing while staying within the BMW Group.
The 1 Series should stick around even after the i1 s arrival. We re hearing the F70 will remain in production until near the end of 2033. Once again, America won t get the hatchback, but the sedan is coming soon. We should see the 2 Series Gran Coupe F74 debut in the coming weeks and go on sale by year s end or early 2025.
Source: crospotter13 / YouTube
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
