The all-new BMW 1 Series will hit Irish roads at the end of the year and we have the first official images.
As well as the new looks, the 1 Series will come with a new range of small capacity turbocharged petrol engines. The TwinPower Turbo engines are all 1.6-litre motors in 138hp guise for the 116i and 172hp for the 118i.
New diesel engines are also part of the 1 Series line-up, so the BMW 116d will now have 118hp, the 118d offers 145hp and the 120d will provide 187bhp. On top of this, there will be a 116d Efficient Dynamics model that will have 99g/km carbon dioxide emissions.
Stop-start will be available with both manual and automatic transmissions, and BMW will be the first to offer an eight-speed auto in this class of car.
BMW has stretched the new 1 Series so it's 85mm longer and 30mm wider than before, but it's no taller. The front and rear tracks have been widened by 51- and 72mm respectively for better handling and stability. Inside, there is 17mm more for shoulder space while the boot of the next 1 Series goes up to 360 litres from the current model's 300-litre space.
The 1 Series has been a huge success for BMW, but the company says it has listened to criticisms and improved the ride quality of the new car. A lot of aluminium is now used in the new car's suspension, which uses a double-joint cross-strut front axle and five-link rear set-up. BMW will offer optional Variable Sports Steering, as well as its Dynamic Traction Control and ConnectedDrive systems.