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The BMW 1-Series began its life back in 2004 when the 3-Series was moving up in the world and BMW needed another small family car to serve as an entry model. It started off as a 5-door hatchback, but was introduced as a 2-door coupe, a 3-door hatchback, and a convertible in 2007. The current engine selection consists of a 3.0L I-6 producing 230hp and 200 lb-ft of torque, and a 3.0L twin turbo I-6 producing 300hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. BMW plans to make small car looking cool
 
Taking under consideration the current economical situation and all the regulations regarding CO2 emission you should expect to see car makers heading to small cars. For example BMW plans to modify the current 1-Series so that it will include a city compact, a F.A.S.T. Family Activity Sports Tourer and a Gran Turismo, while a new 2-Series model will be offered in both coupe and cabrio. Next to them the Bavarian company will also develop a Z2 and a M2 model, all of them small, but very cool sports cars. For the next generation 1-Series BMW plans to increase the wheelbase, but also to include a significant number of features that will allow luxury options normally found in high end Premium luxury cars available in the compact class. The model will also include the next generation "Efficient Dynamics" technologies that will make it the most fuel efficient car in it’s segment. The coupe and the cabrio version will no longer be sold as a 1-Series. Instead BMW will launch a new 2-Series model. It will feature a further progressive sporting interpretation with clean design lines. You should expect the new 2-Series to be launched in 2013. The decision to bring a M2 model was helped by the exceptional response to the new 1er M Coupe. According to BMW, the new model will "push the envelope" for small performance cars. But the most impressive model will of course be the Z2 which it is expected to be revealed in late 2013. BMW bringing four models to Frankfurt
BMW is rather busy preparing their lineup for the Frankfurt Motor Show this September. Apparently, they are showing up with no less than four world premiers: the M5, the M3 GTS sedan, the redesigned 1-Series, and the i3. So, if you plan on taking a trip to Germany during that period, you should definitely make a stop in Fankfurt to soak up all of the automotive goodness scheduled to appear. While the first three models in the line-up are no surprise, the i3 will definitely steal the show. Unfortunately, it will not be a production version, but it will give us a good idea for what to expect in 2013. According to BMW, the i3 will be the world’s first volume-produced vehicle with a passenger cell made from carbon. It will feature an electric motor with an output of about 150 HP and a top speed of 100 mph. It is rumored that the i3 will have an autonomy of 160 miles. 2012 BMW 1-Series M Coupe
BMW has just released some new information about the long awaited 1-Series M Coupe, including engine information, release dates, and the toys it will carry. Under the hood will be the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 340 horsepower. That motor will be connected to six-speed manual transmission. There will no automatic option with this vehicle. That motor should be more than enough to haul around the car’s 3,307-pound weight. The M1 will feature a chassis, braking system, and rear differential similar to the M3. In total, that power and these tweaks have made the M1 faster than the E46 M3 around the Nordschleife. UPDATE 03/10/2011: BMW has placed an online configurator for the 1-Series M Coupe, the perfect opportunity to play a bit with the options offered for this amazing car. From this configurator, we were also able to get the pricing on all of the options offered. Hit the jump to check them out in our price section. UPDATE 07/03/2011: BMW has released a video of the 1M Coupe performing an arc drift on top of the U.S. Bank Tower. This tower stands 1,018 feet tall and is considered as the tallest building in the world with a helipad on it. Check out the video by clicking on the image above! UPDATE 12/02/2011: Finally, someone is driving the BMW 1-Series M Coupe the way it is suppose to be driven. The only bad news is that all the action takes place in a parking mall and not at a major driving event, but it’s still a start. Hit the jump for the video! UPDATE 02/13/12: BMW has released a new commercial for the 1-Series M Coupe, showing just how perfectly balanced the car is and offering no compromises in the way the car is built. And to prove that there’s substance behind those words, BMW has come up with a way to show everyone just how "perfectly balanced" the 1-Series M Coupe really is. Check out the commercial after the jump! Hit the jump to read more about the new BMW 1-Series M Coupe. Full story 2012 BMW 1-Series F20 Preview
BMW is set to unveil the new generation 1-Series codenamed F20 in just a few months, so it is only natural that they release a few teaser images before that time. The first teaser image has already been revealed on the site, www.2originals.com, but it doesn’t reveal much of what the new hatchback will bring to the table. Thankfully, we already know a little bit about the new 1-Series. The 2012 MY hatchback will be offered as a five-door first and will then be followed with other variants for the next year after that. Spy shots revealed that the new 1-Series will be built on a longer wheelbase and wider track than the current model, and that it will also be offered with new engines and improved technologies. These are the only details BMW has allowed us to gather at the moment, but we should have more for you when the car makes its world debut in September at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. 2011 BMW 1-Series M Coupe Safety Car
BMW will once again serve as the Safety Car for MotoGP events, but this time, the X6M was shown the door while the new 1-Series M Coupe was dressed up to play the part. The BMW Safety Car is a one-off model built especially for this race series, with only the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 340 horsepower and drivetrain being kept from the original model. The goal for the transformation of the car was weight loss. The M Coupe Safety Car received a carbon fiber reinforced bonnet with additional large air vents and polycarbonate side and rear windows. A lightweight titanium race exhaust system was also used to reduce the car’s overall weight. On the boot lid, there is an adjustable rear wing to provide the requisite downforce, while the aerodynamically honed front apron features an additional splitter integrated on the underside of the apron. For the BMW 1-Series M Coupe to fully cope with the track life, it received a high performance suspension system with an adjustable race track set-up, a sport tuned chassis, and special 19" wheels with tires measuring 255/35 at the front and 285/30 at the rear. The original brakes from the 1-Series have also been replaced by a six-piston fixed-caliper racing brake system. The interior has also been adapted for the race series. A rollover cage was bolted behind the B-pillar and new front racing bucket seats were put in as standard with 6-point safety belts. The M steering wheels has also been modified with Alcantara dressing. Additional weight was shed with the removal of the rear seats. TopSpeed Rendering: 2013 BMW 1-Series Hatch
It looks like BMW is getting closer to revealing a new model for the 1-series lineup. With an all new 1-series coming out soon, the car will be making some major changes in terms of style and luxury. Spy photos showing the new 1-series hatch have been more and more revealing as the company removes pieces of its camouflage. This new rendering was largely inspired by the new headlights that first appeared on the 5-series, moved on to the 6-series, and will soon make its way to the new 3-series. The 1-series has quickly become an important part of the American market for BMW and will continue to do so in their business plans. Expanding the lineup to offer more luxurious and capable vehicles is the next logical step. BMW should be weary of making the 1-series too luxurious and capable though; this could interfere with the best selling model in the lineup the 3-series, and hurt sales overall because the entry level market would be saturated with choices. BMW has initiated several cost cutting strategies for the new 1-series and those include increased sharing with partner MINI. The new Mini, which will debut around the same time, will share much of the underpinnings and structure with the new BMW. As the anticipated launch date of 2013 grows closer we expect to see more pictures of different variants and begin to learn more details about each. For now we now the 3-door and 5-door hatch will only be available in Europe. Hit the jump for more details on the BMW 1-Series Hatch . Full story2011 BMW 1-Series Facebook Special Edition
The world has fallen in love with the ease of the social network, and now even automakers are turning to the popular form of communication to direct their next vehicle design. We’ve already heard about the 911 GT3 R Hybrid Facebook Edition that Porsche unveiled once they reached their 1,000,000th fan on Facebook, but now BMW is one-upping their German auto brother by using the site to create a special edition 1-Series. The new 1-Series special edition will be designed by young BMW designers and will take on whatever look is chosen by BMW fans. BMW has provided 16 combinations to choose from on their Facebook page, and the winner will make it to production with the help of 3M wrap specialists who will don the special design on the car. As for the more mechanical aspect of the Beamer, the special edition 1-series will receive the same two 4-cylinder diesel engines with 122 or 143 HP, as well as a 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine with 230 HP option. The 135i model has a twin-scroll turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine that delivers a total of 300 HP and 300 lbs-ft of torque. It’s kind of cool that BMW is entrusting its fans with this type of makeover for their small family car. The only thing we have a problem with is that the special edition 1-series will only be available on the Italian market. Who dropped the ball on that decision? 2012 BMW ActiveE Electric Vehicle
At this point, any automaker that is not working on an electric vehicle may as well either close their doors or desperately grasp onto the bandwagon as soon as possible. Eventually, all vehicles will be ceasing their use of fuel and BMW is one of the automakers that is embracing that fact wholeheartedly. The German automaker revealed their 2010 BMW ActiveE Concept at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show and the production model is set and ready to go. Interestingly enough, BMW is not going to throw the production versions out on the streets just yet. Not traditionally anyway. The ActiveE Electric Vehicle will first be available for lease in select markets beginning in Fall 2011, following the same test fleet plan as did the Mini E. BMW will set out a test fleet of over 1000 ActiveE models in the US, Europe, and China markets. The feedback from customers testing the MINI E and the BMW ActiveE will be fed directly into series production of the MCV, which the BMW Group will be launching under a new sub-brand in 2013. Powered by an electric motor, the ActiveE develops a total of 170 HP and 183 lb-ft of torque and will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in less than 9 seconds. The electric motor will take its power from newly developed lithium-ion batteries facilitating a vehicle range of around 100 miles in everyday driving. Hit the jump to read more about the 2012 BMW ActiveE Electric Vehicle. Full story Video: Chinese inventor controls full size BMW 1-Series with a Nokia C7
Let’s just say that you’re in need of someone that can literally create something out of nothing. You’re not going to find anybody better than this genius Chinese dude named An Jiaxuan. You know how the term ‘inventor’ has been thrown around these days like it doesn’t mean something? Well, thank goodness for this man. An Jiaxuan does justice to that title because he’s a pretty darn good one. Together with his buddy, An Jiaxuan can create just about anything with his hands, including a software that allows him to electronically control a BMW 1-Series from his Nokia C7 smartphone. We’re not talking about those little R/C cars you buy at Toys ‘R Us. We’re actually talking about a real, life-sized 1-Series. This video is a definite must-watch, one that leads you to think how a dude like An Jiaxuan isn’t employed by an automaker that can definitely use his technological wizardry. We’ll be honest; a side of us wants to be apprehensive about this whole deal because it’s just too good to be true. But if this is indeed legit, which we sincerely hope it is, then this is about the coolest thing we’ve ever seen. 2013 BMW 1-Series M Coupe GTS/CSL
Days before the official debut of the BMW 1-Series M Coupe BMW is already planning on future versions of the vehicle. A 1-Series M Convertible may be in the works, as is a special edition version referenced by a BMW source as the "GTS/CSL". Back in 1975, BMW built a special 3.0 CSL homologated for the European Touring Car Championship. The car was a star during the season winning almost all that it was to be won. Apparently this is the car that will inspire the future special edition 1-Series M Coupe in terms of its exterior design and graphics. A BMW insider told JonSibal: "Anything is possible, we have ideas and the creativity to expand. In the end it all comes down to the reception of the car. 1M is more personal than any other M car. It has to be more upfront with the customer because it is developed entirely for the customer who want something pure." UPDATE 01/16/11: Jon Sibal’s rendering of the BMW 1M was so widely received in the industry that a number of company’s are pooling their resources together to build a special edition one-off project based on his work. According to Jon himself, he will be working on the project with Chicago BMW tunner IND Distribution to bring the 1M rendering to life. Joining Jon and IND in their project will be Patrick BMW, ESS Tuning, Brembo, KW suspension, Challenge Engineering, and Eisenmann Exhaust Systems. No word yet on when the build is going to begin, but nonetheless, it’s a car that we’re all looking forward to seeing once it’s finished. Hit the jump to read more about the future BMW 1-Series M Coupe GTS/CSL. Full story | featured reviews: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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