2012 BMW 1 Series Spied!

Ah, we love seeing pictures of prototypes with their wild white and black wraps. Although we barely have a clue on what the final production model will look like from these famous spy shots, it does look like the new 1 series 5-door will stay true to the original that debuted in Europe back in 2004. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is up to the consumer.

The new 1 series will come out as a 5-door hatchback first with a 3-door following sometime after that. It is rumored that this 1-series will improve on the not-so-roomy back seat of the model and will have a longer wheelbase and wider track. Although these bodystyles have not been available in the States, there’s a strong possibility they will jump the pond to rival the new Audi A3. The new 1 series will keep its RWD layout and its 4.0 liter four-cylinder engine, with later versions appearing in the 140-180 hp range. A turbo and diesel in the 300 hp range will also be released. An engine stop-start system, an electrical-regenerative system, and the new EfficientDynamics technologies will more than likely appear in this new model as well.

The new BMW 1 series is expected to launch in the second quarter of 2011. Expect prices to be in the same range as the current 1 series models which start at $29,150.