BMW has not wasted any time showing off the optional M Performance parts it plans to offer for the all-new 2020 1 Series hatchback. The all-new, front- or all-wheel-drive model has just debuted, but BMW has already showed off what it can look all decked out with official sporty bits and there’s certainly an air of boy racer about it. It actually looks like a traditional hot hatch with all of them fitted.

2020 BMW 1 Series with M Performance Parts

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2020 BMW 1 Series with M Performance Parts
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 306 @ 6250
  • Torque: 331 @ 5000
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

2020 BMW 1 Series M Performance Parts

Some of the parts are purely cosmetic, while others do improve performance. Most are from the former category and include what BMW calls “aerodynamic and exterior components.” They were all supposedly tested in the wind tunnel. The manufacturer doesn’t mention any performance advantage of these parts, though, simply stating that they “underscore the car’s sporty appearance while at the same time highlighting the lines of the body.”

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This bit of trim really pops, and I’m not sure that it does so for the right reasons. There’s nothing wrong with the sporty side skirts underneath, but this particular trim you might want to omit specifying as it’s a bit too visually overpowering for the car’s side.

It’s not like the rest of the exterior parts aren’t noticeable; your eye immediately goes to M Performance front splitter, the rear spoiler and the flicks on the front bumper that are finished in gloss black. BMW does offer actual carbon fiber components too - the mirror caps and the rear diffuser in this case. A unique M Performance grille is offered, also finished in gloss black to go along with the rest of the pack.

These do improve stopping distance and go well with either of the two optional rim models that are available in 18- 19-inches (the larger rims are shown in the official photos in the gallery).

Moving inside, BMW doesn’t really do all that much here. There are the door projectors/puddle lights that project the M Performance logo (in color) onto the ground when the front doors are open. The main addition, however, is the lovely M Performance steering wheel. It is covered in Alcantara, has actual carbon fiber inserts, and even a top center mark like you see in racing cars - it really helps set the mood inside and add extra sporty flair. The interior M Performance makeover for the new 1 Series is completed by a set of branded textile floor mats.

BMW is smart to offer all of these extra bits right from launch. The company is well aware that the image it has to portray with this car is one of uncompromised sportiness especially since the model has undergone a major drivetrain layout change from one generation to the next. The manufacturer wants to assure future potential buyers (and just fans of the brand in general) that its new 1 Series is properly sporty and what better way to show that off than to dress it up in lots of shiny sporty bits that make it stand out as much as possible.

The automaker doesn’t specifically mention if you can order these M Performance parts for any variant of the 2020 1 Series, but you probably can since it was not stated otherwise. In the attached official photos, they are shown on the top of the range M135i model. It’s common practice for BMW to release a full suite of M Performance parts for its important models, but as is the case with other models in their range, if you fit all the parts on one car, it perhaps pushes things a bit too far; picking and choosing just a few is a far more tasteful route to go down.



Further reading

BMW Opens a New FWD Chapter For Its Smallest Model, The 2020 BMW 1-Series Hatchback

Read our full review on the 2020 BMW 1 Series.

Read our full review on the 2019 BMW 1 Series.