BMW Compact Cars

Back when BMW unveiled the Concept 4, it managed to polarize the whole gearhead community. Then the Bavarians did it again at the 2020 Geneva Online Motor Show, with the Concept i4.

In all fairness, we were already accustomed to the ginormous grille from the Concept 4, so the astonishment was of a lower intensity. But what if BMW launched a concept car that stayed faithful to the good old, normal-size kidney grille?

BMW unveiled thei4 Concept at the 2020 Geneva International Motor Show, well, virtually. It previewed what we can expect from the production-spec i4 that will release some time in 2021.

The concept proved that there is a lot more to the i4 than its polarizing looks. We put it up against the Tesla Model S recently, but how does it fare against Tesla’s best-seller and most likely cheaper Model 3? So, let’s compare them both and see what are the differences between the Tesla Model 3 and BMW i4, and why do those differences matter.

The most powerful BMW M2 money can get you today is the M2 Competition. It uses a 3.0-cylinder, straight-six engine that’s also turbocharged and mated to a six-speed manual transmission (seven-speed DCT optional) that handles 405 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque.

If recent rumors are to be believed, however, the incoming BMW M2 could make considerably more power and sit at the top of a compact M-badged lineup BMW wants to unleash in the future.

While SUVs seem to be killing off sedans and coupes at an alarming rate, BMW is still launching amazing machines like the 2020 M2 CS that you see here. This is probably the last variation of the M2 that we’ll see before the next generation is ushered onto the market, but it’s also the most important one. Powered by BMW’s S55, 3.0-liter, twin-turbo, inline-six, the M2 CS is good for 444 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. With the manual transmission, it can hit 60 mph in 4.0-seconds flat while the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission will quick-shift you to the same benchmark in 3.8 seconds. There is a ton of extra carbon fiber thrown about inside and out, while adaptive M suspension keeps things level, and the dual-branch exhaust emits a tone like you’ve never heard from and M2 before. We’ll have more news coming on the 2020 M2 CS soon, and we’ll be updating our M2 CS speculative review in due time, but for now, you can enjoy the amazing picture gallery we’ve added below!

The 2020 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe M Performance Parts is a factory-customized version of the newly unveiled four-door sedan. Just like any BMW model available, the 2020 2 Series Gran Coupe can be customized with a series of design elements crafted by the M division. While most of these parts are supposed to enhance the car’s looks inside and out, the package also includes some elements that improve performance. Let’s find out more about that in the review below.

BMW has finally taken the wraps off the new 2020 2 Series Gran Coupe. Munich’s response to the Mercedes-Benz CLA will be built in Leipzig, but most importantly, it will also find its way to the U.S. as BMW’s entry-level model, alongside the 2 Series Coupe.The Gran Coupe, however, will be offered in two iterations, both based on an all-wheel-drive layout.

The BMW i3 always stood out from the rest of BMW’s premium lineup. It’s Bimmer’s first-ever fully electric vehicle and six years after it was introduced, the i3 still draws a lot of attention, thanks in large part to its quirky styling, electric powertrain, and a surprisingly spacious interior.

The i3 served a purpose when it was launched in 2013. It was BMW’s first foray into battery electric vehicles and it was intended to gauge customer interest in electric cars without compromising BMW’s mainstream lineup of models. Well, the i3 served its purpose. Like most automakers, BMW is in the midst of a full-on assault on electric vehicles with plans to release 13 EVs by 2023.

Unfortunately, the i3 won’t be part of that future anymore now that BMW announced that it wouldn’t renew the i3 past this current generation. It will still build models for the next few years, but as far as a next-generation model is concerned, that’s no longer happening. So pour a 40 for Bimmer’s quirky little electric ride. It’s had a good run, but like all things in this world, that run will have a finish line.

Something needs to be said before even attempting to tackle the problem of figuring out whether the all-new BMW 1 Series is a peach or a dud: in making it front-wheel drive, BMW has made it less of an enthusiast’s car because in sending power to the front wheels, some of the handling purity has been lost. Also lost is the perfect 50/50 weight distribution that ensured the E87 and F20 were poised, predictable and fun to chuck around.

BMW’s new, third-generation 1 Series, internally known as the F40, marks a big departure for the model because it moves from a rear-wheel-drive architecture to one that’s front-wheel drive. This not only has a big impact on how it drives, but it also means it has a new and different aesthetic vibe.

Whereas the previous-gen F20 1 Series, regardless of body style, betrayed the fact that its engine was mounted longitudinally and that power was sent to the rear wheels, the new F40 clearly has the proportions of a front-wheel-drive car. But it’s not a bad looking car by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I got to see the top tier M135i at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed and even as I approached the BMW stand I was preparing myself for the worst, but when I actually saw the car, all my fears were dispelled.

The fourth-generation BMW 1 Series broke cover for the 2020 model, and it seems that the Munich-based company final has a proper competitor for latest Mercedes-Benz A-Class. But these are the only premium hatchbacks on the market. Germany’s third premium automaker, Audi, offers its very own five-door subcompact, the Audi A3 Sportback.

Unlike the 1 Series and the A-Class, the current A3 Sportback is a bit long in the tooth. Launched back in 2012, it’s already seven years old as of 2019, and it won’t stay around for long. But is it too dated for the new 1 Series? Should we wait until the next-gen hatchback breaks cover for a proper comparison? Not really. Although it’s old enough for modern car life cycles, the A3 Sportback still has what it takes to tackle the BMW 1 Series. Let’s find out how these cars stand next to each other in the comparison below.

The 2019 BMW 1 Series, also known as the F40, is the third-generation version of BMW’s smallest vehicle yet. Launched in 2019, the F40-generation 1 Series is the first of its kind to feature a front-wheel-drive architecture, as BMW ditched the RWD platform it has been using since 2004. Now underpinned by the UKL2 architecture borrowed from Mini, the 1 Series is available with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive.

The F40 1 Series replaces a highly dated model in a market that already includes a highly advanced Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the relatively old Audi A3. BMW has yet to announce whether the new 1 Series is coming to the U.S., but chances are we won’t get this generation either. Let’s find out more about the brand-new BMW 1 Series in the review below.

The difference between the new 2020 BMW 1 Series and its predecessor, the2019 BMW 1 Series, is staggering. These two are like a Leo and Aquarius, chocolate and vanilla, like Apple iOS and Android. They are that different. With a paradigm shift in its architecture and layout, the new 1 Series exited the exciting and different and entered the standard and generic. Luckily, today, "generic" among hatchbacks is really good. So much so that the new 1 Series is probably better compared to the old one in every measurable way.

And worse in every immeasurable way.

I guess consumers today don’t care about that sort of thing - the context, the uniqueness, the distinctiveness. After all, universal laws are for lackeys. Context is for kings!

Just like Capt. Lorca has said! The new 2020 BMW 1 series, however fantastic it may be, is a child of universal laws. That is its principal weakness and one of its strengths at the same time.

BMW recently unveiled the new-generation 1 Series. The German hatchback doesn’t look notably different than its predecessor, but it’s definitely fresh and modern. More importantly, it made the switch from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive. Naturally, BMW enthusiasts aren’t very happy about this, but is a front-wheel driven Bimmer such a bad idea? Let’s find out!

In a sad, but not a surprising turn of events, BMW revealed a completely reimagined 1 Series. It is a car that threw everything it was known for out the window and accepted plebian driving solutions like a front wheel drive chassis, three-cylinder and four-cylinder transversely mounted engines, and somewhat MPVish styling.

BMW knew that it had to justify its high price (it is more expensive than the A3, and the A-class) and, to do that, Bavarians imagined a lot of cool features to make it easier to drive, more accommodating to be in, and more efficient to travel. It also has the biggest kidney grille of any 1 Series. Probably to remind you that this is a BMW. It needs that sort of thing because you will probably forget about its origins after the drive in a cabin that has a lot of shoulder room, rear legroom, and enough headroom.

In short, you aren’t a hero or a villain if you drive the new 1 Series. You aren’t courageous or adventurous, zealous, or intense. You are... ah, whatever.

This does not mean that the new 1 Series isn’t a masterpiece of contemporary car design and a platform for the latest technologies. It is, and you will see here how!

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.

Whenever BMW launches an all-new 3-Series, this is a big deal on the sporty executive sedan scene. It’s like when Mercedes launches a new S-Class, only at the other end of the size scale. The new 2019 G20 BMW 3 Series promises a lot and I got to drive the grippy, frugal and very fast 320d xDrive for a few days to see if the model has reestablished itself as the class benchmark.

It is a bit bigger and also has different proportions compared to the outgoing 3-Series, the F30, and the visual changes really make it seem new and also stand out among other BMWs. The front part is unusually long, and you especially notice this from a side profile view mainly because the windscreen pillars are positioned quite far back. But this is not a negative point as it gives the car a lot of presence.

BMW has definitely managed to freshen it up a bit compared to the old model, and the same can be said of its interior which now feels far more contemporary than that of the F30. The interior is completely new, hardly anything has been carried over, and the result is a much more modern ambiance than what you felt in the old model which was really starting to feel... old.

In terms of driving experience, the new 3-Series does drive like the slightly bigger car than it is. In fact, you feel like you’re in a bigger car with that huge hood extending in front of you from the driver’s seat, but once you show it some corners, it’s definitely a 3-Series through its high level of agility and not the larger and slightly more comfort-oriented 5-Series.

BMW has officially teased the 2 Series Gran Coupe, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t seen the car already. No, I’m not talking about the renders; it’s the spy shots. Now, the so-called ’coupe’ has again been spotted on video doing some cold-weather test runs. The car has followed the footsteps of its elder sibling, the 6 Series Gran Coupe, and will soon feature a slanted, coupe-style roof. Is this a success mantra, or just a counter-attack to keep up with rivals?