First look: BMW reveals 1 Series

AFTER the embarrassment of having its production-ready 1 Series baby photographed without camouflage during an advertising shoot in Melbourne last month, BMW has issued its own official images of its new entry level model.

What the pictures reveal are a five-door hatch that incorporates elements of BMW’s controversial new exterior design language along with traditional cues like short overhangs, kidney grille, double headlights and kinked C-pillar.

It’s all wrapped up in a 4230mm long package - a full 240mm shorter than a 3 Series. And being a BMW it is rear-wheel drive – a unique selling point in the entry level prestige category where front-wheel drives as diverse as the Alfa Romeo 147 and Volkswagen Golf are popular.

BMW expects the 1 Series to be strong, flexible and aerodynamic. It predicts the steel shell will secure a five-star EuroNCAP rating and claims a healthy 1150 litres of luggage space with the rear seats folded – 330 litres with them up. The drag coefficient is a reasonable 0.29.

The 1 Series won’t be launched officially until the Paris motor show in September, making its Australian motor show debut just weeks later in Sydney.

It will go on sale here after that in two four-cylinder model designations, the 116i and 120i, with pricing starting in the low to mid $30,000 bracket.

BMW Australia hopes to sell around 300-400 before the end of 2004, with a sales target beyond 1000 in its first full 12 months on sale in 2005. BMW expects 75 to 80 per cent of those sales to be conquests.

Volumes could be boosted further when a two-door notchback coupe and convertible - both dubbed 2 Series - lob by 2006. There had also been talk of a sedan built for the US, but those plans are now on hold.

The 1.6-litre 116i produces 85kW at 6000rpm and 150Nm of torque at 4300rpm. It accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 10.8 seconds and has a claimed top speed of 200km/h, using 7.5L/100km on the EU cycle.

The 2.0-litre 120i produces 110kW at 6200rpm and 200Nm of torque at 3600rpm. It reaches 100km/h in 8.7 seconds and has a top speed of 217km/h, using 7.4L/100km on the EU cycle.

Both engines meet EU4 emissions requirements and are mated to either five-speed (116i) or six-speed (120i) manual gearboxes, or six-speed automatics. A four-cylinder diesel-powered 120d is not expected to come to Australia.

Underpinning the car is BMW’s traditional MacPherson strut front and five-link rear suspension. Weight distribution is 50:50 front to rear.

Features of the 1 Series include 16-inch wheels with run-flat tyres, optional Bluetooth mobile interface, sports seats with backrest width adjustment, acoustic PDC Park Distance Control front and rear, Bi-Xenon headlights, a choice of audio and navigation systems and even a version of BMW's controversial iDrive controller.

The 1 Series features push-button starting and a full complement of active and passive safety features including front and rear head airbags, DSC (Dynamic Stability Control), DBC (Dynamic Brake Control), Electronic Differential Lock and disc brakes all round.

The arrival of the 1 series means BMW Group will be selling three small cars under $45,000 – the 1 Series, the Compact and the Mini.

But the managing director of BMW Group Australia, Dr Franz Sauter, does not see conflicts.

"Some people want to have a four-door car and some people want to have a more compact car like the Mini, and some people want to have the Mini brand and some people want to have the BMW brand, so we think there is only a very small overlap," he said.

"We think the demographic will be similar. There will be a lot of couples, a lot of young people and in many cases the second car in the household. So those three demographic main groups would be the same for both models – the Mini and the 1 Series. But the major difference would be the practical requirements.

"The Compact is a variant of the 3 Series and some people want a 3 Series and others want a 1 Series, so we think there is a market for both. And don’t forget one is a two-door and one is a four-door, so I think they live quite well parallel."And outside BMW, what else could be a competitor for the 1 Series, the Mercedes-Benz A-class?"Every car that is fun to drive is a competitor for the 1 Series,"” Dr Sauter said. "I think that answers the question on A-class."