BMW 1 Series arrives priced from $56,500

BMW has launched its F70 generation 1 Series locally this week, the two variant range available from $56,500 plus on-road costs – or $1700 more than the entry point to the outgoing line-up.

Available in 118 (petrol) and 135 xDrive (petrol all-wheel drive) grades, the range-topping model is now $5900 more than its predecessor, available from $82,500 +ORC.

Note than both models lose the ‘i’ suffix from their designation.

The 128ti has been dropped from the range.

Visually, the model is 42mm longer (to 4361mm) than the predecessor with a lower and deeper front bumper contributing most of the vehicle’s additional length. Height is reduced 25mm (to 1459mm) while width (1800mm) and wheelbase (2670mm) are unchanged.

Smaller kidney grilles and revised LED headlights complete the frontal makeover while at the rear the 1 Series receives a newly profiled bumper and LED tail-lights, and quad exhaust tips on the M135 xDrive variant.

Inside, the revised 1 Series features many of the styling cues offered in the X1 SUV, including a similarly shaped dashboard housing a single-piece curved instrument and infotainment display containing 10.25-inch and 10.7-inch screens. The system is powered by BMW’s latest OS9 software.

Equipment updates now see the 118 (from $56,500 plus on-road costs) fitted with adaptive cruise control, adaptive LED headlights, automated parking, blackened trim highlights, heated front seats, a powered tailgate, and tyre pressure monitoring.

The 118 is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine making 115kW (+12kW) and 230Nm (+10Nm) and paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission driving the front wheels. The 0-100km/h standard is listed at 8.5 seconds.

Speaking at the Australian launch of the 1 Series in Melbourne this week, BMW Australia product and pricing manager for the 1, 2, 3 and 4 Series Prabs Datar said the price increase of the new 1 Series is covered by the inclusion of additional standard equipment amounting to more than $10,000.

“The new 118 gets a lot of additional equipment. This is equipment that was either not available in the previous generation or was optional,” he said.

“There is about $10,000 worth of additional equipment in the car, and we’ve increased pricing by less than $2000.

“We’ve listened to our customers, and we’ve loaded the car up with everything we feel it needs at a base level and made one feature intrinsic package available for the 118 and a more M Sport orientated package as well.

“But essentially we have levelled-up the 1 Series base package quite heavily.”

For the sporty M135 xDrive (from $82,500 + ORC) additions include front cross-traffic alert, front massaging seats, a heated steering wheel, lane centring and lane keep assist, and a premium Harman/Kardon audio system.

Power comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine developing 233kW (+8kW) and 400Nm (-50Nm) paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (replacing the eight-speed automatic offered previously) and all-wheel drive.

BMW quotes a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.9 seconds (-0.1 seconds).

Optional equipment packages include the Enhancement Package ($6500) for the 118 variant comprising metallic paint, 19-inch M alloy wheels, panoramic glass sunroof, heated steering wheel, massaging front seats, Driving Assist Professional, and harman/kardon premium audio.

The M Sport Package Pro ($3200 on 118; $2700 on M135 xDrive) adds a black-painted roof, M Sport brakes, M Shadowline lights, M seatbelts, M Sport seats, and M rear spoiler.

Optional exterior finishes above Alpine White (solid) include Black Sapphire, M Portimao Blue, Skyscraper Grey, and Thundernight metallic hues ($1700), and Storm Bay ($3500), Frozen Pure Grey, and Frozen Portimao Blue ($5000) BMW Individual shades.

Further options extend to alloy wheel selections, upholstery types, and interior garnishing.

“The M135 xDrive is a very similar story (to the 118). We’ve loaded it up with equipment that was again either not available or was optional previously. We’ve made that (equipment) standard,” he detailed.

“This one did get a bit of a price bump, because there is extra power on offer as well … so we have had to level that (pricing) up a little but more. But we feel it is still quite an impressive offer.”

2025 BMW 1 Series pricing*:

*Pricing excludes on-road costs