German Car Zone

Auto Zeitung has done a render of the next 1er which is minus a few details the direction being taken for the hatch.

As you can see here the strong line that begins from the rear headlamps and widens as it gets past the front doors on the actual car the line goes to the front and cuts of the headlights like a lid the design trait is classic BMW , evident on the 2002 it is a modern interpretation of the classic bathtub or boat look line.
The scupture at the base of the side flanks is a variation on todays boat like design line - although less rounded on the next generation of 1er this interpretation takes the lead from the X1 and begins from the roof , flowing around the rear hoffmeister quarter light , allowing the rear wheel arch and sharply cut into the flanks ending at the front of the front wheel arch.

When BMW's next development of LED technology comes on stream the headlamps will be replaced by strips that by daylight are dark but when fully illuminated they take appearance of the double halo lights. With this option RR Phantom esque driving lights sit below the LED's.

BMW now that they look upon the 1er Sporthatch feel that they neglected the chance to produce a Golf GTi Rival with the current car , instead of using the same engines and specifications as the current 5dr .
For the next generation of 1er Sporthatch , BMW will tap into the hot hatch market with a Sporthatch "Supersport" model.

Thanks Scotty, great info. The upcomming 1-series will be very much divided between the 5 and 3 door versions on one side and the coupes on the other, fine by me.

Thanks for the information! Can you say something to their engine-speculation as well?
They are talking about the new turbo-4s and state that there will be a 1.6-litre-na-unit with 125 bhp for the 116i, a 1.6-litre-turbo with 150 bhp for the 118i and that there is a 114i-version with 105 bhp planned to be introduced later. Is the 1.6-litre-figure right? Or will it be 1.4-litre? Or 1.3? What about the three-cyl-engines? What kind of displacement will they have? What about the upper end of the engine range? 2.0-litre turbo? 2.2 litre?
Thanks a lot! :-)

So will the 1er shooting brake concept be revealed on the current E87 platform, or the next gen 1 series?

Should be the next gen platform. The current platform will only see this lightweight sports version as a last salute....

Why oh why won't BMW bring the hot hatch SS to the states?

Autocar - Full details: next BMW 1-series#

Autocar are first up on the preview which Norbert Reithofer talked about investing in the premium compact segment on the press reveal of the X1.
Which begins the roll out of the expansion of new premium compact models.
BMW had invested heavily in the development of a new modular platform that can be stretched , widened, and shrunk to fit various 1er models.
The savings in this platform are very substantial as it can be equipped with either front , rear or four wheel drive and will be shared with the next generation of MINI models.

The strategy is based upon providing greater sustainability to the profit margin of the BMW Group by investing in the future trend for compact vehicles. BMW hope that the success of the 1er will provide greater sustainability that when the economic situation clears further down the line BMW would be able to go back and look at cancelled projects such as high profit premium concepts such as the production CS Concept car.

BMW has not lost focus, It invested in sustainability when the competition focused on vanity now with future regulations on the horizon (they are coming) BMW group have invested in cars that will meet these targets now and in the future. Although with the Compact segment you can go back to your roots and introduce interesting enthusiast cars , that will not only be excellent to drive but highly efficient aswell.

And if you notice the first annoucement of the "Y" series suggests that we are well into investigating such an idea. As well as first announcement of the Roadster. Sadly one design idea a four door sedan has not been approved due to the fact that BMW rely on huge sales regarding entry 3er sedan and Touring models across Europe either with customers or business, government or Emergency fleets.

As for the autocar image the rear does have a similar resemblance again it's all in the detail.

This is how the hood opening should be done. Not like the way BMW is doing in new 7 and X1.

The first thing that springs to mind, reading between the lines, is that BMW intends to make the 1-series less prestigious (lineing it up with the Golf and Astra) while keeping the premium price (key component in growth plan = high margins).

It all makes sense when you look at it. The use of PSA engines and mega multi platforms, not even remotely dedicated to each implementation - all cars have the same basic structure (for better and hopefully not worse)... that saves money.

Never thought of it that way.. but you are making sense.. Even the current BMW 130 hatch is more premium than Golf GTI.. Are they trying to downscale 1 series to golf level.. I thought 1 series was a competitor to the Audi A3