Photo: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
BMW has been spied testing the successor to the 1 Series for well over a year now, and it appears that contrary what was previously thought, it will actually be a new generation and not a mid-cycle refresh. This means that by the time it enters production, supposedly next summer, the current one will have lived only five years.
The F40 generation of the BMW 1 Series has been around since mid-2019. Unlike its predecessor, which was related to the two-door 2 Series and the bigger 3 Series, sporting a rear-wheel drive construction, with a rear-biased all-wheel drive system available, the latest one is FWD or front-biased all-wheel drive. It’s based on the UKL2 platform, shared with the 2 Series AT and GC, X1, X2, and MINI Countryman, among others.
If the latest rumors turn out to be accurate, then the redesigned iteration, supposedly known as the F70, might be built on an updated version of the same architecture. This means that it will retain the front-biased construction, and that it will be compatible with a generous assortment of engines. We can expect the usual gasoline family to be topped by a hot hatch derivative, otherwise believed to kick out a little over 300 horsepower, just like the current M135i.
Changes won’t be drastic compared to the F40, as the F70 was just spied undergoing cold-weather testing, and it was snapped in the presence of its predecessor. It have an overall identical shape, for the most part, and probably a very similar footprint and interior space. Nonetheless, space for backseat occupants could increase a bit, and on the inside, it should feature a curved display, with a freestanding design. The center console is understood to host a more minimalistic gear shifter, next to other buttons and perhaps knobs. If it sounds familiar, that’s because it will likely be inspired by that of the 2 Series Active Tourer (AT).
Up front, it will have new headlamps of slightly smaller proportions, and a new interpretation of the kidney grille. The central intake in the front bumper appears to be less wide than before, and at the rear, it will have new lighting units and bumper. The license plate holder will still sit in the middle of the new tailgate. We can also expect new wheels, additional colors added to the palette, and maybe fresh upholstery and trim on the inside.
Judging by the thick amount of camouflage applied to the prototypes of the upcoming BMW 1 Series, we are probably looking at a new generation rather than a mid-cycle refresh. But then again we cannot be entirely certain about it. Until the Munich-based company confirms it, we will take it with a grain of salt.
If the latest rumors turn out to be accurate, then the redesigned iteration, supposedly known as the F70, might be built on an updated version of the same architecture. This means that it will retain the front-biased construction, and that it will be compatible with a generous assortment of engines. We can expect the usual gasoline family to be topped by a hot hatch derivative, otherwise believed to kick out a little over 300 horsepower, just like the current M135i.
Changes won’t be drastic compared to the F40, as the F70 was just spied undergoing cold-weather testing, and it was snapped in the presence of its predecessor. It have an overall identical shape, for the most part, and probably a very similar footprint and interior space. Nonetheless, space for backseat occupants could increase a bit, and on the inside, it should feature a curved display, with a freestanding design. The center console is understood to host a more minimalistic gear shifter, next to other buttons and perhaps knobs. If it sounds familiar, that’s because it will likely be inspired by that of the 2 Series Active Tourer (AT).
Up front, it will have new headlamps of slightly smaller proportions, and a new interpretation of the kidney grille. The central intake in the front bumper appears to be less wide than before, and at the rear, it will have new lighting units and bumper. The license plate holder will still sit in the middle of the new tailgate. We can also expect new wheels, additional colors added to the palette, and maybe fresh upholstery and trim on the inside.
Judging by the thick amount of camouflage applied to the prototypes of the upcoming BMW 1 Series, we are probably looking at a new generation rather than a mid-cycle refresh. But then again we cannot be entirely certain about it. Until the Munich-based company confirms it, we will take it with a grain of salt.
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