BMW is a German automaker, so it likes to change things slowly, always being careful not to trample all over its garden of heritage. However, that's exactly what the new 1 Series has done.
It's their first front-wheel-drive hatchback unless you count the X2 as being one too (we do). Also, the flagship M135i doesn't have a 3-liter turbo as the old one did. However, we're not upset with any of that.
The design of the 1 Series is appealing to us, a little more extroverted than the Mercedes A-Class or the aging Audi A3. However, we expected people that are passionate about car design to have a different opinion, and they do.
a YouTuber by the name of The Sketch Monkey likes to play with the front ends of many new cars when they come out, and had many issues with the M135i in particular, starting with the grille. In his words, it should either be one grille or two, not somewhere in between. After splitting the kidneys apart, he also made them less tall.
The headlights are also something he didn't like. Apparently, tapering them upwards makes the 1er look like a Kia Ceed or Ford Focus. So the LEDs are rotated a bit. Finally, he completely redesigns the lower grille, which currently has an idiotic smile, like a clown.
Together, all these changes make the hatchback look somewhat like a mixture between the M5 and the old generation 1 Series. Is this something that appeals to you? Let us know in the comments section below the story.
Overall, we find the criticism to be underserved. The F20 generation that came before was one of the ugliest BMWs of the modern era. Its headlights looked deceased and the greenhouse was of a hatchback trying to be a sports car.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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