Updated small BMW hot hatch gets trapezoidal lower air intakes and redesigned slim kidney grille
The upcoming new BMW 1 Series is equipped with the sportiest M135i. We can see its front bumper design more clearly. This prototype rocks a production-ready light unit.
There aren’t many cars that BMW’s M division focuses on, but one that never got beyond the M-lite stage was the small 1-series hatchback. Will that change?
Judging by the brakes and wheels, it appears to be an M135i prototype, but the quad exhaust setup – something BMW usually reserves for all-M cars, but which we’ve seen on a few prototypes now – makes us think. Find out if the M division will crank up the horsepower on the M135i’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and bring back the 1M badge last used on the M2’s predecessor.
Aside from the presence of those quad pipes, this 1-Series wears less camouflage than the previous test car. The amount of camouflage around the kidney grille hasn’t changed, and what we’ve seen makes us think that BMW is preparing to shrink the ugly tall grille on the 2023 1 Series that wraps up to a plastic body-color panel on the front hood.
Official BMW documents previously seen revealed that BMW will change the 1 Series’ internal model code from F40 to F70 in July 2024, suggesting it will be an all-new car. But that doesn’t fit with what we see in these images or the timeline, as the four-year-old 1 Series will be getting a facelift rather than a replacement. The car in the spy shots is clearly based on the current 1-Series, as it has the same old-fashioned (non-flush) door handles and the same fuel filler flap. It also appears to have the same doors, but interestingly, previous spy shots showed a different design for the rear side windows, with a Hofmeister bend that changes their orientation further on the C-pillar.
Perhaps BMW is planning so many changes that they think the updated cars should have a new model code. We’ve already mentioned the front-end styling changes, and the camouflage reveals some new rear details, including revised taillights and a reconfigured lower bumper. But it takes some major mechanical changes to understand the new code.
The current 1 Series shares a front-wheel-drive platform with the internal-combustion Mini Cooper, and we know it’s getting some upgrades to help it look and feel fresh alongside the new electric Mini, which rides on a completely different architecture.
Secret BMW documents mention that the 116i is likely to use the same 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine as the Active Tourer 216i, producing 121 horsepower (122 hp) and 170 pound-feet (230 Nm) of torque. But 2.0-liter gasoline and diesel options, including a successor to the current 302-hp (306 bhp) M135i, as well as a possible plug-in hybrid version, will give customers plenty of choice. But not for customers in the U.S., where the 1-Series remains off-limits.
