2012 BMW 1-Series – it’s official

2012 BMW 1-Series - now from BMW

When we reported that the 2012 BMW 1 Series had leaked out yesterday, we did say it wouldn’t take long for BMW to release details officially, especially as there were so many official photos of the 2012 1-Series.

In the end it took all of 24 hours for BMW to get it together and send us details, which lets us fill in the gaps from yesterday on detail, although there’s really nothing new on the photo front.

We know from yesterday that the 2012 BMW 1-Series is bigger than the outgoing car, and that the styling, particularly on the nose, is a more confident statement than before.

And that’s no real surprise; the original 1-Series was seen by many as a cynical marketing move, and BMW were crtitcised for the design and the overall package. But buyers seem to love it, so the 2012 1 Series just gives them more of the same – but better and bigger.

Just like the last 1 Series, this 2012 model shares its underpinnings with the 3 Series and gets closer in size – at least until the new 3 Series arrives – and from what we can see the cabin quality gets the same sort of makeover the X3 did in the latest model, which is very good news.

The new 1.6 litre petrol engine is a variation on the new engine MINI recently gave their cars, and as we said yesterday it delivers either 134bhp in the 116i or 168bhp in the 118i. Later, BMW will launch a 128iS with the same 2.0 litre four-pot recently revealed in the Z4. That’s good for 245bhp and should dip below 6 seconds to 60mph.

For now, the quickest 1 Series will be a diesel – the 12od. The 120d gets 181bhp from its 2.0 litre lump – the same 2.0 litre lump that delivers 114bhp in the 116d and 141bhp in the 118d – and will hit 60mph in 7 seconds. But whatever oily bits you choose a six-speed manual ’box is the standard fitting, but you can (and should) opt for BMW’s new eight-speed auto.

At the other end of the scale there will also be a 99g/km BMW 116d EfficientDynamics – the first production BMW to get under 100g/km – which if it’s as good as the 320d EfficientDynamics we reviewed recently will be very good indeed.

Standard kit seems to be a leap on from the old 1 Series, with stuff like high-beam assist, Cruise, Interent access and lane departure available. Couple with the apparent move to a higher quality intereior, it looks like the cabin of the new 1 Series will be an appealing place.

And you can focus that appeal to either a sporting bent with the Sport or opt for the new BMW ‘Urban’ trim, which costs the same but is more focused on comfort than sportiness.

Prices have jumped up a bit at the entry-level, with the 116ES starting at £19,375 – a 4% jump – but the 1 Series likely to fly out to more buyers than any other – the BMW 118d – actually goes down in price – but only by 1%.

On sale in September – after the Frankfurt Motor Show – the 2012 BMW 1 Series looks, at first glance, to have moved the game on for the 1 Series almost as much as the 2011 X3 did for its less than perfect predecessor.

It now looks surprisingly appealing, even if it’s all four-pot lumps.

(114 photos – click any thumbnail for full gallery)

By Cars UK