The new 2012 BMW 1-Series with the codename F20 has been unveiled. The 1-er is now both longer and wider, and rides on a longer wheelbase as well, which should hopefully translate into better interior space.
Wheelbase has grown by 30mm so it now stands at 2,690mm, which is just 10mm shorter than the current generation Honda Civic sold in Malaysia, because of the car’s short overhangs and aft of front axle engine placement, most of the wheelbase is actually in the area between the wheel and the door.
The car is also wider by 17mm. Front track has been increased by 51mm and the rear track by 72mm. Ride height remains unchanged at 1,421mm. The rear seats have 21mm more legroom, while the luggage area is 30 litre larger, now standing at 360 litres before the rear seats are folded down. The car remains rear wheel drive.
There are a few engine variants announced at launch time, though I suspect the F20 1-Series will not be limited to these engines only. There are two petrols, both powered by 1.6 litre inline-4 twin scroll turbocharged engines with Valvetronic, Double VANOS and direct injection. The 116i makes 136hp at 4,400rpm, with a peak torque of 220Nm between 1,350rpm to 4,300rpm. The more powerful 118i makes 170hp at 4,800rpm and peak torque of 250Nm between 1,500 to 4,500rpm.
The remaining three engine options are all based on a 2.0 litre inline-4 diesel engine. The baseline is the 116d, making 116hp at 4,000rpm and 260Nm of torque between 1,750 to 2,500rpm. The mid-range is the 118d making 143hp at 4,000rpm and 320Nm of torque between 1,750rpm to 2,500rpm.
The most powerful engine in the range so far is the 120d’s engine, which has similar specs to the 2.0L diesel engine in the 320d, 520d, X1, X3, etc. It makes a full 184 horsepower at 4,000rpm and a peak torque of 380Nm between 1,750rpm and 2,750rpm. This is the most powerful F20 1-er so far, and also accelerates to 100km/h the fastest in just 7.2 seconds. I’m pretty sure a petrol 128i with the new N20B20 2.0L turbo 4 cylinder will take the most powerful F20 crown later though. And looking at what BMW can extract from the MINI Cooper JCW’s 1.6 litre lump (200+ horses), there’s probably the opportunity for a 123i with a more highly strung 1.6L turbo as well.
All engines come by default with a 6-speed manual, but there is an optional 8-speed automatic transmission. Both manual and auto transmissions have Automatic Start/Stop as standard. There’s also a switch near the gear lever that you can use to activate an ECO PRO mode, which supposedly tunes various parameters to allow better fuel efficiency – this probably means more efficient throttle mapping and quicker upshifts.
BMW has launched the car with two different trim levels – the Sport Line and the Urban Line. This is something unusual, since we’re used to BMWs being either standard, M Sport or further customizable with BMW Individual.
The Sport Line (the red car you see here) and Urban Line (the blue car) has different front and rear bumpers, and the Sport Line gets some additional red stripes on the interior and even on its key fob. Even the front grille is different, with the Urban Line getting a chrome grille with silver-coloured slats (like the one on the F10 550i), while the Sport Line gets a chrome grille with black slats.
BMW has also allowed buyers to tick some more upmarket options on the spec sheet when ordering, such as high-beam assistance, parking assistance, a reverse camera, Lane Departure Warning, Collision Warning, BMW ConnectedDrive, and etc.
BMW 1-Series Sport Line
BMW 1-Series Urban Line
BMW 1-Series M Sport
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i like this one more than the first model, don’t know why many prefer the old model, to me this is a lot neater
are you polo enough??
nah, it doesn’t really look like the polo at all. overall the car looks good, but the front bumper spoils it.
When you drive a lesser car, you always want to associate your car with premium car, that is normal.
Pfft, because it looks like the polo doesn’t mean it looks bad, both the polo and this looks good.
cannot?
The exterior looks so boring when compared with Audi A1.
Please don’t compare a men’s machine with a gay boy’s toy. Thank you.
Wonder if the ones coming to our shore comes with oil-burning variants.
Hopefully BMW Malaysia can bring the 6-speed manual transmission instead of 8-speed automatic gearbox only. Since BMW HQ mentioned 6-speed manual transmission is standard across the F20 1 series.
why the headlamp look likes its doesnt belong to that car. it looks like an anime cartoon… look like sad anime cartoon
I love this :) love all the hot hatch :)
while the indicator on the side mirror ticks the safety column, i anyhow think it’s against BMW’s ‘identity’.. :(
I think this is the first BMW with it’s blinker on the side mirror…. no?
The exterior rear of the car looks like a Polo.
God! That thing is extremely hideous!
Not really feeling it. Looks quite ugly in my opinion.
Is it FWD or RWD? Sorry for missed the sentence mentioned (if any). TQ for reply
Sure it is RWD, FWD like Audi is for gay and hairdresser.
This is a bit too much and off limit, don’t you think? If you were true, 90% of the world population would be gay and they are all hairdresser.
Anyway, I do hope you drive a FR car.
Nice burn, haha
The all new 2012 BMW 1-Series.. Now comes with 3-years supply of paper bag, in case you feel like vomiting every time you look at it*.
*Offer valid until 30th June 2011.
Why you can continue to pregnant for 3 years, really wonder?
RWD.
Danke schon
this is another classic example
of how u dont over engineer one end of the car
because from the front, it looks all fantastic
with the 5 series look or something
which people in front gonna give way when they see their back mirror
but i cant say anything regarding the back end
it looks blunt, and boring
of course it retains all the basic lines of a 1 series
but when u compare the front and the backside of it
it doesnt look…. great.
i am so sure about the sedan version
is that one will use the same backside of this hatch version?
if it does then its a thumb down
I see hints of Mini Countryman on the rear profile…
I personally dont like it, but I can imagine this thing being successful in urban European cities.
the interior looks very good and high quality.
but i cant dig the head lamps. otherwise its a much better attempt by bmw.
This car best viewing angle is from side profile. I mean, head on , it looks .. err.. well , the headlamp design individually is good but the grille+headlamp+bumper combo seems off
I’ll buy BMW motorcycles or new Mini over these 1-series hatchbacks.
Could the 1.6L twinscroll turbo is the same Prince Engine used in Pug308 and Mini Cooper S since its a joint developed engine between BMW and PSA….
Yes it’s the same engine…… it’s also used in the Pug’s RCZ with 200hp & 275nm state of tune!
side and back profile is ok…..but…..OMG!!!!!What happen to the front? Did the designers have one too many beers?
I bet F30 looks very similar to this except the back design close to 5series lighting..
the ass (rear) is so nice! but the boobs (headlamps) are frustrating!
at first i was like “yewwww..”
but now i feel better “hmmmmm.. interesting”
anyway, still have a long way to go before owning it
i’m 25 yrs old and i like this upcoming 1-series.. yeah!
The meter cluster should be better
This model is targetted at young exec, below or going 30s. Younger gen likes funky, futuristic styling, lots of buttons, colours,
The dash and meter cluster of this one looks too serious, conventional…
yeah…… but how many 20’s young exec can own this machine here in Boleh Land? I mean, if you’re a university grad with a decent job and in your 20’s…… can afford this meh? not unless your family background is loaded….. sigh…… malaysia boleh….
when the F10 5-series was launched, i could not get used to the looks as i preferred the E60. after seeing it for a while on the road, the look has started to grow on me.
but i don’t think i’ll ever be able to accept this F20’s looks. the front headlights just looks so, so wrong. hopefully BMW will change it in the LCI like how they improved on the E90’s rear lights.
A look at this, sure the Mercedes guy is so delighted to launch their new A Class really soon.
uh…slowly but surely will be a wagon
can we except a sedan coming???
For a minute the red color unit looked like the Ferrari FF from the side..
But the design is kinda polarizing..
Either you like it or not..
If it carried a Hyundai logo people would say it’s repulsive… but of course it has a roundel, so some will say it’s gorgeous.
As for me, I still say it doesn’t get any uglier than this.
Look like some new Myvi DNA in this 1 series (the headlamp?) Lagi best?
The front is too overwhelmed by the headlight…but the rest of the car are awesome
Longer and wider? Hmmm…. will the 1 series eventually turn into 3 series hatches?
like the red one
any option by bmw to rip that fugly face off? if yes i’ll buy it. hahahahaha
F20 usually won’t do well in M’sia, F30 definitely will…
Wow…funny looking car ! BMW wth happened to the designing team ?
i think i saw this beemer on truck at seberang prai..