For the first time ever, BMW’s upcoming front-wheel drive sedan has been sighted by our spy photographers. This new sedan is codenamed the F52 NES (New Entry Sedan) and will allow BMW to compete head to head against rivals like the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class and the Audi A3 Sedan.
Based on current BMW nomenclature it should logically be called the 1 Series Sedan, but you know how odd BMW naming can get these days – it might just end up being called the 2 Series Gran Coupe or 2 Series Active Sedan or something like that, since the 2 Series name somehow also applies to BMW’s B-Class/Golf Sportsvan competitor, the 2 Series Active Tourer.
The car will most likely not use the 2 Series Coupe‘s rear-wheel drive layout, but is instead expected to share the same UKL front-wheel drive platform with products like the new MINI range and the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, and should also share gearbox and drive layout options. The UKL platform will allow better interior space.
This means three-cylinder and four-cylinder engines mated to six-speed manual, six-speed auto or eight-speed auto gearboxes, with drive going to the front wheels with all-wheel drive perhaps an optional extra, since the CLA and A3 Sedan comes with 4MATIC and quattro options respectively.
We recently pitted the 316i against the CLA and A3 Sedan in an episode of Driven, because while BMW doesn’t yet have a direct competitor to the cars from the other two German marques, the 316i manages to undercut both in pricing while being from a segment size above. Could the F52 Sedan be positioned to be even more affordable than the 316i, if BMW Malaysia decides to sell it here?
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screw this…rwd only bmw pls
People who will buy this car won’t care of driving experience only badge. All luxury brands are now moving down stream from the A3 to the CLA
3 cylinders means a kancil engine in bmw body
So the BMW i8 is a super kancil then?
Yes it’s only a kancil with BMW badge. If want RV go for Toyol then. When you resell it the RV is higher than a BMW Audi or Merc!
And that’s why i called this kind of buyer badge snob.. They dont bother with the driving experience,performance etc… They only care with the badge/brand. But somebody get pissed off over that.. Where’s the reader with the username TSI?
What is a BMW without RWD? What has the world come to?
Enjoy whatever time you have left for the end is near. Everybody has a choice…you can choose to wait for this BMW 1 series sedan or embrace the talk of the nation Proton Compact Car…
BMW will setup sub brand to cater mainstream market. Slap the whatever badge. People will recognise it has smell of germany. You know it-s like myvee and oher toned down cars here. Smell like japs but it-a not
This is heresy.
Already, in Driven, it’s uneasy to hear 3-series has become nothing more than showoff badge snob.
Such stark contrast to E36, E30, older days. 3-series was supposed to be proper driver’s car, the ULTIMATE driving machine. Today? Notorious QC car (why else they so chicken to give longer than 2 year warranty) for badge snob, yet get away with it because jangan persoal BMW.
Sometimes I wish BMW would just bring in 316i 6-speed manual, with 6 airbags, DSC, but basic specs with steel rims, manual window, mirror, kosong everywhere, just pure driving machine, and price it RM 138,888. Can only wish.
You cant afford to.maintain proton now you want to maintain a beemer? Sick sorhai.
I am maintaining a Volvo just fine.
I complain maintaining proton because their sc overcharge. Then that kills the point, I’d rather drive a Volvo/BMW if their maintenance cost nearly the same.
I can maintain my proton elsewhere, but that means proton suffers less revenue and bad reputation. Then proton scold me for not being patriotic, what a joke.
I highly doubt BMW will even think of doing that. They’ve got to live up to their status of being a premium car marque and a kosong spec car, even if it does come with all the safety, won’t bode well for them. In Malaysia, at least.
actually they have done it before
http://www.oto.my/car-for-sale/117821/used-2004-bmw-1-series-116i-m-selangor
http://www.oto.my/car-for-sale/115168/used-2006-bmw-1-series-116i-sport-kuala-lumpur
That 116i is not that kosong, is it? It still has many amenities. Truly kosong driver’s cars would be something like the old Lotus cars.
It’s kosong enough by BMW Malaysia standard, but that’s not too bad. At least if someone wants a manual, the option is there.
this is really interesting.. pls bring it here! rm150k i buy hahaha
Whats the similarity between beemer and vios?
Both will be kept sooner or later
Beemer you keep in garage coz after 2 years it breaks down more than you druve it
Vios is still in showroom coz nobody wants it.
At last Vios is at the level of beemer!!!
ROTFL
Sour grapes
BMW 3 seriese CKD as cheap as RM200k.
BMW 1series Hatchback as cheap as RM180k.
Another Cheap BMW, 1series Sedan CKD 2015 RM170k?
Another Small Sedan like Audi A3.
Affordable car for Direct SalesMan…
Affordable car for Pyramid Businessman.
The Cheap FWD Mini C-segment BMW, coming to town very cheap.
BMW.. welcome to the world of FWD..
Bcos of stiff competition at entry luxury segment, beemer hav to bow to the competition n break their own rules.. Haha..
more like price increase….slowly….1 series sedan replace 3…3 replace 5…5 replace 7…7 become 9
Looks like a Peugeot 508 to me
Anything comes to Malaysia become expensive, don’t know why
Yes, we need to understand how the price ended that way. Same goes for Thailand, etc. We need the knowledge, once we have more educated people, the price will change. Yes, we need to educate kampung folks as well.
later on 8 series, 9 series, 10 series……..zzz
I can accept fwd in this bmw because its an entry level, but please dun ever try change gear box to dry clutch transmission
Hey it’s ok what? You will get more friends in those workshops!
Now everyone can afford a BMW …..!!!!
If broken after 2 years then you send it to under tree mechanics?
Maybe this is BMW 1-series sedan, only after that BMW 2-series Gran Coupe will be out..maybe..just maybe…
What about the 1 hatch? One of the USP of the 1-series is its RWD granting more exciting handling than most competitors. Perhaps only the Sedan is FWD, the Hatch will remain RWD.
It does’nt look too bad to be honest. Of course, car enthusiasts will ridicule it. But in the end, car enthusiasts is only a small percentage of the market BMW wants. The rest won’t care, nor even notice that its FWD. So, it will still sell. And BMW will happily milk the profits out of their FWD platform (the FWD X1 is almost confirmed, but dont be surprised if a gran coupe version comes out next), so that they can make the money to continue making proper RWD BMWs. Hahaha. But please BMW, don’t do an M1 with FWD, or even AWD, cos it will be just wrong.
A lot of you guys say : oh,now everyone can afford a BMW!Another cheap BMW!Affodable for direct sales man,affordable for pyramid business man!
But i dun think really everyone can affordable, even Rm170k 1 series a lot of you whole life also not affordable, continue to be keyboard warrior and see other drive BMW and laugh on your junk car!
I hope this car will not dull and cheapen the BMW experience.
The A/CLA/GLA models from Mercedes were made from cheaper materials and it really shows when you sit in one.
Take a look at the 116i and I cannot accept a BMW to not come with auto aircond and fabric seats. It just downgrades the brand. The 118i on the other hand is a proper entry level model to the marque.
Do you think BMW honestly cares about those syiok-sendiri “purists” that think RWD is the only way to go? If that’s how the world works, Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys won’t be selling by the busloads and VW wouldn’t be the highest-volume German car manufacturer.
It’s all business. If they can have a platform that uses less parts, and is cheaper to produce and sell, and sell in more volume, it will make business sense to them. If you want to be a purist, they still have their RWD cars. For the bulk of people who buy VWs because they don’t care whether German cars are FWD or RWD, BMW’s trying to address that market.
If BMW was run by a bunch of syiok-sendiri RWD purists, it will be run to the ground just like Saab and Alfa who think that their badge and pedigree alone are enough to keep the brand desirable and profitable.