It’s a great marketing move. It’ll allow BMW to reach out to buyers who make lower incomes than typical BMW drivers, and then, it’ll lock in the new customers to move up and buy more expensive models.

No Shepo, BMW doesn’t need to reach out to “lower income” types…If you don’t have the money, you need to work more. The genius in a 1er coupe is…that the 3 series is now as big as a 5er used to be. We’re finally getting to something more like what a 3 series should be…think E30.

Better have a damn dual clutch gearbox too.

Madcapp — exactly, if you liked the E30, or wish they still made it, here it am.

can’t wait.

135i please

that car would be exponentially large in the united states

i agree naggs, its gotta be light

the other competition is audi’s A3 which IMO isnt much competition compared to a 1er.

this will be pretty damn good. a small car, with a decent amount of power makes for some good fun. and if this manages to squeeze in a reasonably-sized back seat, then it’ll also be somewhat practical too. then of course, it’ll help if they price it reasonably too.

Looks very dull, I was hoping for styling more in line with the Z4 coupe than the 3-series. That looks very ordinary.

I don’t think its a convertible, the rear window is too big, but I do hope the camouflage on the C-pillar is hiding an interesting design feature.

If that is a 135 I would have liked to be on that snowy testdrive…

what segment does this go into? the Dahatshu Copen and Suzuki Cappuccino?

I’m pretty sure the 135i will be my next car, a coupe would be great although I like hatchbacks a lot too, dont disappoint us BMW

It look fine….you wanna see boxy? Look at a refrigerator……or ANY SUV that is littering our roads today…….

This will make a splash and broaden BMW’s customer base.

Looks ok. I saw the 1 series hatchback a few days ago and thought that it looked very nice. BMW should ditch the rear seats and make it a roadster when it is convertible time. I can’t wait to see a M version.

^ I like that a lot, but I wish I could see it from different angles.

The Opel Astra ….. brought to you by BMW.

It better not be a dollar over $35,000.

This POS almost has the side profile of the new cheap-ass Dodge Avenger.

Man, BMW is really starting to put out the hits again!

Years of suspense have led up to this point, and there are more years to come until we see it, but we’re gradually getting somewhere now.

Very promising. I like it. The irony is that it looks as big as an E90 3-Series from the late 80’s. Bigger, bigger and yes…. bigger they get. When will compacts actually start looking like compacts again? I’m side-ranting. This is a good car. I’d just like to see the trend of bigger die out.

cars are bigger and bigger, 20 years ago there were a dozen or more models that are smaller than the smallest volume car for sale in the us.

mpg has suffered as a result

Yes, Let me clarify… the 135i (the TURBO one) COUPE will be my next car if we get it…

Bad idea. All it will do is dilute the brand image in the US, similar to what the Cadillac Cimmaron did in the 1980’s to the Cadillac brand.

BMW tried going down market in the U.S. before with the weak engined el-cheapo 318i. It was a miserable failure and a crappy car (well, crappy engine anyway).

What they should do is price the 3-series more competitively so they don’t lose so many sales to the more powerful and less expensive Infiniti G35 and Lexus IS350. There’s no reason a moderately equipped BMW 335i should be in the low to mid $40k range, other than pure greed.

5280, hmm ok that does look pretty good.

Z06ified, I agree that could happen, but I don’t think this will repeat what the 318 did. For one, if the 135i is coming with the N54B30, it’s going to have quite a bit more juice than the 318 had. Next, I personally thought the 318 looked like ass. it was just a 3 series with the end chopped off. The 1 *almost* looks like that, but it also looks like it was designed from the ground up.

I hope they dont make an M varient…. because we wont get it in the US.

What a great reason not to have an M. LOL because it wont make it to the shores of the US. If they offer a 135i im sure they will NOT offer an M. It wouldn’t make much sense from a financial standpoint. Besides w/ the TT6 you can always chip it getting another 30+ HP easily, w/ just a 400-600 dollar investment. Did that in my A3 and it made ALL the difference. And this car is small so you will totally feel the extra ponies. mmmm Turbo…what a concept!

BMW is really on fire these days…this is awesome.

I wonder what the the pricing is going to be. Might steal sales from the 3. So would BMW upmarket the 3 (prices for the 335i are in the mid 40s already) or have the 1 at about upper 20s, low 30s? I think brand dilution might be an issue as well.

Why would anything change for the 3 series, pricewise? The cheapest new 3 you can price out on their website starts at $32k. There’s still room to profit in the $26-32k range.

“I wonder what the the pricing is going to be. Might steal sales from the 3. So would BMW upmarket the 3 (prices for the 335i are in the mid 40s already) or have the 1 at about upper 20s, low 30s? I think brand dilution might be an issue as well.”

How can a smaller, lighter, cheaper 1-Series running the same engine lineup as the 3-Series dilute a brand whose tagline is the “Ultimate Driving Machine”? Aren’t size and weight two of the things we enthusiasts gripe about most?

We’re always clamoring for the day someone goes smaller and lighter without sacrificing performance, and now that BMW is doing exactly that, everyone’s crying “brand dilution”. WTF?

If anything, I think the 1-Series – in the form in which it will arrive in the U.S. – will reinforce BMW’s brand.

Though I also think it stands a good chance of cannibalzing 3-Series sales, the 328i coupe in particular.

That thing with a twin turbo L6 is going to be so fast that its probably going to be able to travel through time. It might cannabalize sales of DeLoreans with Flux capacitors.

The one series is going to be awesome with the Twin Turbo I6… It’ll be a pure enthusiast car… Most of the yuppies that buy a beemer just for supposed “status”, will probably still go for the 3 or 5 series… cause we all know the more expensive your car, the cooler you are…right?

ok im lost… how many 1 series body styles are there now? jesus

heck, now add a minivan and pickup truck and the lineup is complete.

This is incredibly refreshing.A boxy pocket size cabrio(hopefully) from BMW.Instant purchase for myself to buy.Outstanding if this is for real.This car could be grouped with the bunch known as~ the most fun cars to drive regardless of price~.

I will gladly get rid of the 335i for a 135i

The 335i is awesome, but it has grown a lot in the years. It is actually larger and more powerful that the 850i of the early 90s.

gross. its sad to call this a bmw when the new 3 series coupe and the 5 series look top notch. This reminds me of an expensive version of a late 90’s hyundai elantra. Chris bangle, you failed.

Yeeeeeaaaaa!!!!! BMW decided to start making the 3 series again. I’m buying one.

All I can say is: M1 with a V8.

Thank you and goodnight.

come one BMW… give us the turbo inline 6!!! pLEASE!!! for 32K!!

haha, nothing like seeing the comments from cheap-asses for a car from a company that nickel and dimes you to death. and for what? that car is straight up FUGLY. and if you want a small, light, fun car to drive then a BMW is not for you. the closest thing they have is the Z4. good luck people!

So this thing will be fighting with the EVO X, STi, 350Z/G35, RX8, S2000 and Golf R32.

Competitive segment but I don’t think the 1 series will have much of a problem slaughtering each and every one of them. The Golf R32 has beaten the 130 in several journalistic comparos but I don’t think it’ll have the guts to hang with a 335.

Only the STi, EVO and 350Z might have the muscle to hang with the Bimmer in this segment (depending on the 1 series coupe’s weight). And of those cars, only the EVOX stands a change of matching the Bimmer move for move – power, handling and build quality (1 series materials quality hasn’t been that great so an improved EVOX might have a shot).

EVO X vs. 335 will be an interesting fight.

They should fit a twin-turbo I-6 Diesel in that thing…that would be insane.

This is great, a lightweight and powerful rear-wheel drive small car… God Bless Bimmer for going back to its roots. 26-32k will sell like hotcakes.

135i

…if you build it they will come…………in droves.

this is the car i have been waiting for

deantj — gross. R U ghey?

anyclearer — The 135i will be one hell of tough car to beat. Have you driven a car with this motor?

It’s something else. In a lightweight car….****.

BTW currently any car with a BMW is not really a POS. at least not the ones on the US

This will be a winner and the timing is right.

The dropping dollar compared to the Euro will make all their other models increase in price out of the range of most buyers. Even leasing will not be affordable.

If the 1 series stays true to it’s roots, then it will not bring down the brand, rather it will pull in those that will get priced out and would have considered another brand.

It will open up a new segment. I see the death of sporty, small, front drivers on the horizon.

Too conservative and I think the front end looks cheap and stupid.

So far, the most accurate sentiment on the 1 series comes from a BMW of North America Executive….

“The 1 series,” Rich Brekus, general manager of
product planning and strategy at BMW of North America
told AN’s Rick Kranz, “is the purest BMW we have.”

The 1 series is what the 3 series of today should have been.

The great Helmut Panke lead BMW to where it is today. In speeches he constantly warned about brand dilution and protecting the luxury image BMW holds in the US. With Panke out the BMW board is finally able to make bad decisions that will ultimately degrade the BMW image in the US. Anyone remember what the MB C230 did to Mercedes image & sales the few years it was in the US? At least they are taking some of Panke’s advice and not bringing a hatchback version of the 1er to the States.

I’m not saying the 1er will be a bad car. On the contrary, the 1er will be a great car. But it will still dilute the BMW brand in the US.

I agree with xmnr, as great as a 135 would be, it wont happen. Not as a 135 and not as a 1M (not to be confused with the M1 supercar). If history is any indication, and BMW does follow a predictable path, a 1M is not likely to make it to the US. And it would carry an engine derived from the Z4M.

“So this thing will be fighting with the EVO X, STi, 350Z/G35, RX8, S2000 and Golf R32. Competitive segment but I don’t think the 1 series will have much of a problem slaughtering each and every one of them.”

Err… no, if you’ve driven the 1 series, good as it is, it’s far from beating the Evo 9 and STi. Nice city car with a reassuring brake though.

The C230 didn’t tarnish the MB brand, its the fact that MB went cheap in the 1990s and was selling lower quality cars on past reputation and former glory that made MB into a joke. Ever been in a 190E? That’s cheap as hell on the inside, and that came along way before the C230 in the 80’s. And as far as comparisons to a Mitsubishi or Subaru, I’m just going to have to remind you that this is the real world and not the “Fast and Furious” movie…The 1 series will still carry the mature, adult respectability of the BMW brand, and the Evo and STi are still gonna be for children and ricers. Njoy your fart can exhaust, pokemon stickers and parents basement.

The closest thing to an E30 yet, but no STi or Evo IX slaughterer. Most people don’t realize just how good those cars are out of the box. The twin turbo engine would put it close though.

It will have a backseat, but a useless one. The 3 series is tight in back already.

well, ill take one if its in the high 20s to low and mid 30s which i think is very possible. and it still has that indestructable 3 liter inline 6. one of the best engines ever made by ANY manufacture!

yeah last i checked a 328i costs the same as an STI and EVO… try keeping up with a BASE WRX nevermind an STI with that 328i… wont happen… dont think a 1-series will.

Looks likw the guppie the hatchback is.
dont see the point of this.
Like most BMWs, its looking dated already.

I’m sorry, that car looks like someone took an electric egg beater and whisked together (with meringue!) a previous generation Accent and an old 318ti. It looks like a fat little toy, not a sporty car. No thank you BMW.

Smaller, more nimble than a 3-series, same TT6 as the 335. Wow, I think I’m in automotive heaven!

This is a great move. Should be a great seller.

Or some SUV’s perform better in on-road conditions than Land Rovers…

Kind skirts around the rerasons why the more expensive vehicles are worthy so.

I was gonna say the same thing Madcapp… the 190E was WAY cheaper than a C230, and yes the reason for the degradation of their image was the 90’s cheapness.

I still think that this is a bad move for BMW as it will cheapen the brand in the eyes of its current brand conscious clientele. I think you’ll see resale values adjust downward considerably for the 3 series abd 5 series when this is released.

Give it a hatchback, the turbo engine, and a dual clutch transmission and this will be the Ultimate Urban Driving Machine ™

looks good there will also be an M version.

its ugly as sin, but it’ll sell. The 135 (M version, i’m sure) will go like stink.

They should be focusing on remaking the M1 supercar rather than pug uply coupes.

^ they are making the M1 in the form of the new Z10

YESSS!!!!

Awesome! This car is going to kick some serious ass!

Looks terrific. Especially with those large sport wheels on the red one. If they put the twin turbo engine in that car, it should go like a missile. Or better yet, braing back the m1! You know there will be an M1 in the works before long.

“The 1 series will still carry the mature, adult respectability of the BMW brand, and the Evo and STi are still gonna be for children and ricers. Njoy your fart can exhaust, pokemon stickers and parents basement.”

Funny the ones who are driving the 1 series around here are college kids.

i like the hatchback more… 2 door that is…

I gotta see this one in person… The proportions seem off in photos.

I miss my four 2002’s. 1969 – 1972. I’m ready for more.

I”m sorry, it might be a dream to drive, but it still looks like an econobox that’s been in a rollover.

I pity the fool that can’t see that this approach/size is the essence of what BMW is. Small, very manuverable, lightweight, upright and formal with clean mature/non-gratuitous styling, quick and sporty. Its what made the 3 into the icon that it is today. This is more of a 3 series than the current E90/E92/E93. Its perfectly brilliant for its intended purpose.

Damn… this car is really going to kick some ass!

Sure it’s stubby.. but I think it looks amazing considering the awkward hatchback they built it on! I’d definitely consider one if priced against the Audi A3 and Volvo C30.

This is exactly what the WRX/STI should have been: a compact turbo coupe with an upscale interior. Throw in the handling of Subie’s AWD, and their awesome reliability record, and they would have had no competition. Subaru was blind, or scared, or both. Now, BMW has jumped in and it will have this segment all to itself. How many they sell of this beauty will only be a question of how they price it.

I like this car, but I just don’t think BMW can price it right. At $35,000 it would be competing with so much great stuff from Japan, and even America, that it would be a tough sell. Yes it would be a REAL BMW but it would be a really SMALL BMW that would be at the low end on the practicality scale. At best it would be a rich man’s toy in the USA. if it were priced lower say 25 to 28,000 then many more people could own a new BMW but they would be a group of people who are used to Honda and Toyota Quality and reliability and, I know it’s hard to hear for all the BMW heads out there, BMW just can’t touch Honda or Toyota quality, (heck, even Toyota is having a hard time keeping their quality up, and they concentrate on it!) This car will likely be quite a bit smaller than a 3 series which means the back seat will be just about useless. (The back seat of the current 3 series is harder to get into than a 2004 Sentra!, and almost impossible to get out of with any amount of grace) I do like the idea of this car, but with the BMW’s corporate EGO they will price it too high, and that’s a shame.

What gives people the idea that this car is good looking? It’s the most bland car I’ve ever seen. Powerful engine or not, the car still has to look good for me to want to buy it. If you want a sub 30k performance car that looks good, buy a solstice gxp.

Mr. V-Series I agree with you completely. There is absolutely nothing in this design which is remotely interesting nor very attractive. I’m sure it’ll be a great drivers car, but as far as how it looks, I see no possibility for appeal.

Not bad in the looks department, considering Bangle’s previous efforts. Back end is actually quite nice. Will go like hell.

HURRY UP WITH THAT Z10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Front looks exactly like old model 3 series, back is totally uninspiring. WTF???

this car looks waaay too conservative. it should please the bimmer fans who has been b!tching about bangle’s styling. the front end looks like the previous generation bmw.

UGLY but im sure it will be fast

=========>>ITS A *ONE*SERIES you IDIOTS!! its wasn’t meant to be super flashy like a 3or5series because its the ENTRY LEVEL car! that’s common sense people, think Bfore you go bashing something….this car looks really good..if it were to satisfy yall how would they put all them cuts and curves and eye candy w/o driving the price up??? think before yall bash stuff people….*ESPECIALLY* Vdub and Veda

Veda. the 1 series is based on the E46 3 series

EGGcellent. Rock on, BMW.

very cool car if priced right, in the mid 20’s I will def consider buying one. But Im not sure if this is the 135, I thought the M version of this model was be feature the turbocharged unit?

The big question is ‘will we see a 135 in the US’? That will hopefully be answered if we see a 135 – not a 130 – being tested in CA and death valley at the end of the summer.

Something within my gut tells me that this will replace my deplored Legacy GT. I love the size and the fact that it is non-descript. With the right engine this will be a slippy little Q-car.

Fromes, typically the M division builds their own engines and uses NA engines in the US. A 1M using a non-M motor would be out of character for BMW. If BMW doesnt build a new engine for the 1M they will take a tuned version of the e46 M3 or Z4M. The mainstream TT engine in a 1M is possible but not probable.

truong, the 1 series has nothing to do with the E46 3 series, the 1 series is based on the E90 3 series. How is it that people come in here bent on posting things that are totally wrong? Do you just like posting bull**** that you’re made up off the top of your head or something?

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/about/news/0,,1156___,00.html

the 135i will get 30 mpg??

that is 30mpg on the british system, they use the larger imperial gallon…

the hatch looks a lot more better.

Odd looking front but overall nicely done, M, possibly?

UGLY, UGLY, UGLY.

Front too vertical, headlights too big, side-drooping lower door area (which doesn’t follow the upper door crease) is a joke, and the rear end looks like a Hyundai Accent.

I don’t care if it drives faster than a Ferrari, that is one ugly car.

The lines seem to sag a bit taking away from a sense of power or athleticism. It’s still a cute car but BMW has gone a bit far left in terms of styling for my tastes. It looks like they were trying too hard to make a nice looking car. They went too far and it doesn’t look quite right on such a small car.

I like the styling, because it reminds of nothing else on the road today, which is what BMW is good at. The E46s and E36s may have been cleaner looking, but they were pretty generic. The E30 is what a kid would draw if he were asked to draw a car: three boxes. And yes, I know that I named all 3 series.

With regard to the price, $35,000 is about right. BMW usually prices its cars so that the top of the line of each series, M’s exclusive, overlaps the price of the entry level model in the next series up. So if a well-optioned 328i is at about $33,000, low 30’s wouldn’t be irrational for this car, as long as the build quality is there.

why’d they always gotta FACK up the tail lights

UGLY, UGLY, UGLY.

Front too vertical, headlights too big, side-drooping lower door area (which doesn’t follow the upper door crease) is a joke, and the rear end looks like a Hyundai Accent.

I don’t care if it drives faster than a Ferrari, that is one ugly car.

Comment by Impulsive

I agree with you. I’d buy this car if its significantly cheaper than the 3 series and based on the fact that it will be lighter with plenty of oomph. But the final design makes me sick to my stomach. Like all other BMW’s. Except the X5. But its a start. The concept C5 has plenty of promise for the next generation of BMW’s.

Not sure if I like the back end, the front looks good though. Regardless, it’ll be a good drive I’m sure, and if I was in the market for a new car I’d certainly consider this above most else in the price range. the 135i should be insane, what with its combination of low weight and huge power

I don’t think it’s ugly, just non-descript. Kind of like the original 2002, handsome in its simplicity. I also don’t think the photos are showing off the swollen well arches and how Bangle’s flame surfacing bends light.

My concern is the ride with the run flat tires and spending $35,000 for a Golf sized car.

That’s a legitamite point on the runflats, they should be entirely optional. However trying to compare size to price is foolish. If you can’t understand how a small 4 seat BMW costs in the 30’s, how will you ever understand a Ferrari, SL500 or any of the other dozens of smaller cars that cost 2-5 times this price?

Understood. Is a $35,000 1-series that much better than a Volkswagen R-32 which is $5,000 less? The difference gets more convoluted, when comparing a Lotus Exige/Elise to just about any other sports car.
It all comes down to what one values most.

If I had to guess US 1 series prices based on the differences between 3 and 5 series & between models within the each line they would be something like this:
A 128 at ~$27k, 135 at ~$32K, 128 soft top at ~$35K and a 135 soft top at ~$39k.

The car looks even worse than I thought after having seen more photos from another site. From the rear, the straight shoulder lines flow back into the rear and look horrible, especially when presented alongside the lower door’s sag lines. The interior shows a strip of silver trim that runs across the dash in a gentle arc that isn’t centered over a symmetrically designed centre console. Horrid.

I’m glad they’re releasing it, but I prefer the boxy styling of the E30 to this.

It will definitely sell to American customers, I see BMW dosen’t waste any time in between models…..

Lookswise, a Solstice, Sky, or Miata leaves this POS in the dust. Quality-wise too.

i like the looks of the convertible, this thing is hot

I agree ricardo head, id take a solstice or sky of=ver this any day

a nautral variant, tho i’d prefer a coupe.

RicardoHead: I disagree, with a 300 hp twin turbo six and a stick, the 135i coupe would be my preference any day of the week over either of the 3 you mentioned. Though of those 3, a Mazda MX-5 comes closest to taking my vote.

Looks like an Accent / old Elantra convertible to me. I’m not looking forward to seeing Toronto flooded with these.

That’s bad ass. I want one.

Zo6ified:

It’s still a BMW, not a datsun or a toyota

amg55: how do you say “kei car” in german?

So much better looking than the abortion that the 3-series has become.

I think the target buyers for this and the 3-series would be totally different. The 3 has become so expensive, large, and overengineered, it’s now a full blown luxury car, not entry-level anymore.

This will appeal to guys making 60 or 70k a year.

nasty. looks like a giant guppy

at least it isnt as ugly as the 5 series or the X3., perhaps the ugliest cars of this decade so far

http://www.baracar.com/images%5Cclients%5C1530pic1.jpg

It’s awesome. Can’t wait to see the actual pricing and options. I’ve aways liked the 3 series, but they just keep getting bigger and bigger. So this is a logical step to build something that goes back to the 3 series roots. It’s just evolution my friends. Comparing this to a 318 is just sad and stupid.

jkt

LETS SEE WHAT IT LOOK IN REAL PRODUCTION.

THIS IS WHAT THE 3-SERIES USED TO BE. HAIL THE 1-SERIES! Let’s face it; the 3-series is now as big as the 5-series used to be. The 5-series is a serious sports sedan and focuses on that market segment. The 7-Series remains a huge conveyance for the richest of BMW consumers who crave sport and handling along with lush accomodations and roominess.

I’ve owned previous incarnations of the 3-series (e30, e36, and e46) and also a 735iL (the “long” or stretched body 7-series). So, both ends of the spectrum. I like the 1-series because it reminds me more of my old e30 and e36 3-series models, before the 3-series was supersized.

I like that it’s reminiscent of the previous-model 3-series (the e46). Heck, make it look more like an e36 or e30 while you’re at it, BMW! Give us our cars back; the ones we truly loved and enjoyed. Give us track cars that can function well in everyday life!