BMW’s 1-Series model has proved to be a fairly successful vehicle since it was first launched in 2004. Now at the age of seven, it’s getting its first full makeover, which involves an all-new platform and new engines. To go along with its new mechanical elements, the 2012 1-Series has also been restyled to better fit with BMW’s latest designs.
If you thought the original 1-Series had controversial looks, then the 2012 model takes it up a notch. Viewed from the rear there isn’t a considerable difference – despite the fact the two cars don’t share a single body panel or styling detail. The taillights have been redesigned, and they now sit just below the bottom of the rear window – instead of touching it as they did on the 1st gen model. The rear bumper has been tweaked, and it now has an inset strip which sits just below the license plate. Other than that, the rear has been given slightly softer lines than its predecessor.
Up front is where the obvious changes have occurred. The headlights and grille of the 2012 BMW 1-Series are oddly disproportionate and mismatched. It looks like what happens when someone tries to graft a late model front end onto an older car. Although if BMW’s only aim was to make the 1-Series fit better with the rest of their lineup after the transition from the Bangle-era, then job done.
The 2012 1-Series is built on BMW’s latest platform, codenamed the F20, the same platform will also be used on the new 3-Series when it appears next year. So with BMW’s chassis engineers being the geniuses they are are, and the two models being so important to the company, you can bet it’ll be a joy to drive.
The new chassis gives the 2012 BMW 1-Series an ever-so-slightly larger footprint than the old model. The 2012 five-door hatch model is 85 mm (3.3 inches) longer, 17 mm (0.7 inches) wider, and it has a 30 mm (1.2 inches) longer wheelbase. The front and rear track has been increased by 51 mm (2 inches) and 72 mm (2.8 inches) respectively. Despite growing outward the new One-er hasn’t grown upward, and the height remains unchanged at 1,421 mm (56 inches).
The interior of the 2012 BMW 1-Series has been given the same treatment of the exterior. That is to say, instead of starting with a blank sheet, the designers have given the interior a familiar feel in which previous 1-Series owners will immediately be accustomed to. The interior is all new, but it’s laid out in the same logical way as the old 1-Series. The most noticeable changes are the new dashboard panels and glove-box lid which are finished in a contrasting color to the rest of the interior, and the omission of old car’s single dash insert which ran from the center console across to the passenger side of the dashboard. Everything else, the climate controls, navigation screen, entertainment system, iDrive interface, a/c vents etc, etc are all in the same place, but with a slightly more contemporary design.
When the car goes on sale, depending on where you live, there are five different power plants. Power outputs range from 116 hp up to 184 hp, with both gasoline and diesel models available. A six-speed manual gearbox is the standard transmission for all models, BMW’s new 8-speed auto is optional.
Below are the five models on offer and their specifications for Europe:
BMW 118i: Four-cylinder in-line petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of twin-scroll turbocharger, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC and Double-VANOS variable valve control.
- Capacity: 1, 598 cc, output: 125 kW/170 hp at 4,800 rpm,
- Maximum torque: 250 Nm at 1,500 – 4,500 rpm,
- Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 7.4 seconds,
- Maximum speed: 225 km/h – 140mph
- Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 5.8 – 5.9 litres/100 kilometres,
- CO2 emissions*: 134 – 137 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.
BMW 116i: Four-cylinder in-line petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of twin-scroll turbocharger, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC and Double-VANOS variable valve control.
- Capacity: 1,598 cc, output: 100 kW/136 hp at 4, 400 rpm,
- Maximum torque: 220 Nm at 1,350 – 4, 300 rpm,
- Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 8.5 seconds,
- Maximum speed: 210 km/h -130mph,
- Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 5.5 – 5.7 litres/100 kilometres,
- CO2 emissions*: 129 – 132 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.
BMW 120d: Four-cylinder in-line diesel engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of variable-geometry turbocharger, common-rail magnetic-valve direct injection (max. injection pressure: 1,800 bar).
-Capacity: 1,955 cc, output: 135 kW/184 hp at 4, 000 rpm,
- Maximum torque: 380 Nm at 1,750 – 2, 750 rpm,
- Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 7.2 seconds,
- Maximum speed: 228 km/h – 142mph,
- Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 4.5 – 4.6 litres/100 kilometres,
- CO2 emissions*: 119 – 122 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.
BMW 118d: Four-cylinder in-line diesel engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of variable-geometry turbocharger, common-rail, magnetic-valve direct injection (max. injection pressure: 1,600 bar).
- Capacity: 1,955 cc, output: 105 kW/143 hp at 4,000 rpm,
- Max. torque: 320 Nm at 1,750 – 2, 500 rpm,
- Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 8.9 seconds,
- Maximum speed: 212 km/h – 132mph
- Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 4.4 – 4.5 litres/100 kilometres,
- CO2 emissions*: 115 – 118 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.
BMW 116d: Four-cylinder in-line diesel engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of variable-geometry turbocharger with common-rail, magnetic-valve direct injection (max. injection pressure: 1,600 bar),
- Capacity: 2.0 litre, output: 85 kW/116 hp at 4,000 rpm,
- Maximum torque: 260 Nm at 1,750 – 2,500 rpm,
- Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 10.3 seconds,
- Maximum speed: 200 km/h – 214mph
- Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 4.3 – 4.5 litres/100 kilometres,
- CO2 emissions*: 114 – 117 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.
* EU test figures, variations due to differences in the tyres fitted
Source: BMW
