Wednesday 30th November 2005

BMW 1-Series coupé is go

Lighter, driver-focused M3 successor brewing

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Coupé version on the way

There's going to be a more driver-focused, coupé version of the BMW 1-Series. The hatch and rear doors will go, and the engine will be replaced by a version of the high-revving 2.0-litre four-pot mill that's about to find its way into the 320si that we reported on last week (see link below).

It could be badged as the 120si, according to Autocar, and would be what the magazine called a spiritual successor to the original 200bhp 2.3-litre M3, on the grounds that the M3 has headed so far upmarket -- 343bhp and a starting price of £41,875 -- that there's room for a lighter, more focused vehicle.

The replacement of a bulkhead for the hatch means the chassis will be stiffer -- that's a good thing for handling and dynamics. It's also a good thing for BMW's plan to sell it in the US, where hatchbacks don't go down well, especially from premium manufacturers such as BMW.

And while the putative 120si has been given the green light for production, it's also possible that BMW could plug the 130i's engine into the coupé -- a lightweight 265bhp straight-six would probably suit it well.

• Related story: BMW launches high-revving 320si

[GTRene]

and here it is, the 3 door bmw 1 serie


Its looks are a bit better then the 5 door, so I like this one(3) more and its a bit leighter too, put that with a 343hp engine out the M3 and you've got a fine car, a girlfriend of mine has a black high executive one and its realy a nice car also the styling, go to the bmw shop and look good at it, and it sells good I think.

GTRene

>> Edited by GTRene on Wednesday 30th November 17:42

[blanc]

So not a coupé at all then?

[ubergreg]

That 3-door is much, MUCH nicer than the hideous-looking, saggy-arsed, poorly-packaged 5-door.

From what I understand, BMW have always planned to spin the 1er off into 3-door, coupe, and cabrio bodystyles.

If there is a God, He will hear my prayers and deliver us a 1-series coupe with a pert, wedgy notchback rear.

Amen.

[dezza87]

ubergreg said:

That 3-door is much, MUCH nicer than the hideous-looking, saggy-arsed, poorly-packaged 5-door. From what I understand, BMW have always planned to spin the 1er off into 3-door, coupe, and cabrio bodystyles. If there is a God, He will hear my prayers and deliver us a 1-series coupe with a pert, wedgy notchback rear. Amen.

So without the rear doors it makes it look totally different from the 'hideous-looking, saggy-arsed, poorly-packaged 5-door'. Maybe you meant: 'Look the hideous-looking, saggy-arsed, poorly-packaged 3-door is as ugly as the hideous-looking, saggy-arsed, poorly-packaged 5-door'. perhaps

[ridds]

Lay an Alfa 147 GTA body over that drivetrain and winner.

However, that thing is still ugly looking.

[ubergreg]

dezza87 said:

So without the rear doors it makes it look totally different from the 'hideous-looking, saggy-arsed, poorly-packaged 5-door'. Maybe you meant: 'Look the hideous-looking, saggy-arsed, poorly-packaged 3-door is as ugly as the hideous-looking, saggy-arsed, poorly-packaged 5-door'. perhaps

Nah. The 3-door isn't pretty, but not nearly as nasty as the 5-door (at least to me - aesthetics being the subjective thing that it is). Plus the 5-door gives the false pretense of having adequate room in the back for adults. Which, compared to it's cheaper, better-equipped competitors, it doesn't (what family with small kids would spend 20 large on this?). I like Bimmers, but I hate cynical, poor-value product offerings. At least with a 3-door there's no serious expectation of regularly carrying three or four-up, correct?.

In any case, I eagerly await the coupe. Should be very fine...

[dezza87]

ubergreg said:

dezza87 said: So without the rear doors it makes it look totally different from the 'hideous-looking, saggy-arsed, poorly-packaged 5-door'. Maybe you meant: 'Look the hideous-looking, saggy-arsed, poorly-packaged 3-door is as ugly as the hideous-looking, saggy-arsed, poorly-packaged 5-door'. perhaps Nah. The 3-door isn't pretty, but not nearly as nasty as the 5-door (at least to me - aesthetics being the subjective thing that it is). Plus the 5-door gives the false pretense of having adequate room in the back for adults. Which, compared to it's cheaper, better-equipped competitors, it doesn't (what family with small kids would spend 20 large on this?). I like Bimmers, but I hate cynical, poor-value product offerings. At least with a 3-door there's no serious expectation of regularly carrying three or four-up, correct?. In any case, I eagerly await the coupe. Should be very fine...

fair point there ubergreg but I dont think that BMW will manage to make this car look pretty because nothing about it is.
As for spending 20k on it sod that I would rather pick up the new Focus ST for that with some money left but alas that is a different thread all together.

[bcom tom]

Don't see how in any way that is a coupe!!

still as ugly and overpriced as before, except now with no rear legroom.

[ubergreg]

dezza87 said:

fair point there ubergreg but I dont think that BMW will manage to make this car look pretty because nothing about it is. As for spending 20k on it sod that I would rather pick up the new Focus ST for that with some money left but alas that is a different thread all together.

Alas the cynic in me begrudingly agrees with you that the 1er is fundamentally flawed, aesthetically. I think I’m suffering from ‘bloat fatigue’ after seeing so many formerly svelte models baloon in size.

But a man can hope for at least some more fetching proportions from the coupe, can’t he? Maybe they will be as sucessful with the 1-series coupe as they have with the Z4 coupe?

And not meaning to change the topic either, but that new Focus ST rocks my world - no question.

>> Edited by ubergreg on Wednesday 30th November 15:42

[outnumbered]

Focus ST looks great, doesn't it - good price, good performance, good looks - and I'm sure they'll be considerably rarer than a 1-er as well !

[cdp]

I was hoping for a 3 box coupe not a 3 door hatchback, even if it's better looking than the five door (not hard). The original concept coupe looked quite promising.

I really did like the sound effects on that Focus on TV though. Why don't they resurect XR3i though and do a special "Essex" edition though?

[cdp]

I was hoping for a 3 box coupe not a 3 door hatchback, even if it's better looking than the five door (not hard). The original concept coupe looked quite promising.

I really did like the sound effects on that Focus on TV though. Why don't they resurect XR3i though and do a special "Essex" edition though?

[VSP90]

Lets hope they make it a drivers car which is what the E30 M3 was. In my opinion over the years the M3 has become too expensive, overgrown, and full of pointless gadgets.

[Hendry]

Don't confuse the pics below of the 3-door with the coupe that the piece is about - these are different cars. For a pic of the coupe get Autocar this week, which has a BMW authorised photo.

[outnumbered]

This is it, I assume.



Oh yes, that's much better.


>> Edited by outnumbered on Thursday 1st December 14:22

[Dan]

The words "oh" and "dear" spring to mind.

I'm sure 'ladies of a certain age' will love it. Meaning the 116ci will sell in (relative) droves and everyone will be too embaressed to buy the 130ci

[R988]

Apologies for the extremely crude photoshop but I am supposed to be on holiday and the source material wasn't exactly fantastic, but if BMW employed me I would make the M1 Coupe look more like this, drop the far too high waste line and miniscule glasshouse (probably some bolloxed safety requirement ), add in some subtle muscular M styling and it would be a winner not a dogs dinner. Offer choices of a musclar six (ala E30 325i) and a super lightweight high revving four cylinder as a pure drivers car/track day special like the original M3. Maybe a turbo version for the tunaholics (2002 Turbo throwback ) and a limited editon V8 for the nutters, ok they will probably leave that to Hartge or someone else, but still...

[danp]

Where has this "official" picture of the 1 series coupé come from ? Surely if it was BMW it would have been seen elsewhere, autocar seem cagey about the source.

If it was leaked (or even "official" ) I'm suprised that BMW have produced such glamour (press) shots of a model that is not expected till end 2007 / 2008 ?

>> Edited by danp on Sunday 4th December 07:34

>> Edited by danp on Sunday 4th December 07:35