The all-new BMW 1 Series launched

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The circle is finally complete. BMW has finally launched its latest 1 series and looks set to make things a lot more interesting in the hothatch segment. There’s 5 price tags to choose from when it comes to the 1 series; the base spec 116i and 2 trim levels each for the 118i and the 125i. What everyone wants to know is, is it good enough to take on some serious competition from Audi, Mercedes, VW and Volvo? Let’s find out;-

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Design

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Corporate designs are good. They give a sense of connection and continuity from one model to the next. It’s like one sausage compared to another sausage. But in the case of the 1, the fascia looks a little … overwhelming, most conspicuously, the front headlamps. In most cases, I suppose it’s fine but in the case of the 2nd generation 1, the headlamp size is contrasted with the rather smallish BMW kidney grille and for the headlamps to appear larger than the grille makes the whole front look less elegant compared to other BMW makes.

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On display was a 125i M Sport which comes with an all-round bodykit that projects a meaner front and everyone felt it was much nicer compared to the regular 1s. Not surprising since below the grille is a large gapping air intake ‘mouth’ which takes away the focus from the headlamps to a more pronounced center. There, now you know what’s wrong with the front so if you’re looking to get a ride that everyone looks at, tick the M Performance Aerodynamic package. Unfortunately, this will cost more and compared to some of its competitors which looked fine without any kits, it’s quite a set-back. All variants will feature XENON headlights and front indicators are positioned inside the inner light rings of the twin headlights. The side indicators are now integrated into the exterior side mirrors which gives the car a premium and dynamic expression.

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Visually in front, the 118i Sport differs from its more affordable siblings by having high-gloss black kidney grilles, air inlets and side window frames.

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 Measuring 4,320mm in length, 1,770mm in width and 1,421mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,690mm, the 1 series have grown by 85mm longer and 17mm wider while its wheelbase is 30mm longer. Compared to the A class, it’s longer (4,292mm), slightly thinner (1,780mm) and it has a shorter wheelbase (2,699mm).

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Rims are the standard differentiating point for all variants and in the case of the 1 Series, the 116i has 17″ Y-spoke light-alloy wheels while the 118i Urban line gets V-spoke of the same size. The 118i Sport and 125i Sport gets 17″ Star-spoke style wheels and the 125i M Sport will feature 18″ M-style Star-spoke light alloys.

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Lightbars are the norm nowadays for rear tail lamps and it’s the same for the 1 Series. With a minimalistic design, two crease lines can be found on the boot which makes the car look lower viewed from behind.

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Those looking for customizing their 1 Series further can do so with the the BMW M Performance package which gives you 19” BMW M Performance Double-spoke light alloy wheels with four-colour M logo, BMW M Performance rear spoilers and fins, and BMW M Performance top stripes on the bonnet, roof and rear in a choice of black or white. Money can settle everything.

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Performance

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5 variants, 2 engines; The 116i, 118i Urban and 118i Sport uses a new 1.6litre TwinPower Turbo twin-scroll with EfficientDynamics, Valvetronic, Double VANOS and High Precision Injection engine that kicks up 136hp @ 4,400rpm with a torque of 220Nm from 1,350rpm for the 116i and 170hp @ 4,800rpm with 250Nm from the same low 1,350rpm range for the 118i variants. The 125i Sport and 125i M Sport meanwhile has a 2.0litre TwinPower Turbo engine under its hood that serves 218hp @ 5,000rpm and 310Nm @ 1,350rpm.

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Paired to a 8-speed automatic gearbox, sprinting to the century mark is done in 8.7seconds for the 116i and 118i while BMW claims the 125i will beat other luxury marques competitors in the drag race with its 6.2 seconds record (The Mercedes A250 does it in 6.6 seconds while the Audi A1 Sportback trails behind at 9 seconds). Of course, comparison with the Golf GTi and Volvo V40 is unavoidable although whether they can be qualified as a luxury marque is debatable. The GTi sprints 0-100kph in 6.5 seconds while V40 T5 crosses the mark in 6.9 seconds which still loses out to the 125i. Top speed for the 116i and 118i is 21okph. The 125i climbs to 222kph.

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Ride and Handling

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The Ultimate Driving Machine DNA is again demonstrated in the 1 series with its 50/50 front-rear weight distribution. With it being the only rear-wheel drive in the segment, it should prove to be an interesting drive if the car’s stability controls can be permanently switched off for some sideways fun.

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125i M Sport will have M sport suspension.

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Cabin Convenience

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Everything is tightly cozy inside.  Germans are fastidious when it comes to ergonomics and within the 1 Series cabin, you’ll find everything you’ll ever need to operate the car laid out to you in a neat and logical manner.  There is a freestanding Control Display and the iDrive operating system is standard for all variants. The 1 Series will also feature the BMW ConnectedDrive system which offers in-car vehicle connectivity via USB and Bluetooth (for phones and audio streaming) as well as BMW’s Live, a web-based mobility services that can be accessed via your smartphone. BMW Apps can also be accessed via a menu through a smartphone which provides direct connection to web radio, Facebook and Twitter.

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For audio entertainment, it is equipped with BMW Radio Professional with a 6.5″ monitor. 125i Sport and 125i M Sport will include a HiFi loudspeaker system with 7 speakers. In addition, the top of the line M Sport will also come with the BMW Navigation System Professional, displayed on a glossy 8.8″ monitor.

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At the back, you’ll find rear air conditioning vents and surprisingly rear legroom is quite good for a car this size. My knees barely scrap the front seats after adjusting the front to my 178cm height. The only bad thing about sitting at the back is the upright seating position which is quite common for cars of this segment.

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Boot space is a respectable 360litres and will go up to 1,200litres once the rear seats are folded down. Interesting enough, the battery is found under the boot floor so a repair kit is likely what you’ll get in case of emergency flats.

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Those going for the BMW M Performance package includes an Alcantara steering wheel with carbon trims and race display with integrated race computer, and a BMW M Performance carbon gearshift lever with Alcantara gaiter.  Coupled with the BMW M Performance pedal covers and footrest in stainless steel, drivers get to experience an incomparable drive and sporty expression in the all new BMW 1 Series. The BMW M Performance package is priced based on the choice of add-ons to the all-new BMW 1 Series.

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Ownership and Maintenance

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All variants of the all- new BMW 1 Series except the BMW 116i include the BMW Service and Repair Inclusive (BS+RI) service program. Retail prices (on the road, without insurance) for the cars are:

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                      BMW 116i                      –                  RM 170,800.00      

                      BMW 118i Sport         –                  RM 190,800.00

                      BMW 118i Urban       –                  RM 190,800.00

                      BMW 125i Sport         –                  RM 238,800.00

                      BMW 125i M Sport    –                  RM 253,800.00

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All models are CKD except for the 125i range.

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Expensive? Not quite. For the price, you’re getting a few nifty features that is never seen before in the segment:-

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• The only rear wheel drive configuration
• 8 speed gearbox (which promises better fuel economy. 116i & 118i returns 5.8l/100km)
• Perfect 50/50 weight distribution for the ultimate driving feel

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The pricing strategy itself pretty interesting. In case you didn’t notice, the 116i comes in as the most affordable luxury compact hatch in the country, undercutting the Audi A1 Sportback (RM179,900) and the Merc A200 (RM198,800). Heck, it’s even cheaper than the Volvo V40 T4 (RM173,888) and this gives anyone thinking of buying a Golf MK 7 TSi the opportunity to step into the world of BMW.

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Of course, being labeled ‘cheap’ is not something a marque like BMW would like to be associated with so on the other end of the spectrum, you have the most powerful, fastest-to-reach-100kph 125i Sport which ties with the A250 in terms of price. The 125i M Sport on the other hand is to cater to those who seek individualism and uniqueness without falling into the appeal of the 3-series as its price encroaches into that area. As for the 118is, it’s there as a suitable in-between model between the bare bones 116i and the top-spec 125i. It’ll also give those other luxury contenders something to chew on instead of just handing the segment with a little bit more budget to them.

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The only thing that is stopping it from becoming a hot seller is for those interested to come up with the money and appreciating its looks which arguably ,may not be anyone’s cup of tea …. or sausage.

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