by David Finlay (16 Jan 07)

Two and a half years after it was introduced in the UK, the BMW 1-Series will appear in UK showrooms in revised form this spring. Styling upgrades are minor, but there are several mechanical changes, and one model in particular will be the most economical car BMW has ever produced.

This is the 118d turbo diesels, which like most models in the range produces more power than before - the maximum has increased from 122bhp to 143bhp - but also boasts a 19% improvement in combined fuel economy at 60.1mpg, with a corresponding decrease in CO2 emissions to 123g/km. Only the vanishingly rare BMW Hydrogen 7, which barely counts as a production car even though several are being built, beats that CO2 figure.

The 120d is also sturdier than before, with a power increase to 177bhp. The 0-62mph time drops by around half a second, economy is up to 57.6mpg and the CO2 rating falls to 129g/km.

Alongside the diesels there are four petrol engines. The 1.6-litre unit in the 116i is matched only to the five-door bodyshell (all the other cars are available as three-doors too), while the 118i and 120i get new four-cylinder engines with 143bhp and 170bhp respectively.

Top dog in the range remains the 130i, which as before is fitted with the world's lightest six-cylinder production engine found also in larger BMWs. Performance figures remain unchanged, but BMW is now talking of 34.0mpg combined consumption and 197g/km of CO2.

So, more power but better fuel consumption? How does that work? Well, BMW has used the 1-Series revision to introduce its Brake Energy Regeneration system, which has two major advantages. First, it takes power from the alternator only when required, rather than all the time the engine is running; competition cars have used systems like this for some time, and aftermarket kits are available for road cars, but it's unusual for a major manufacturer to offer it as standard.

Second, and more impressively, the system recycles energy which would previously have been lost when the engine is on over-run (in other words, when the brakes are on, or the car is going down a hill) and stores it in an absorbent glass mat battery. Once again, this is common practice in cars using a petrol-electric hybrid system, but not in more conventional vehicles.

With the exception of the 130i, all manual transmission versions of the new 1-Series use an automatic stop-start function to save even more fuel. When the car is brought to a halt and the gearlever put into neutral, the engine is shut down, and restarts again only when the clutch is engaged. This function can be manually switched off if required, but why would you?

Other fuel-saving devices include electric power steering (assistance being provided by an electric motor which chimes in only when required), an air-conditioning power supply that is disconnected from the drivetrain when not in use, and flaps behind the characteristic kidney-shaped grille which close - and thereby help to improve aerodynamic efficiency - when the engine requies only a small amount of airflow.

That grille is larger than before, and this is one of the minor styling changes mentioned previously. The front spoiler has also been redesigned, partly to allow for a larger air intake and partly to give a more sporty look. The controversial headlight cluster remains the same size as before but now has a darker cover, which rather successfully tones down the bug-eyed look of the original 1-Series.

Three-door versions can accommodate either four or five passengers, according to the buyer's choice. In the four-seat version the two rear seats are more sculpted than normal, and are separated by a central storage compartment. A more conventional three-person bench - as found in all five-seat models - is available as a no-cost option.

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