BMW has for the first time shown camouflaged pictures of the upcoming new 1 Series as it goes through the final phase of its testing.
The latest version of the hatchback will be the first with front-wheel-drive and has been put through its paces at the Miramas proving ground in southern France.
With the new layout, BMW claims that the chassis for the 1 Series comes with ‘innovative technologies’ and a ‘cutting edge suspension set-up’, while also claiming that the new version will have greater agility.
xDrive four-wheel drive is also on offer with the next 1 Series, with BMW Group head of dynamics, Peter Langen, saying: “Our customers will directly feel the fast and precise responsiveness that provides for an optimised driving experience. The BMW 1 Series will be a genuine BMW with an individual character.”
BMW has also said that the 1 Series will include newly-developed traction control system first used on the i3s that the firm claims allows for ‘significantly more sensitive and faster control’.
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The German brand confirmed that the 1 Series will boast greater interior space thanks to the new drive setup and lower transmission tunnel – with rear leg and headroom increased by 33mm and 19mm respectively. The boot will also be 20 litres larger at 380 litres.
Set to feature the latest generation of TwinPower turbocharged engines, the top-end version of the 1 Series, the M135i xDrive, will feature a 2.0-litre turbo unit that will develop 302bhp.
Although not yet confirmed, expect to hear more on the new BMW 1 Series later this year.
