Frankfurt Show 2011 Highlights: 2012 BMW 1-Series


The roomier, higher-quality BMW 1-series was shown off at Frankfurt motor show today. The model goes on sale this month and is expected to launch a strong challenge to the Audi A3 and new Mercedes-Benz A-class.

Developed on the same platform architecture as the new 3-series, the 1-series will appear first as a five-door hatch. It will be followed by a new three-door early next year, and will eventually spawn a new generation of up to six model variants.

The most striking feature of the new 1-series, codenamed F20, is its dramatic styling. It maintains the lineage of the outgoing model, which shocked the automotive world with its audacious look.

Significantly, that styling has proved to be a huge hit with customers. Production has stretched to more than a million units since 2004, and sales in the UK hit 32,000 last year, half of which were five-door hatches.

The new 1-series was created under design chief Adrian van Hooydonk, since promoted to BMW Group design head, and takes advantage of the 1-series’ rear-drive proportions to push the cabin further back over the rear axle and extend forward a dominant bonnet.

Most dramatic is the front-end styling, which adopts a flavour of the shark-nose treatment that has featured on recent concepts. The reinterpreted kidney grille leans forward slightly, and next to it the large, angular headlamps are recessed under ‘eyebrows’ to add texture to the front-end styling.

Thanks to: AutocarF

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