BMW has announced three new engines and an M Sports package for the five-door 1 Series hatch - most of which will be available in South Africa from around mid-year.
All the new engines - one petrol and two diesels - have TwinPower turbos, as well as various EfficientDynamics technologies to make them even cleaner and greener, even though the two-litre petrol 125i and diesel 125d are actually more powerful than their respective predecessors.
The four-cylinder 125i (due for SA release in July) boasts a twin-scroll turbooharger, high-pressure direct fuel-injection, variable valve control and variable valve timing.
BMW quotes 160kW at 5000rpm and 310Nm from 1350-4800rpm, good enough to push the BMW's five-door hatch from 0-100 in 6.4 seconds and on to 245km/h, while averaging 6.6 litres per 100km and 154g of CO2 per kilometre.
Illustrating how today's hot diesels have closed the gap on their spark-ignition siblings, the new 125d (probably here in July but not confirmed yet) kicks out 10kW more than the previous 123d, delivering the same power as the 125i at only 4400rpm, and a stump-pulling 450Nm (50Nm better than the 123d) from 1500-2500rpm.
According to the Blue Propeller Boykies, 0-100 is disposed of in 6.5 seconds and top speed is 240km/h (practically identical to the 125d) while claimed fuel consumption is way lower at 4.9 litres per 100km and CO2 emissions are 129g/km.
But the new 1 Series clean-air champion is the 116d EfficientDynamics Edition (which is not, unfortunately, coming to South Africa) at 3.8 litres per 100km and 99g/km of CO2, thanks to optimised engine efficiency, careful aerodynamic tweaks and low rolling-resistance tyres.
Its 1.6-litre turbodiesel produces a conservative 85kW at 4000rpm and 260Nm from 1750-2500rpm; performance is brisk rather than exciting with the 0-100 sprint requiring 10.5 seconds, while the 116d runs out of puff at 195km/h.
But it's worth bearing in mind that it will probably cost less to run than a scooter of similar performance.
If it's performance you're after, there's the M Sports package (available from March, 2012 production), starting with shorter, stiffer springs, uprated dampers and thicker, stiffer anti-roll bars. The comined effect is to lower the ride height by 10mm which, combined with the longer wheelbase and wider track of the new 1 Series, gives a flatter, very planted (if somewhat harsh) ride.
An extra-cost option with the M Sports package (except for the 125i and 125d) is uprated brakes with 430mm lightweight composite discs and aluminium multi-piston fixed calipers finished in dark metallic blue with the M logo, inside 17” or 18” double-spoked alloy rims.
The M Sports package also includes a full body kit, the BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line and (if you ask for it) a new metallic blue paint available only with this package.
The interior is trimmed in a dark grey alcantara/fabric mix with blue contrast stitching on the sports seats, matt blue or gloss black accents and hexagon-finish aluminium trim strips. The leather-trimmed steering wheel with multifunction buttons, footrest and gearshift are all M-catalogue items.