BMW nail formula 1 series

Next time you’re sitting at the traffic lights, take a look around. The chances are that within spitting distance you’ll see a host of hatchbacks from the bargain basement models to the well-known names from the mass production manufacturers.

In amongst them there’s a good chance there will be one with more perceived status than the rest, a BMW badge on the front and a satisfied owner behind the wheel.

The 1 Series has been with us for only ten years but it feels a lot longer because it’s become so well established, especially here in Scotland where sales have always been a healthy part of the 35,000 or so taking to British roads each year to make up the two million which have been sold since it first appeared.

The sharp-eyed will soon be spotting the latest incarnation which builds on the successful formula with some subtle design changes both inside and out. But importantly under the surface there are a range of new power units and even more of BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology fitted as standard.

The car’s distinctive profile has been kept pretty much the same with its set-back passenger compartment, long bonnet and short overhangs. At the front there’s a new lower apron with larger air intakes, reshaped kidney grille and new headlamps with LED daytime driving lights as standard across the range.

At the rear, there are new and bigger tail lamps following the familiar ‘L’ shape design but now with intense LED technology.

Inside, it’s still clearly a BMW with its clean and clutter-free dash but with some tweaks to the design and the materials used, including new seat cover fabric.

From September production onwards, the 1 Series will come with navigation as standard to make BMW the first manufacturer to offer cars from the compact segment all the way through to large luxury vehicles with navigation fitted at no extra cost.

The iDrive operating system is also standard so all new 1 Series models will have a freestanding, 6.5-inch display with the controller wheel on the centre console.

Under the bonnet, the range of new engines have cut fuel consumption by up to 12 per cent but with more power and sharper response.

At the top of the petrol range  remains the formidable M135i with its turbocharged straight-six engine. Power has been increased in the new model to 326hp, with peak torque  of 332lb/ft to give a 0-62mph time of just five seconds, but still returning 35mpg. It’s not a full-blown M version, but it has been considerably tweaked to get the most from the three-litre  engine. I loved the lively performance and its sure-footedness around the bends bolstered by a beautiful rasp from the large twin exhausts at the back end.