BMW 1 Series Details Emerge; 2 Series Gran Tourer To Be Axed?

Audi is not the only premium marque on the verge of refreshing its compact five-door hatch with the new A3 Sportback as BMW is also putting the finishing touches on a literally all-new 1 Series. It's a known fact by now Bavaria's entry-level car will eschew the traditional rear-wheel-drive platform for a FWD setup, and now a new report sheds some light about the car's underpinnings.

Riding on an updated UKL platform that will go by the name of FAAR, the new BMW 1 Series will be making the switch from RWD to FWD in a bid to give the people what they really want. According to Autocar, internal studies conducted by BMW have shown customers want a roomier and more comfortable interior rather than a more exciting drive. Ditching the rear propshaft and adopting a simpler rear arrangement will allow BMW to free up more space inside the cabin.

There's another reason why BMW is making this big change as it will bring down production costs by as much as €660 ($741) for each built vehicle. Further savings will be achieved by sharing more and more parts with other models from BMW and also from Mini. The money saved will be put to good use into the development of electric cars and autonomous driving systems.

Regular versions of the 2020 BMW 1 Series are expected to include an 118i with a three-cylinder 1.5-liter rated at 138 horsepower and 162 pound-feet (220 Newton-meters) of torque, followed by a four-cylinder 2.0-liter with 187 hp & 206 lb-ft (280 Nm) in the 120i. The same mill, but configured to develop 221 hp & 228 lb-ft (310 Nm), will be installed in the 125i, while in the 130i it will push out 261 hp and 280 lb-ft (380 Nm).

On the diesel side, the 1 Series will boast a 2.0-liter producing 148 hp in the 118d, 187 hp in the 120d, and as much as 228 hp and 368 lb-ft (500 Nm) in the M135dX. No word just yet about possible base 116i and/or 116d models.

Sitting on top of the range will be a gasoline-fed M130iX with a 302-hp variant of the 2.0-liter engine hooked up to a standard xDrive arrangement as seen in the X2 M35i small crossover. With BMW ruling out M versions of front-wheel-drive-based cars, the next 1 Series is unlikely to get the full-fat M treatment.

Due to be sold only as a five-door hatchback, the 1 Series with its FAAR platform will pave the way for other models riding on the updated underpinnings. These include a first-ever 2 Series Gran Coupe and the next generation of the 2 Series Active Tourer minivan, but without its Gran Tourer sibling. It is believed the seven-seat version won't be renewed, although nothing is official at this point. The two minivans generated combined sales of more than 10,000 units in 2018, so these aren't exactly strong sellers for BMW.

Even though the 1 Series hasn't been getting a lot of attention in recent years, it's of great importance for BMW. Last year, the five-door version was the company's best-selling car, followed closely by the 3 Series Sedan, the 5 Series Sedan, and the X1.

The revamped 1 Series is expected to premiere in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, although an online reveal could occur a few days or weeks sooner.