When BMW revealed the BMW 1 Series Sedan, their most compact sedan was intended to be sold exclusively in China. However, it appears that other markets will soon have a chance to purchase this car as BMW officially launched the 1 Series sedan in Mexico.
Also a left-hand drive (LHD) market, Mexico will have two variants of the 1 Series Sedan on sale, the 118i and 120i. The entry level sedan is powered by a familiar B38A 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine pushing out 136 hp and 220 Nm of twist. The 120i variant gets a B48 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol offering 192 hp and 280 Nm of torque.
All variants of the 1 Series Sedan feature an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission to send drive exclusively to the front wheels. Yes, ladies and gents, the 1 Series Sedan has a front-wheel-drive layout. That’s because the compact sedan sits on BMW Group’s UKL platform that underpins all MINI models and the X2. The future 1 Series hatch will too, be front-wheel driven. So, if you like your car’s rear-wheel drive, better snatch up that 118i M Sport before it’s too late.
Visually, BMW has done a great job in giving the 1 Series Sedan a look that is independent of its larger F30 3 Series sibling. However, the elongated 1 Series is only available in the Sport line, spotting a more docile bumper design, 17-inch alloy wheels, black wing mirror caps and dual exhaust outlets.
Inside, the cabin is very familiar to the F30 – BMW iDrive system, keyless entry, leather upholstery, keyless entry and start, dual-zone automatic climate control, multifunctional steering wheel with paddle shifters and analogue instrument cluster display.
Being a sedan, the 1 Series is adequately practical with 425 litres of boot space and a split folding rear bench in a 40:20:40 ratio. Mexico bound 1 Series Sedan will also get a smart boot access that allows owners to release the boot lid by a kicking gesture under the rear bumper.
At the moment, BMW has no plans to introduce the 1 Series sedan in other LHD markets like Germany and USA, presumably the low uptake rate for sedan vehicles in said markets. The company also did not reveal any plans on penetrating right-hand drive markets with the BMW 1 Series Sedan.
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BMW 1 Series Sedan in Mexico
BMW 1 Series Sedan in China
