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Interior Design

Inside, a combination of typical BMW design features and innovative accents gives the new BMW 1 Series a fresh, youthful and modern feel, with a focus on spaciousness and driving pleasure. Lines and surfaces are dynamic and forward-leaning, with high-quality, precision-finished materials reflecting the model's premium specifications. BMW's characteristic driver-friendliness is apparent in the angled displays and controls in the middle of the instrument panel, and the ergonomic contours of the center console, designed for maximum visibility. The interior surfaces are layered, another innovation which gives the new BMW 1 Series an organic look and feel.

In conjunction with an optional navigation system and the BMW Professional radio, the new BMW 1 Series uses the BMW iDrive system. This comprises a controller on the center console, favourites buttons and a freestanding flatscreen monitor. The 6.5 or 8.8-inch high-resolution control display, which is integrated into the instrument panel, is used for all information, entertainment, telecommunications and navigation functions.

The new BMW 1 Series also offers much more storage space, with large door pockets, two cupholders on the center console, a roomy glove compartment, and a compartment under the armrest. Bottles of up to 1 liter can be fitted into the lower door panel sections.

The optional storage package includes large compartments in the rear doors and nets on the front seatbacks. The 360-liter luggage compartment expands to a maximum of 1,200 liters by lowering the 60/40 split-folding rear seats, giving a flat surface extending all the way to the front seats. The optional through-loading system has 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats.

BMW 1 Series Sport Line

The exclusive new BMW Sport Line and BMW Urban Line of interior and exterior equipment help to show off the high-tech, dynamic facets of the new BMW 1 Series to best advantage.

The BMW Sport Line includes sports seats with specific coverings, leather sports steering wheel with contrasting red stitching, a red keyclasp, adjustable armrests, high-gloss black interior trim and matt coral accent strips. The instruments have specific number and scaling designs. The ambient lighting can be switched between orange and white the inclusion of this feature in the center console and footwell is exclusive to the BMW Sport Line.

Other features of the BMW Sport Line include 16-inch star-spoke light-alloy wheels, black exhaust pipe end trim, and door sill finishers with "BMW Sport" lettering. The kidney bars, the central air intake trim bar, the side intake surrounds and the rear bumper trim are all high-gloss black. Additional options include high-gloss black mirror caps and 17-inch two-tone light-alloy wheels.

Apart from the new BMW Lines, the 2012 BMW 1 Series itself offers additional design and material options. The standard equipment includes satin silver interior trim and Move fabric seats, and among the optional alternatives are additional interior trims and accent panels and Dakota leather seats in a choice of two colors. All upholstery versions are also available for the optional sports seats, and there are currently three standard and five metallic exterior paint colors.

New Generation of Petrol Engines: Dynamic Power Delivery and Excellent Fuel Efficiency

The 2012 BMW 1 Series is currently available with a choice of two latest-generation four-cylinder petrol engines and three radically redesigned four-cylinder diesel units.

The 1.6-liter petrol engines making their debut in the 2012 BMW 116i and 2012 BMW 118i models use BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, consisting of a twin-scroll turbocharger, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC variable valve control and Double-VANOS variable camshaft control.

This is the first time that four-cylinder engines have been fitted with BMW TwinPower Turbo, which represents an exceptionally fuel-efficient way of boosting output. In normally aspirated engines, responsiveness could only be enhanced to the same degree by significantly increasing capacity, and therefore weight and fuel consumption.

The four-cylinder engine of the 2012 BMW 118i, which has an all-aluminum crankcase, has a maximum output of 170 hp at 4,800 rpm, and a maximum torque of 184 lb-ft (250 Nm) at between 1,500 and 4,500 rpm. It is exceptionally responsive, accelerating the car from 0 to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds and on to a maximum speed of 140 mph (225 km/h). Improved efficiency is reflected in combined-cycle fuel consumption of 5.6 to 5.9 liters per 100 kilometers and CO2 emissions of 134 to 137 grams per kilometer (EU test figures, variations due to differences in the tires fitted).

2012 BMW 1 Series Features Optional Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission

The standard six-speed manual petrol and diesel versions of the new BMW 1 Series offer efficient power transmission and precise gear changes.

The BMW 1 Series is also the only compact car also available with the option of an eight-speed automatic transmission, offering fast, smooth gear changes and excellent fuel efficiency. The innovative architecture of its wheel set allows more gears and a better spread of ratios, with barely any increase in weight over the existing six-speed automatic gearbox for the BMW 1 Series.

The unusually high efficiency of the eight-speed automatic transmission means that fitting it to the most powerful new BMW 1 Series models actually results in lower fuel consumption and CO2 figures than with a manual transmission.

The Steptronic function used in the automatic transmission allows gear changes to be initiated manually using the electronic selector lever. A further option is the eight-speed sports automatic transmission, which enables even more dynamic gear changes, and includes shift paddles on the steering wheel.

Perfect Handling

The new BMW 1 Series boasts best-in-class suspension technology, with a double-joint cross-strut front axle with McPherson struts and sway bars, and a five-link rear axle. The high aluminum content of the front axle structure effectively reduces the unsprung mass, while noise levels have also been reduced and crash performance improved.

Both the front and rear axles have double elastic bearings and extra-large bearing blocks for increased comfort and responsiveness. The new BMW 1 Series has a wider track than its predecessor (51 millimeters wider at the front, 72 millimeters wider at the rear), and the almost perfect 50:50 weight distribution helps to translate the dynamic advantages of the rear-wheel drive layout into an exciting and agile ride.

As an alternative to the standard 16-inch wheels, the 2012 BMW 1 Series is also available with 16, 17 and 18-inch light-alloy wheels. Its responsiveness and powerful braking in emergency situations are partly due to DSC Dynamic Stability Control, and the car also has ABS anti-lock braking, DTC Dynamic Traction Control, CBC Cornering Brake Control and DBC Dynamic Braking Control. Other features now include braking assistance, fading compensation, brake drying and hill assist.

DTC mode increases the intervention thresholds of DSC, making it easier to drive on loose sand or deep snow. By allowing slight slippage of the drive wheels, it also facilitates controllable oversteer. DSC Off mode activates the electronic rear axle differential locking system. If either of the drive wheels suffers wheelspin while accelerating through tight bends, brake force is applied to this individually, so that the opposite wheel maintains traction.

High-Quality Standard Features

The 2012 BMW 1 Series offers all the excitement of premium-quality, pioneering technology and exceptional driving pleasure within a compact car, with many superior features as standard and a wide range of attractive options. The driving experience switch, a standard feature located on the central console, tailors the car's settings to the driver's personal tastes, including engine characteristics, DSC driving stability control, optional Servotronic settings and automatic gear change program and dynamics.

COMFORT, SPORT and ECO PRO modes are included as standard. The eight-speed sports automatic, Variable Sport Steering and BMW Sport Line versions also have SPORT+ mode. Cars fitted with the Professional navigation system have a sport display on the control monitor showing real-time engine performance and torque.

The standard equipment of the 2012 BMW 1 Series also includes remote-controlled central locking, height-adjustable driver's and front-seat passenger's seats, electric wing mirrors, electric front and rear windows, BMW Business radio and CD, six speakers and an AUX IN connection, and air conditioning. Options include two-zone automatic air conditioning, electrically adjustable and heated seats, multifunction steering wheel, automatically dimming rear-view and wing mirrors, foglamps, electric sunroof, and towbar with removable ball.

The engine of the 2012 BMW 1 Series can be activated by touching the Start/Stop button as soon as the keyless remote is inside the car, making traditional ignition key insertion redundant. The optional Comfort Access system automatically locks and unlocks the car.

The Professional navigation system includes a hard disk. Individual entertainment features include a DVD changer, DAB receiver, and 360-watt, digitally amplified 12-speaker Harman Kardon hi-fi system.

BMW 118i Sport Line: Photo Gallery, Review (1/2) and Specifications