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The 1-series coupe must be the most scooped model of recent months?
It certainly has had its fair share of sightings. The countdown continues, though, and these barely disguised shots taken at the Nurburgring reveal the 1-series coupe's finished look two weeks ahead of its official debut on 1 July. The sleek new two-door is designed to broaden the appeal of the 1-series range, whose three- and five-door sales have lagged behind expectations.
BMW is the past master of stretching each model line in multiple directions to fill every available niche; it now hopes to 'do a 3-series' with the 1-series, and spin off a full range of bodystyles, of which this coupe is first.
These photos really show off the 1-series' lines to full effect
The coupe gains a more elegant silhouette than the oddly proportioned hatchback, whose familiar styling remains at the front and side, with overly large headlights and the middle-age paunch cutline on the door sills. The notchback rear end houses a good-sized boot, but don’t expect anyone over the age of 10 to squeeze into the back seats in comfort.
Due to launch at the Los Angeles Motor Show signifying the importance of the North American market, the coupe will be closely followed by the cabriolet version. A fabric folding roof and even less rear seat space mark out the drop-top, a direct descendant of BMW's 2002 CS1 concept that caused such a stir.
Ok, we’ve got 1-series hatchbacks, coupes and convertibles. That’s all, right?
Come on, this is BMW we’re talking about. Predictably, it's still considering an M1 version based on the coupe. The most obvious power source would be a lightly fettled version of the 3.2-litre six from the outgoing M3, with a raucous 343bhp. Seeing as the current 1-series line-up will continue on sale until 2011, the M1 project is sounding more feasible by the day.
Beyond 2011, expect the next-gen 1-series replacement to change significantly. New additions on the drawing board include a basic two-seater roadster badged Z1, a coupe/estate crossover, and even an all-new X1 crossover with a shark-nose design showcased by the recent CS concept.
What engines will be in the One coupe?
Three new 2.0 diesels are expected, offering a choice of 143bhp, 177bhp or a twin-turbo 204bhp depending on the size of your wallet. Petrol variants will come initially in 2.0 and 3.0-litre form, packing 170bhp or 272bhp respectively. Beyond that, light-pressure turbocharging for the petrol units is being discussed, as seen in the 306bhp 335i.
Prices for the coupe are estimated to command a £1000-£1500 premium over the current five-door hatch. Historically, BMW likes to introduce a new range with the more powerful engines first, so a basic 120i coupe should be yours for just under £21,000.
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