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By
EWAN KENNEDY
11 June 2007
It comes as no surprise that the BMW 1 Series has been a hit in
Australia. Its combination of handling, prestige and styling have proven
irresistible to those willing and able to spend over $35,000 for a small
car.
Now the BMW 1 Series has received a midlife
makeover that should add further appeal. The front has been given
a new look, with the latest theme in the famed kidney grille and
new clear headlights, it is still very obviously BMW in its shape.
At the back, the bumper has been reshaped to a squarer format and
the lights have received a brighter appearance. New colours and
wheel designs are on offer.
Inside, the 1 Series hasn’t seen a lot of
changes, but there's now the option of a USB interface kit to
permit the use of an MP3 player.
Important as are the alterations to its
appearance, the biggest news in the new 1 Series are to the
turbo-diesel engine. This unit is quicker than the equivalent
petrol engine, yet has a combined fuel consumption figure of just
6.1 litres per hundred kilometres.
The 2.0-litre turbo-diesel can now accelerate from
rest to 100 km/h in only 7.8 seconds. Which is almost a second
faster than before and now puts the five-door BMW 120d into
hot-hatch territory in acceleration. The bottom end of the
hot-hatch field territory, mind you, but this is a family car with
a diesel engine so the performance is pretty impressive. And just
look at that economy.
BMW's use of rear-wheel drive in the 1 Series
gives it excellent road grip and wonderful handling feel. However,
the system means the car is relatively small inside so try the
back seat for size before falling in love with the dynamics.
The BMW 120d is priced at $48,000. Regrettably it’s
only offered with an automatic transmission. The 1 Series range
starts at a very reasonable $34,900 for the 116i with its petrol
engine and manual gearbox.
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Marque Publishing Company
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