The BMW 1 Series will return for a radically reinvented fourth generation within the next three years, as the German brand goes against its rivals in committing to its entry-level model.
As Mercedes-Benz prepares to retire the A-Class for good at the end of its current generation and Audi winds down production of the A1 and Q2, BMW says its smallest car remains an important part of its model range and a next-generation model will be the entry point into the new-gen Neue Klasse family.
BMW will launch this new EV line-up in September with the unveiling of the second-generation iX3 at the Munich motor show, before following that up soon after with the closely related next-generation 3 Series.
Prototypes for the Neue Klasse X5 have been spotted recently too, and the current 5 Series will receive a substantial design overhaul to bring it into line with its new siblings.
BMW hasn't officially confirmed plans for a new 1 Series, but Autocar previously reported it had been green-lit internally and now BMW product boss Bernd Körber has said the hatchback still has a crucial role to play in Munich.
"We are a global player and we cover the full portfolio; the entry models have a very important role to play for various reasons,” he told Autocar at the Shanghai motor show.
"First of all, take markets like Italy and France, where the 1 Series has shares of 20, 30, 40% in some regions: if you want to be a global player, you have to also take care of markets where the share of 1 Series is extremely high, otherwise you run the danger of losing them.”
Körber also said that offering a BMW model at a lower price point than the big-selling saloon and SUV models is important in the context of broadening the brand’s reach and diversifying its target market.
"The 1 Series is especially important for younger customers. If you want to keep the brand young, if you want to develop customers within your portfolio, the 1 Series is very important."
Finally, he said, remaining in the notoriously challenging and low-margin small car market will help BMW to be as competitive and efficient as possible across all its segments.
"You have to stay in the challenge, and it's a similar story with Mini. A lot of the capabilities in terms of 'how flexible are you?' and 'how cost-efficient are you?' you gain in competing in the small car segment. To retreat out of the small car segment means you get out of the challenge of being the most cost-efficient player.
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So, this is the replacement for the i3, then, really...six years later. Excellent brand management which is not at all inane.
I do hope it on the road as is, it looks quite good,mind you, the big wheels might not.