The all-new, second generation BMW 1 Series occupies a distinctive niche within its segment, and remains the only rear-wheel drive car in its class. But it also remains somewhat too distinctive, retaining the same breadvan shape as its predecessor and the kind of looks that only a Mother could love… Yes, as before the new 1 Series is a car that will polarise opinions – you’ll either love it or hate it, rather like Marmite or Gruyère cheese.

With a revised range of advanced TwinPower petrol and diesel engines, the new BMW 1 Series offers an even more sporty drive along with increased fuel-efficiency. This is exemplified best by the new 116d ED which becomes the first production BMW to break the 100g/km emissions threshold.

Longer and wider than the model it replaces, with increased space for passengers and luggage, the cabin features a brand new design and is described as being more comfortable and luxurious.

At a Glance

The 1 Series grows..

The second-generation BMW 1 Series is 83mm longer than its predecessor, 14mm wider and 30mm longer in the wheelbase, creating a noticeably larger but also more sporty car. BMW’s press release describes the new 1 Series design as giving the car the look of a coupé, but unless of course we’re looking at a different set of pictures, it looks to be the same dumpy hatchback as before.

BMW’s recent designs have often proven difficult to capture with a photographers lens, so for now we’ll reserve judgement on its looks until we see one in the metal.

Efficient Dynamics asks questions about the need for Hybrid cars

It’s amazing what manufacturers are achieving these days with the humble internal combustion engine. The headline figure for BMW’s new 1 Series comes from its 116d EfficientDynamics model, which generates an output of 114 bhp whilst producing an average fuel consumption of 74.3 mpg, but at the same time emitting an 99 g/km of CO2. How long will it be before we see a mainstream production car averaging over 100 mpg?

As you’d expect, there’s plenty of trick technology involved in delivering such frugality, Auto Start-Stop, an eight-speed gearbox (the first in its class) and a new ECO PRO mode, activated using the Drive Performance Control (included as standard), which adjusts various on-board systems to maximise efficiency. When in ECO PRO mode the throttle response is adjusted to encourage a more economical driving style. The extra economy created in ECO PRO mode is fed back to the driver, with the in-car displays showing the additional number of miles achieved by driving more efficiently.

Premium Interiors

The interior of the new BMW 1 Series features a fresh and youthful combination of typical BMW design features and new innovative treatments, with surfaces created from high quality, precision-finished materials. The characteristic BMW driver focus is apparent in the angled displays and controls of the central instrument panel, while the interior surfaces are layered with new high-quality materials, giving the interior of the new BMW 1 series an organic look and feel.

As a consequence of the increased length and width of the new 1 Series, rear-seat passengers benefit from a further 20mm of leg room than the outgoing model. There’s more storage space inside the car, with large front door pockets, two cup holders on the centre console and a roomy glove compartment.

Boot space has grown by 30 litres to offer a minimum of 360 litres and by lowering the standard 60/40 split rear seats this can be increased to a maximum of 1,200-litres, with the added benefit of a flat load surface.

The new BMW 1 Series goes on sale in the UK on 17 September 2011, with a choice of three diesel and two petrol engines. Prices start from £19,375 OTR for a BMW 116i ES.

Gallery

Then there’s BMW ConnectedDrive, which focuses on the connectivity of vehicle systems with the outside environment to achieve greater synergy between functions such as satnav and traffic control systems, or helping you find the most picturesque routes in the area.

You will also have heard about the Vision EfficientDynamics, which is the project name for BMW’s sexy-looking ActiveHybrid sports concept car which uses a three-cylinder common-rail turbodiesel engine combined with an electric motor on each axle. This has been confirmed for production and will move the game on for high-performance sportscars, competing against Audi’s R8 e-Tron and Porsche’s 918 Spyder.

So, hopefully that preamble will provide a little more context to BMW’s announcement this morning as it revealed the Vision ConnectedDrive, which is designed to showcase current and future methods of mobile networking in a specifically driver-focused way. The design and technology of the roadster concept are all aimed at making the vehicle an integral part of a networked world, enhancing driving pleasure and reflecting our modern lifestyles with our use of social networking and personalised music and entertainment devices.

In this UseCase scenario the driver of the car receives warnings for two impending risks, providing ample time to take avoiding action.

Comfort, safety and the infotainment in the Vision ConnectedDrive roadster can be precisely tailored to suit the individual requirements of both the driver and passenger, which initially sounds like a major distraction in what should be first and foremost a ‘car’, but we’re told it’s smarter (and more useful) than we’d expect and designed to optimise the significant time we spend in cars these days.

More news will surface during BMW’s presentation at Geneva next month, but in the meantime we’ve got more than a dozen images of the stunning Vision ConnectedDrive roadster (below).

Also on show at Geneva will be the production version of BMW’s 1-series based ActiveE, which will be BMW’s first ever CO2-free model when it is made available for customer use. Other models on show will include the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Touring Edition, the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder TwinPower Turbo X1 xDrive28i, the European premiere of the 1 Series M Coupe, the new BMW X3 with M Sports Package, the new 5-seater X6, sport-stripe accessories for the 1 Series Coupe and a showcase to celebrate 25 years of BMW All-Wheel-Drive Expertise.

Photo Gallery

Refine and improve, or break it all down and start again?

This is Dr Kay Segler’s challenge, since taking on the role of President of BMW M GmbH earlier this year. His life will not be simple as he contends with the expectations of the many M-car traditionalists who fear the future means massive 4x4s, turbocharging and automatic transmissions.

It is fortunate that Segler is an enthusiast having arrived at M Division from his previous role as Senior Vice President Brand Management at Mini.

I first met him 10 days before the Frankfurt Motor Show at a BMW Driver Training event at the Nordschleife – 2 days of intense circuit training in DCT equipped M3s. And he wasn’t just visiting for the evening social, he was there as a pupil. An hour or so after my initial interview with him at the Frankfurt show, our paths crossed again, when I was photographing some of the M-cars which formed part of the (rather small) BMW M-presence in the IAA exhibition hall.

He grabbed me by the arm and led me over to a limited edition (of 100) M6 Competition Edition, telling me that he had been evaluating the new semi-matt silver grey paint finish, driving the car on road to see how it looked when dirty.

He clearly loves it, stroking the front wing of the car, saying, “You must be careful not to polish it, of course…”.

Despite Segler’s obvious enthusiasm, the overall health of M division has been a cause for concern to many enthusiasts.

This summer’s launch of the X5 M/X6 M has been met by many with a grudging acceptance of their capability, but disbelief that these – how should we put it…..rather large and heavy vehicles – could be considered true M-cars?

What has happened to the carefully refined-over-many-years philosophy of rear-wheel drive, high revving naturally aspirated engines and driver involvement?

This year’s Frankfurt Motor show demonstrated the car industry’s current obsession with fuel efficiency and environmentally-friendly motoring. All of the volume manufacturers have gone into hyperdrive, or perhaps ecodrive, in their efforts to demonstrate their good citizenship.

BMW’s own exhibition hall showcased their Efficient Dynamics concept admirably with a procession of whiter than white, eco-logoed cars dominating the visitor experience, as they circulated the hall on a banked track. M-cars were present, but in very limited numbers, parked, almost tucked away in a corner, as if their presence was a touch embarrassing in amongst all the planet saving. The display was dominated by Mini, and even Rolls Royce had more floor space, and a more prominent position.

Segler’s vision for the M-brand is “Childhood automotive dreams realised” which sounds good, but what will this mean in practice? The cars themselves are getting more complex, heavy and expensive, so the entry point becomes higher and harder to attain for many people. Those who do have the funds have found the E9x M3 to be less engaging initially than its predecessor(the E46 M3), and so are not necessarily getting their chequebooks out on the strength of a 20 minute test drive. It has become – at first acquaintance anyway – a supremely good GT, rather than an overtly sporting car.

Segler agrees but counters this with “The M button”, which he sees as a key differentiator over BMW’s competitors, with its capability to alter so many of the car’s characteristics – throttle sensitivity, steering weight, suspension damping and traction control thresholds – in an instant, changing the relaxing GT into something much more responsive and almost hard-core.

The best of both worlds available at the touch of a button. This, he believes, positions the M3 uniquely against its competition.

“How would you feel after driving from Munich to Frankfurt in a 911? Tired and stressed” says Segler, “not so in the M3, which is relaxing when you need it to be, yet also entertains when you want to have fun”.

This begs a difficult question. What’s the M3’s true competition? The 911? Maybe, but Segler counters that the 911 doesn’t deliver the relaxation of the M3 when it’s in GT mode.

It‘s not just the noise levels either he argues, but the quality of the noise and this is something that BMW spends much time and effort optimising. Anyway, the 911 is far less versatile in terms of accommodation and usability, something which Segler maintains as a core virtue of the dual-personality M-car.

In the USA, he identifies the M3’s principal competitor as the Corvette. Mercedes C63? Lexus ISF? Nothing volunteered here by Segler.

I did mention Audi’s RS4, but I think I got away with it…..

Audi’s interpretation of the compact V8-powered sporting GT is a bit of a sore point with Munich people, with dark mutterings about former BMW executives, walking with future model plans. There was still no mention of BMW’s response to Audi’s R8, nor of an E92 M3 CSL and I get the sense that neither of these are particularly high on Segler’s to-do list.

Competitors for other M-cars are rather more clear cut, according to Segler, with the X5 M/X6 M very obviously targeted at the Cayenne. The M6 hitting the upper reaches of the 911 range and the M3 sweeping up the rest. The M5, sadly appears to be drifting into obscurity. In fact it was not even on display at Frankfurt, which might be explained by the fact that it’s approaching the end of its term in E60 form, with the F10-platform 5-series due out next year.

Neither were the M3 saloon or convertible present, but without the same excuse this seems another symptom of the low – perhaps too low – profile nature of BMW’s M-presence at the show.

Getting back to Segler’s strategy he explains that it has 4 themes:

• the products, i.e. the M-cars, the ultimate realisation of the BMW dream
• the experience available via the BMW Driver Training programme, which is part of M, and frequently uses M-cars (for example the E92 M3 is currently the vehicle of choice)
• the Individual Programme where customers can configure the vehicle of their choice – within the limits of body colour and interior trim at least.
• M Sport packages which allow a low cost entry into the world of M via some cosmetic additions.

The latter theme conflicts somewhat with the functional enhancements available via the BMW Performance Parts catalogue. M-cars have always been known for delivering function over form, and Segler recognises that this conflict needs to be – and will be – resolved, either with a re-alignment of the M Sport and Performance Package offerings, or better still their full integration.

Segler sees the BMW Driver Training programme as being a fantastic opportunity to engage with BMW’s customers and let them experience the product in a way that is almost impossible on the road. This is a great selling tool but only serves an already willing and committed audience. For most people the idea of spending EUR2400 for a 2-day sales pitch at the Nordschleife is a little difficult to justify.

The Driver Training programme is, however going to be tailored and rolled out into new or rapidly growing territories, such as China and Malaysia – but without the theatre of the Nordschleife.

But what of the future?

The gap in the range – beneath the ever more powerful, heavy, thirsty and expensive M3 – needs to be filled, and not just by M cosmetics or the aftermarket Performance Products range.

A proper M version of the 1-series would be nice, but seems unlikely. Perhaps a new (as yet unknown) model will join the M Division range? Or maybe an M3 version that brings the M3 GT4’s capabilities to the road?

The withdrawal of BMW from Formula 1 will mean that the link between BMW’s motorsport participation and their road cars could well become more obvious. There was a hint here that a conversation with Mario Theissen might be useful. This though, doesn’t sound like a cheaper version of the M3 but might address some of the concerns of the traditionalists – who fear the imposition of 4wd, turbocharging and auto boxes and need – or at least want – the “purer” driving experience that goes along with high revving normally-aspirated power plants and rear-wheel drive.

For the traditionalists Segler has a message – “assume nothing and discount nothing”. BMW’s M Division plans to get ahead of their competition (whoever that is) by 15/20% in each sector. If that means 15/20% better on fuel consumption and emissions then whether the 911 or the Corvette is the target, such a leap from the current M3’s performance will be a major challenge.

There is little chance that this can be achieved via conventional technology – either naturally aspirated or using forced induction – without a significant weight reduction, or will hybrid capability be part of the next M generation, as suggested by the Vision concept?

Could they really deliver this in 3 years time? If they do, it would be a major achievement, but this introduces further challenges from the traditionalists, who already appear to be struggling with radical change.

If the next generation M5 comes equipped with today’s X5 M / X6 M powerplant it is unlikely to be significantly quicker, cleaner or more economical than the current generation without either weight loss, or assistive technology – as showcased in the X6 hybrid which with its 4.4 litre V8 combined with electric motors, is claimed to be 20% more fuel efficient than the Xdrive50i model.

Segler also agrees that BMW should engage closely with their target market and use the internet much more, and better than it does at present. Segler cited 2 web communities – the Z8 Club in the US (which has got to be a pretty exclusive club by any standards) and MPower World in Germany as examples. That leaves a very big gap for interactive engagement which is waiting to be filled.

So what did we learn from our time with Dr Segler?

BMW M Division is facing an uphill challenge to remain at the centre of BMW – pushing niche versions of existing M-products (such as the M3 Edition or M6 Competition) is perhaps easier to sell for the time being than more radical versions.

But there ‘will’ be something radical coming in the next generation of M models – Segler wouldn’t be drawn on what this would be, but he is keen on weight reduction and said that different (future) challenges might well require different solutions from those used in the past.. He suggested that ‘traditionalists’ risked being too dogmatic, therefore ‘radical’ might mean something very different to those past M Division icons such as the E30 M3 and M3 CSL.

“..assume nothing and discount nothing”.

Does M stand for ‘Motorsport’ or ‘Marketing’? Segler said that F1 did not offer sufficiently overt links to BMW’s road-going products (for example, who thinks about engine management electronics?, which is one of the clearer trickle-down benefits of F1) and it should be possible to demonstrate closer ties in future if BMW are involved with other varieties of motorsport.

What about a road-going derivative of the M3 GT4? At which point Segler suggested that a conversation with Mario Theissen might be worthwhile – there was a very strong hint that something will happen this autumn although Segler reiterated the need to leverage BMW’s WTCC efforts (which could mean 2 litres rather than a 4 litre V8).

So, how about a 2 litre turbocharged 3-series? This would soften up the market in advance of the next generation of turbocharged six-cylinder M3…

Whatever happens, Segler clearly has change on his mind. He was the man behind Mini and clearly believes in the “new niches within niches” philosophy that continues to benefit his former brand.

Segler said that he wanted to be more specific in his targeting of the competition (which varies from market to market), meaning more specific configurations of product by territory and we asked whether it was really possible to achieve this economically.

He said that it can be done, so perhaps what we have really learned from meeting Dr Segler is to expect the unexpected.

Performance

The full hybrid 2+2 seater concept is powered by a three-cylinder turbodiesel combined with two electric motors. Overall power is 262 kW/356 hp with maximum torque of 800 Newton-metres/590 lb-ft. Power is delivered through an all-wheel drive transmission featuring an electric motor on both the front and rear axles.

There is one-electric motor positioned between the diesel engine and the double-clutch gearbox. It produces 25 kW (33-hp) and is able to reach a peak of up to 38 kW (51-hp) with a maximum torque of 214 lb-ft. The second electric-motor, which powers the front axle, offers a continuous output of 60 kW (80-hp), and peak torque of 162 lb-ft. Extra power of 84 kW (112-hp) is available for a period of up to 30 seconds and the electric motor is even capable of delivering 104 kW (139-hp) for 10 seconds. All of this is transmitted through a two-stage, single-speed reduced-ratio gearbox.

Performance is yet to be tested however it is predicted to reach 62mph from standstill in 4.8 seconds on its way to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. Fuel consumption equates to 75 mpg combined with CO2 emissions of just 99 grams/kilometre.

Electric power is generated without the slightest increase in fuel consumption from its diesel engine through a particularly efficient concept of Brake Energy Regeneration. Energy is stored in 98 lithium polymer cells from which the car is able to cover a distance of approximately 31 miles in the electric mode alone.

Design

BMW’s Vision is clothed in a lightweight body and unusually provides seating for four people, although rear seating is strictly for children. Gullwing doors open up to the side and use an innovative door mechanism to provide convenient and easy access for both front and rear occupants.

The roof and door inserts are made of polycarbonate glass which automatically darken in response to incoming sunlight.

What’s next?

BMW’s Vision EfficientDynamics concept will be displayed at next month’s Frankfurt Show, thereafter we will have to wait patiently to see in what form BMW intends to produce it.

WATCH THE VIDEO