Photo Comparison: 2012 BMW 1 Series vs. Audi A3

By Horatiu Boeriu. Read Bio
June 5th, 2011 | 3-Series | 53 comments

A new BMW and a new photo comparison against the competition. The 2012 BMW 1 Series will debut later this year and will face some fierce competition from Audi’s A3. It is important to be noted that the current generation A3 will be phased next year when the recently unveiled Audi A3 Concept will go into production.

F20 1 Series follows the recent instated BMW design language, and in this case, initial impressions seem to be less favorable.

Since styling and taste can be very subjective, we will let the photos speak for themselves and allow you to vote in our poll below.

Photo Comparison: 2012 BMW 1 Series vs. Audi A3

Photo Comparison: 2012 BMW 1 Series vs. Audi A3Photo Comparison: 2012 BMW 1 Series vs. Audi A3Photo Comparison: 2012 BMW 1 Series vs. Audi A3Photo Comparison: 2012 BMW 1 Series vs. Audi A3Photo Comparison: 2012 BMW 1 Series vs. Audi A3

Design Wise - Select your favorite model

View Results

Photo Comparison: 2012 BMW 1 Series vs. Audi A3 Loading ...
Tags: , , , Print 53 comments

Explore related content

More in 3-Series

  • Frederic Nemo

    We dont ask you to benchmark Audi, but to remain BMW ! The real comparison is the next Mercedes A, which really looks like a BMW ought to look like, Bangle era !

    • Br

      Agree!!  This ugliest BMW makes that boring Audi looks really good~  So worried about the upcoming 3 series..

      • BMWdriver

        I’m worried about the upcoming new BMW X5. What if the screw that up as well? :O

      • BMWdriver

        I’m worried about the upcoming new BMW X5. What if the screw that up as well? :O

  • LexusLVR

    This ugly, hideous thing shouldn’t even be compared to the A3. The A3 might be old and on its last legs in terms of design, but it actually looks a million times better than the new 1 series. I want to try some of that crack that BMW gave their designers.

  • Pingback: Photo Comparison: 2012 BMW 1 Series vs. Audi A3 | labmw.com

  • kcsnyud

    That pig makes the amc pacer look sexy like megan fox

    • Frederic Nemo

      Actually the Pacer was a hit among French.

    • Frederic Nemo

      Actually the Pacer was a hit among French.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/La-Ma/1681833435 La Ma

      totally agree.  lets call it a 1pigfaced car.

  • Jsunrockman

    im talking the 1er

  • Jsunrockman

    im talking the 1er

  • Pingback: Photo Comparison: 2012 BMW 1 Series vs. Audi A3 | BMW Blog

  • Manchester Man

    Not impressed by the new one series at all. The front looks decent, the side and back look hideous.

  • Nnnn

    Yeah, from this angle the Audi has a far more interesting and more developed design.

  • Fff

    So ugly, interior good look 

  • Rmixfaatl

    W T F??? the uglyest BMW ever..plz bangel come back…wats happinin wit bmw designs..??

  • viper

    audi looks slightly better

  • pimeto

    I dont think the new 1er was revealed yet! So this is some lame render from another dumb ass magazine or designer wanna be!!!
    BMW cant make such an ugly car!!! Its impossible this will come to life!
    But yet again they made the new X3 so…. who knows!

    • Tom23

      It’s real.

  • IN77

    Horatiu, please: now you need a serious editorial, that takes into account the design (very bad) that BMW is taking: BMWBLOG must take some responsibility and do not work as a pressoffice for bmw!

    • http://www.bmwblog.com Horatiu B.

      Read our design analysis. We did bit praise the design. I personally
      think the exterior failed.

  • wazon8

    Neither of these two is appealing to me, but 1-er is actually huge disappointment. I expected a lot from this car and they provide the car with strangly looking headlights, which are still a way better than VW Polo 2010 like rear lights. The whole rear end shows no cohesive design, lights looks as if they were stuck to something that was not intended to appear with them. The only place, one can see real improvement over its predecessor is interior design, but good interior is not enough to make this concept overall good design. 

    And the worst thing is that this car will probably go into production in this shape. The only hope is that it looks better in real life circumstances, although it’s hard to me to imagine how this could be the case that this transform from ugly duck to something decent in personal contact. 

    If you need RWD hatchback, the best thing you can do is go for 130i or 135i right now! Sad, but true. 

  • wazon8

    Neither of these two is appealing to me, but 1-er is actually huge disappointment. I expected a lot from this car and they provide the car with strangly looking headlights, which are still a way better than VW Polo 2010 like rear lights. The whole rear end shows no cohesive design, lights looks as if they were stuck to something that was not intended to appear with them. The only place, one can see real improvement over its predecessor is interior design, but good interior is not enough to make this concept overall good design. 

    And the worst thing is that this car will probably go into production in this shape. The only hope is that it looks better in real life circumstances, although it’s hard to me to imagine how this could be the case that this transform from ugly duck to something decent in personal contact. 

    If you need RWD hatchback, the best thing you can do is go for 130i or 135i right now! Sad, but true. 

    • wazon8

      If they redesigned slighly the headlights and gave them some classical shape, this would make out of front end nice looking front of the car. But rear end needs serious treatment to become something interesting. Shame on you, BMW’s designers!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000043833745 Persian Steps

    No disrespect i love the way BMW’s look,… lol dont bite me for this comment. but it looks like a mouse from front and a vw Polo from the back.
    I would like to say that the Interior does look nice but thats just about it.

  • OttoM3

    Look like a very cheap Chinese copy. OP/Mazda3

    • Dougkeeley

      That’s kinda true actually.  Like someone tried to copy a design but didn’t quite “get it”.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/La-Ma/1681833435 La Ma

    ouch… Audi wins hands down. That A3 is also an older model. imagine the new one ! It will be killing the 1 series on the market along with the A and B-classe from MB.

    I suspect the 1 series will be the new record holder in mid-term facelift. The 1st bangleized 7 series got a major facelift after just 2 years to somewhat mute the horrible lines, this 1 series will be revised soon.
    It must be otherwise it will be a sitting duck, sitting on showroom corners alone.

    Wow, after the new 7 and 5 I was really hopeful that the 1 series will shake its bungleism. It did not. Its bangle all over.

  • http://www.bmwblog.com Horatiu B.

    Glad to see that we have readers that acknowledge when another company’s design is better, so the Audi A3 is winning this poll.

    • in77

      sometimes it’s better to be objective, do not you think? and perhaps it would be nice that BMW designers also listen to the opinion of those who love BMW, or who would love them in the future …

    • in77

      sometimes it’s better to be objective, do not you think? and perhaps it would be nice that BMW designers also listen to the opinion of those who love BMW, or who would love them in the future …

  • Iee

    cant believe my eys. It’s like a product of bulldog x frog.

  • Bmwdriver E46

    new BMW 1 Series Design Summary: Front Audi A1:Ugly, Rear VW Polo:Ugly, Sidelong Old BMW 1:Normal,  inside BMW 6: Beautiful. Totaly: Ugly. 

  • Bmwdriver E46

    new BMW 1 Series Design Summary: Front Audi A1:Ugly, Rear VW Polo:Ugly, Sidelong Old BMW 1:Normal,  inside BMW 6: Beautiful. Totaly: Ugly. 

  • Pingback: Audi A3 2012 At The Auto Show | Audi Pictures

  • Pingback: Audi A3 2012 Is The Most Wonderful Car Ever Built | Audi Pictures

  • Pingback: Audi A3 2012 Is One Of The Best Sports Cars | Audi Pictures

  • http://twitter.com/IM_Vern Vernon Dodo

    This was a fail move on BMW’s part; most people voted for the Audi, and for obvious reasons – it’s a timeless classic design that managed to retain the essence of Audi.

  • Pingback: Audi A3 2012 Insurance | Audi Pictures

  • For Good God’s Sake

    the 1er gave me insomnia for 3 weeks.

  • Pingback: Audi A3 2012 In A Car Accident | Audi Pictures

  • Sandu

    You can find an detalied test between this two cars: http://www.carsvw.com/2011/08/used-cars-test-bmw-1-series-vs-audi-a3/

  • Sandu

    You can find an detalied test between this two cars: http://www.carsvw.com/2011/08/used-cars-test-bmw-1-series-vs-audi-a3/

  • Pingback: Audi A3 2012 Videos | Audi Pictures

  • Pingback: Audi A3 2012 Pictures | Audi Pictures

  • Pingback: Audi A3 2012 Is The Car Of The Year | Audi Pictures

  • Pingback: Audi A3 2012 Won A Car Award | Audi Pictures

  • Pingback: Audi A3 2012 Car Insurance | Audi Pictures

  • http://twitter.com/simonvodice simon

    this not Audi A3 2012 , this is the old A3 ,, new Audi A3 in 02 / 2012

  • Pingback: Audi A3 2012 Is The Most Beautiful Car Ever Built | Audi Pictures

  • Pingback: Audi A3 2012 Is The Fastest Car | Audi Pictures

  • Pingback: Audi A3 2012 Won A Car Trophy | Audi Pictures

Editor's Pick

Featured Stories

125 125 125 125 125 125