It’s no longer a secret that BMW will be changing the 1 Series drastically once the new model comes out. The fan-favorite RWD setup will be dropped in favor of a FWD one to make the 1 Series roomier without having to increase in size drastically. This means there will no longer be a small hot hatch available in the automotive realm which sends its power to the rear axle alone and that’s yet another end of an era. Nevertheless, according to our sources, an M Performance model is in the works and we may just be looking at it in the footage below.
The BMW F40 1 Series was apparently spotted yet again on the Nurburgring. According to the uploader, this is supposed to be the upcoming M Performance model but there’s just no way of saying that for sure. Yes, there are twin tailpipes present at the back and that may be an indication, but that’s just not enough to confirm this allegation. Furthermore, there’s no chance the upcoming BMW 1 Series range will have an M140i model.
The range-topping car will most likely be dubbed something along the lines of M135i xDrive, according to our sources. There’s a number of reasons why that must happen. From the fact that cars with the 40i lettering on the boot will be drastically more powerful in the future to the upcoming X2 xDrive35i model which will also be an M Performance offering with the exact same engine. Under the hood of both these UKL-platform based models will hide a high-performance 2-liter petrol engine with some 300 HP.
The 1 Series will also be available solely with an automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. 18″ wheels will come as standard as will the M Sport treatment including a different suspension setup, better brakes and steering rack. M Sport seats will be optional, unfortunately, as this is still regarded as a ‘budget’ car. Speaking of options, the F40 platform will get most of the tech you can buy for the G20 3 Series so, if you have the money, you can get a pretty high-tech hatch if you will. Production is set to kick off in July, next year.
