Article Summary
- The BMW 120 Original is a Japan-only 1 Series base model with a lower asking price.
- It removes some of the standard equipment to achieve a sticker price of 4,800,000 yen ($30,100).
- The most expensive 1 Series remains the M135 for 7,280,000 yen ($45,600).
We don’t get to talk about the 1 Series very often, partly because the F70 isn’t available worldwide. Japan is one of the markets that gets BMW’s most affordable car, and it has now become even cheaper to buy. Based on the 120, a new entry-level version has landed in the Land of the Rising Sun, targeting budget-conscious buyers seeking a more attainable price point.
As you can imagine, BMW had to make a few concessions to lower the price to 4,800,000 yen ($30,100). Full specifications are available here. Compared to the previous entry-level 1 Series, the new 120 Original undercuts it by 190,000 yen, or nearly $1,200. BMW achieved the lower price by equipping the compact hatchback with only “carefully selected equipment,” trimming some previously standard features.
That said, this isn’t a bare-bones 1er. It still comes with mild-hybrid technology, Driving Assistant, and Digital Key Plus. At the same time, the base 1 Series doesn’t sacrifice performance compared to the regular 120. It uses the same turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine, producing 154 horsepower and 240 Newton-meters (177 pound-feet) of torque.
The 1 Series lineup in Japan isn’t limited to the gasoline-powered 120; BMW also offers the 120d and the M135, the latter being the only xDrive model. Predictably, the hot hatch is the most expensive version in the range, priced at 7,280,000 yen (nearly $46,000).
1 Series Facelift Incoming?
As for what lies ahead, BMW hasn’t said whether a facelifted 1 Series is among the 40 new models arriving by the end of 2027. Considering this generation is only a couple of years old, it’s reasonable to expect an LCI update in the coming years. It’s all but confirmed to receive the Neue Klasse treatment, bringing substantial design changes and a radically different dashboard shared with the recently spied iX1.
Another missing piece of the puzzle is whether BMW intends to introduce a new 128ti to rival the Volkswagen Golf GTI. Even if it’s in the pipeline, we wouldn’t expect the front-wheel-drive hot hatch to arrive before the mid-cycle facelift.
The 1er will retain its combustion engines for the foreseeable future, but reports suggest an electric i1 could arrive around 2028 with rear-wheel drive. Rather than replacing the gasoline and diesel models, it would likely join them, much like the rumored i2 is expected to peacefully coexist with the 2 Series Gran Coupe.
