Reports regarding BMW’s upcoming 1 Series saloon are divided to say the least. On the one hand, we could be looking at a more practical, wallet-friendly version with FWD, or possibly a micronized Gran Coupe capable of spawning a fire-breathing M variant.
According to a report in German motoring staple Autobild, the 1 Series saloon will adhere stylistically to the hatchback while serving up a spacious boot, a more cost-effective FWD layout that could see it undercutting the hatchback on price and will usher in a host of three-cylinder powerplants with outputs between 70 and 112 kW.
The Americans are painting a different picture, with a report from Road & Track suggesting a miniature version of the current 6 Series Gran Coupe wearing the 2 Series moniker. This shift in model naming bears some credence as there have already been suggestions that coupe versions of the 3 Series will, in future, wear a 4 Series badge and the upcoming 1 Series saloon will be underpinned by a different platform (internally labelled F20) to that of the hatchback.
In 2 Series Gran Coupe guise, this model will be offered with a range of turbocharged 4-cylinder and straight-six powerplants sending power to the rear wheels via six-speed manual or 8-speed automatic transmissions. There is also (very tenuous) talk of an M-badged spinoff to compensate for the short-lived, but eminently capable, 1 M Coupe. Should it get the green light, the M2 could draw its power from a turbocharged straight-six developing as much as 260 kW.
Whichever shape it takes, the 1 Series saloon will face stiff competition from the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLA and the Audi A3 saloon, which is due next year after its official reveal at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
