Expanding the Neue Klasse EV Family
Neue Klasse is a blanket term for all upcoming BMW models. Whether it’s fuel-fed or pure electric, everything the brand launches from this point on will follow that philosophy. It kicked off with the iX3, a model that has been well-received and is selling well so far.
After the iX3 came the i3, released earlier this year. The reception towards it has also been very good, even prompting BMW to open reservations ahead of schedule. Coming soon is the redesigned X5 with five powertrain options, and we can expect the gas-powered 3 Series to make an appearance.
There is, however, one upcoming model that has flown under the radar. That would be the 1 Series, and there are big changes coming for it.
BMW
Yes, It Still Lives
America never got the 1 Series hatchback, instead opting for the coupe version that eventually spun off into the 2 Series. The 1 Series is alive and kicking in other parts of the world, shifting to a front-drive Mini-based platform for its third and fourth iterations. You might be more familiar with its sedan counterpart, the 2 Series Gran Coupe.
The 1 Series has been a strong seller in Europe, proving to be a vital model in BMW’s Continental lineup. The current generation is labeled as an all-new model, meriting a new chassis code (F45), but it’s essentially a heavily reworked version of its predecessor. The basic platform has been around for 7 years, and if you’re familiar with BMW product cycles, it’s due for a full model change.
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Production Starting Soon?
According to BMWBlog, the Leipzig assembly line will be retooled for an incoming Neue Klasse model. That plant is responsible for building compact BMW models such as the aforementioned 1 Series, 2 Series Gran Coupe, 2 Series Active Tourer, and Mini Countryman. Plant manager Petra Peterhänsel told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, “We’re preparing for the Neue Klasse.”
Obviously, she didn’t say what specific Neue Klasse model will be built there, but given the cars the plant assembles, the next-gen 1 Series and so-called i1 are the likeliest candidates. While the 1 Series isn’t sold in America, this suggests that BMW’s EV platform will also be scaled down. That does open up the possibility of an i2 to go head-to-head against the Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric.
BMW
RWD Hot Hatch, Anyone?
The last rear-drive hot hatch BMW made was the M140i from the second-gen 1 Series (F20). It made 335 hp, and, being shorter than the 3 Series from the same era, it liked to wag its tail a lot. Now, that formula might be coming back, though with electric power rather than a turbocharged straight-six.
A previous report mentioned that the i1 will be based on the i3, ensuring that it’s rear-drive with available all-wheel drive. Should the hatch come with the same hardware as its sedan counterpart, we might be looking at serious performance numbers here. The base 40 model already makes 320 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, and putting that in a hatchback sounds like fun. But what if you prefer internal combustion? Specs are unknown at the moment, but it’s touted to stay front-drive-based.
The 1 Series and i1 are unlikely to come to the U.S as America is largely allergic to compact hatchbacks. Still, at least we know that the Neue Klasse philosophy trickles down to even the smallest BMW model, and it will be interesting to see the final result.
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