BMW hatches its new 1-series

BMW is making its first real foray into the mass market hatchback market with its new 1-series, due here in September.

As the first official photos released yesterday show, BMW is betting that it can become more mainstream, while not damaging its brand or cutting its premium prices.

It's a big gamble. If it gets it right, the move into family hatchbacks has the potential to push up sales sharply without hurting margins. If it is wrong, profits could be hit by a double whammy as buyers of the larger 3-series switch to the cheaper hatchback while status-seekers are put off the highly profitable 5- and 7-series.

In the case of the 1-series, the target audience is the buyer of the traditional family hatchback willing to spend more on a car with "sporty" characteristics. It's directly targetting the likes of the Audi A3 and Alfa 147, and top-end versions of VW's Golf.

Different from the 7-series and the new Z4, the 1-series seems to get a more moderate exterior design with smoother body panels, though the rear end is radically different from all other hatches on the market so far. Grille and headlights don't differ much from the concept car shown at the 2002 Geneva show.

A 1.6-litre 115bhp petrol engine powers the entry-level BMW 116i. It achieves a zero to 62mph time of 10.8 seconds and a top speed of 125mph with a claimed fuel consumption of 37.7mpg.

There's also a 120i 2-litre petrol with 150bhp covering zero to 62mph in 8.7 seconds before going on to achieve a maximum speed of 135mph.

As for diesel, there will be two versions of BMW's 2-litre common rail diesel engine. The 122bhp BMW 118d averages 50.4mpg while posting a zero to 62mph time of 10 seconds and reaching a top speed of 125mph.

The higher-performance 163bhp BMW 120d is claimed to offer 49.6mpg yet is capable of a 7.9 second zero to 62mph time and a 137mph top speed.

We can also reveal here, an illustration of what senior BMW figures are considering as the convertible coupé version of the 1-series. However, it may end up as a two-seater roadster and is probably not due for release until the second generation of the model range takes to the road.