William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

May 27, 2012

The new craze with luxury automakers is building compact luxury sedans. Audi has a new A3 sedan and Mercedes-Benz is working on the new CLA. Now, BMW is joining the craze with a new 1-Series sedan.

Autocar reports that BMW has begun planning a new 1-Series sedan to come out after the new 1-series coupé and convertible.

The sedan will be the spiritual successor to the E30 3-Series.

The report says the sedan will utlize a RWD platform using some bits from the new 3-Series. This seems a bit odd since BMW is working on a new FWD platform.

Powertrains will include four and six-cylinder engines, with an electric powertrain under consideration. AWD will be an option.

Source: Autocar

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Glad to see more rear wheel drive.

>>"BMW is working on a new FWD platform"<<

Because most of their buyers don't care about RWD.

The rear quarters of the coupe are about as cramped as a Camaro.... why bother with a Sedan? Make it a quad-coupe or something.

Interesting..I wonder if they are going to use the FWD platform only for the next-gen 1-series hatchbacks, and the other bodystyles will be RWD. I've also read that the next coupe and convertible will be badged as 2-series.

Edited May 29, 201213 yr by Cubical-aka-Moltar

Be interesting to see how the ATS stacks up against this series.

The ATS is the next class size up from the 1-series. It isn't a direct comparison.

The ATS is the next class size up from the 1-series. It isn't a direct comparison.

..which leads to a naming conundrum for Cadillac if they decide to have a model below the ATS..

I don't think they should bother for now. Only BMW has a model in that class that is RWD. Let Buick take on the A1 and A3, and whatever MB front drivers come over.

I don't think they should bother for now. Only BMW has a model in that class that is RWD. Let Buick take on the A1 and A3, and whatever MB front drivers come over.

I would agree with letting Buick cover the 1 class and let Cadillac cover everything above that class of auto.