Upon its European introduction the 1-Series will feature four engines, two being gasoline and two diesel. The car also marks BMW's return to an accurate numerical system where the second and third digits actually represent the engine's displacement. The base 1 will be dubbed the 116i, and feature a very basic 1.6-liter inline-four that generates 115 horsepower and 110 lb-ft of torque. Performance is adequate, pushing the 1 to 100 km/h in 10.8 seconds with a top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph). The second gasoline motor will be a 150 horsepower 2.0 liter (120i) inline-four generating 148 lb-ft of torque. It's good for 217 km/h (135 mph) and an 8.7 second run to 100 km/h. The official word at one point was
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| Upon its European introduction the 1-Series will feature four engines, two being gasoline and two diesel. (Photo: BMW Canada) |
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| According to comments from Tom Purves, CEO of BMW North America, a 6-cylinder version of the 1-Series could be in the works for the local market. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
The other two motors, which are expected to account for most of the 1-Series' European sales, are turbodiesels. The first is a 122 horsepower common rail engine that creates an impressive 207 lb-ft of torque. Surprisingly, this base turbodiesel motor is quicker than the base gasoline engine, taking just 10.0 seconds to hit 100 km/h before reaching a top speed of 201 km/h (125 mph). Another surprise is that the top motor (for now) on the 1-Series will be a turbodiesel. The 120d will feature the same motor from BMW's 320d which means a whopping 163 horsepower and 251 lb-ft of torque. Because of the car's small size and weight, this powerhouse helps the 120d rocket to 100 km/h in just 7.9 seconds, with a top speed of 220 km/h. All motors are Euro4 emissions compliant and are mated to a six-speed manual gearbox bar the 5-speed 116i. Optional to all is a six-speed automatic.