Not so long ago, it would have been impossible for a Canadian distributor to launch a car that wasn't also going into the U.S. Lately, however, the dynamics seem to have changed, since Canada-only models are something of a trend right now. Consider GM's regular-wheelbase mid-size vans, the Nissan X-Trail, the two-seater Smart from Mercedes, and a bunch more.
So it's possible that the folks at BMW Canada will be able to cook up some kind of method whereby we get the 1-Series before the Americans, and in body styles unavailable to them.
It's even been suggested that BMW will change the entry-level vehicle's name to the 2-series, which would mean it would have to be a coupe to fit with the company's nomenclature rules. That may also encourage them to charge more money for the new model, in the same way that they're charging more money for some versions of the 6-series coupe than they do for some versions of the 7-series sedan.
