Our friends at Motorbeam.com have an interesting scoop story on their website today on the launch of the BMW 1 Series. BMW India has officially confirmed the 1 Series's arrival on the 3rd of September, in petrol and diesel guises.
Motorbeam.com reports that the 1 Series hatchback will launch in one petrol and three diesel variants. According to Motorbeam, the entry-level variant, the 118d Baseline, is priced at 22.9 lakhs while the top-end 118d Sport Line is priced at 29.93 lakhs (all prices are ex-showroom Mumbai, pre-octroi).
The report further adds that the cheapest 1 Series, the 116i petrol, comes in the Baseline trim at about 21 lakhs (ex-showroom).
Pre-bookings have officially started at the dealerships with the first 100 customers offered a complimentary BMW Service Inclusive Plus package. Cars have also reached dealers where screenings are held for elite customers.
Technical specifications were also revealed through an introductory brochure - the diesel variants are powered by the familiar 2.0-litre TwinPower turbo engine that produces 143 bhp and 320Nm with an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency of 20.58 km/l. The 116i (petrol) employs a turbocharged 1.6-liter unit that puts out peak power and torque of 136bhp and 220Nm respectively. This engine returns a fuel efficiency of 16.28 kpl in the ARAI tests.
Both motors are paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission, with a standard idle-stop motor in place to improve fuel efficiency.
While Mercedes managed to bag 400 bookings within 10 days of the A-Class launch, Audi reported 125 bookings for the Q3 S Edition on the evening of its premiere. How well do you think the 1 Series will fare?
