BMW 1 Series Sedan to Be Front-Wheel Drive
BMW fanboys, you may want to take a seat. The German automaker known for building the world’s very best rear-wheel drive performance sedans is planning to offer a new entry-level four-door with wrong-wheel drive.
According to a new report, the upcoming 1 Series will be offered as a sedan with power being sent to the rear front wheels.
Internally called the NES (New Entry-level Sedan), the 1 Series is being designed to take on the upcoming 2015 Audi A3 and Mercedes CLA – both of which are also front-wheel drive. Like it’s key rivals, the new 1 Series will also be available with optional all-wheel drive.
SEE ALSO: 2015 Audi A3 Sedan Review
An unnamed company insider has gone so far as to say the new UKL (Unter Klasse) front-drive platform is “an important pillar” for the brand’s growth in the US and China.
The UKL platform will also form the basis of the next-generation of MINI products, with the 3rd generation of the modern MINI Cooper set to be unveiled at the LA Auto Show in November.
Look for the 1 Series sedan to launch in the U.S. in 2017, several years after its rivals. Power is expected to come from both turbocharged three- and four-cylinder engines.
[Source: Automotive News]
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With AutoGuide from its launch, Colum previously acted as Editor-in-Chief of Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine where he became a certifiable car snob driving supercars like the Koenigsegg CCX and racing down the autobahn in anything over 500 hp. He has won numerous automotive journalism awards including the Best Video Journalism Award in 2014 and 2015 from the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Colum founded Geared Content Studios, VerticalScope's in-house branded content division and works to find ways to integrate brands organically into content.
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