- BMW unveiled a new 1 Series, which is still not available in the US
- The updated compact car heralds a new naming strategy at BMW
- Gasoline BMWs will no longer have the lowercase “i” in their model names
BMW has introduced a new naming strategy aimed at simplifying model designations as numbers electric vehicles the line-up continues to grow.
The new strategy, which starts with the updated version of the 1 Series hatchback unveiled Wednesday, removes the lower case “i” from individual model names for gas-powered models. So the updated version of the 120i and M135i grades are now called the 120 and M135 respectively.
The i was originally introduced in the late 1960s on BMW’s 2000 tii, to denote fuel injection. Now the letter is reserved for BMW electric vehicles. The updated 1 Series will not have an electric version, but under the new strategy a model designation such as the i5 eDrive40 electric version of the 5 Series will simply become an i540.
Diesel types still have a lower case “d” in their model designations, for example a 120d in the case of the updated 1 Series. Plug-in hybrids will likely continue to use a lowercase “e,” although the updated 1 Series currently lacks plug-in hybrid quality.
2025 BMW 1-Series (M135) hatchback
The updated 1 Series arrives 20 years after the original hatchback was launched. It features new styling, inside and out, plus an extensive range of three- and four-cylinder engines. All engines are mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and are available with front- or all-wheel drive. A manual gearbox is no longer available.
The most powerful option is a 2.0-liter turbo-4 found in the M135. It has a power of 296 hp and is paired with four-wheel drive as standard. This quality also comes with aerodynamic and chassis upgrades, and BMW claims it will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.
Inside, the designers have opted for a similar setup to that in the related 2-series Active Tourer sold abroad. There are new 10.3-inch digital screens for the instrument cluster and 10.7-inch for the infotainment system, plus a revised center console with new controls, including the small knob in place of the more upright shift lever.
2025 BMW 1-Series (M135) hatchback
BMW has also added the latest version of its iDrive interface, version 9.0. The latest version is powered by Google’s Android operating system (previous systems used Linux) and is much easier to use thanks to direct access to popular features rather than having to go through a submenu. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also supported.
While BMW has no plans to introduce its updated 1 Series hatchback in the US, many of the changes made to the vehicle, including the new naming strategy, should appear on an updated version of the expected 2 Series Gran Coupe. for model year 2025.