2016 BMW 1 Series Sedan makes an appearance in China - Spied

Reports say the car will launch next year.

The upcoming BMW 1 Series sedan has been caught testing in China, and corresponding pictures have been published by Auto Sohu. Hidden under camouflage, the car was spotted with pre-production head and taillamps, as the pictures suggest.

To be based on the UKL1 platform which underpins the new MINI, the 1 Series sedan (codenamed F52) is likely to share the engine line up with 1 Series hatchback, which recently received a facelift and new engines.

Online reports say that the vehicle is likely to be launched as MY2016, which means it will come before the next-generation 1 Series. BMW has been coy about the developments, but it won't be surprising to see the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA 2015) used for its showcase. A launch could follow next year, while given that both the Mercedes CLA and Audi A3 sedan are present in the Indian market, expecting BMW to launch the 1 Series sedan in India soon after its global launch won't be unreasonable.

Also read: BMW India discontinues certain variants of 1, 3, and 5 Series

Currently BMW does not have a sub-3 Series sedan, and this will not just fill that gap, but could also help the car maker make up for the lost ground in terms of sales.

[Source - Auto.Sohu.com]