The new 1 Series is also larger than the present one, both longer and wider and with more interior and luggage space.
Aimed at Audi's A3 and the next generation Mercedes-Benz B-Class, the car will be a strong challenger in the fight for first-time premium car buyers.
At the current international press preview in Berlin, BMW says the 1 Series has the youngest owner profile of any model in the brand's portfolio.
A third of the 1.2 million units of the 1 Series sold since the car was launched seven years ago have been on the German market, and seven out of ten buyers are new to the brand.
