BMW Oz still hopeful for 1 Series sedan

BMW Australia insists a 1 Series sedan is still on the table for markets outside of China, prompting speculation that the next-generation front-drive model will include a booted four-door variant locally.

BMW recently confirmed a 1 Series sedan would reach production; the catch being that particular iteration will be built in China for the Chinese market only.

Even so, the China-only focus has hardly tempered expectations over at BMW Australia. Local stakeholders are still hopeful BMW will develop a global car capable of taking on Audi’s A3 and Mercedes’ CLA.

Speaking at the launch of the updated 1 Series/2 Series range in Victoria this week, BMW Australia market and product planning boss Shawn Ticehurst said a sedan would nicely complement the existing 1 Series hatch and 2 Series coupe and convertible duo.

“Certainly a sedan in that segment would be a nice addition to the range,” Ticehurst said.

“There’s the car that was announced for China – the car built in China, for China. We won’t get that car but if something came up in the future then we’d certainly be open to it.

“It’s talked about but there’s nothing confirmed for the future. That growth of those small premium cars, you see around the world big growth there. We’re seeing it in Australia with the X1, and that small car segment there is big growth there.”

The growth Ticehurst is referring to has been especially prominent in Australia. While passenger cars are on a slippery slope generally in terms of sales, the small luxury passenger segment has gone against the grain in 2016, growing 7.2 per cent year-to-date.

The all-new next-generation 1 Series, which will land about 2019 and is set to be front-wheel drive, looms as the most obvious candidate for a four-door sedan. Spy photographers recently snapped a booted four-door prototype spinning laps at Germany’s Nurburgring. BMW has been tight-lipped about further details.

Ticehurst said a sedan would bring its own set of values and traits to the 1 Series table.

“As long as it has got a distinctive character and it appeals to a certain [buyer] market,” he said.

“By definition, being a four-door it’s got to have a little bit more character to it but we’d still want it to be a very good looking car and fun to drive.”