SPY PICS: BMW 1 Series sedan ruled out for Oz

BMW Australia has smashed to the boundary any talk of the BMW 1 Series sedan coming to Australia.

"It's a no from us!" Lenore Fletcher, General Manager Corporate Communications at BMW Australia, advised carsales.com.au.

In earlier conversation Fletcher stated that the three-box 1 Series was "not really" under consideration for the local market. Furthermore, she was "not aware" of plans to release the car in any global markets other than China and Mexico.

Two years ago BMW Australia was hopeful of importing the BMW 1 Series sedan -- pictured here in facelifted form -- but tempus mutantur (times change), as the old Latin saying goes.

Maybe it has something to do with the imminent launch of the all-new BMW 2 Series Coupe, a car that promises to be a much more appealing model for Australian consumers.

Originally developed for Chinese consumers and launched in Mexico from mid-year (2018), the booted 1 Series appears ready to launch with a facelift, based on this lightly disguised pre-production vehicle spotted testing in Munich this week.

The BMW 1 Series sedan (using the F52 development number) is sold in 118i, 120i and 125i versions overseas, the flagship model powered by a 170kW turbocharged four-cylinder.

It's an attractive vehicle – from what can be seen – and is apparently longer (4456mm) and wider (1803mm) than the original 3 Series (E21 generation) from the 1970s.

But BMW Australia doesn't want a bar of it. That's despite the Mercedes-Benz CLA outselling the 1 Series by around 650 vehicles for the year to date.

According to Fletcher the 2 Series coupe and convertible range and the 1 Series hatch already provide BMW with lucrative sales opportunities from buyers wanting a rear-wheel drive small car.

And therein lies the hint – look to 2 Series for some four-door fun.