Skip advert
Advertisement

BMW M won’t prioritise Mercedes A45 S, Audi RS3 rival

A high-performance BMW 1 Series to rival the Mercedes-AMG A45 S and Audi RS3 looks unlikely according to BMW bosses

New BMW M135i 2019 1 Series tracking

The new BMW 1 Series looks unlikely to go after the likes of the upcoming, 415bhp Mercedes-AMG A45 S and the next-generation Audi RS3, which arrives in 2020.

That’s according to BMW M product boss Carsten Pries, who hinted to Auto Express that the M brand needed to target creating performance cars with ‘global’ relevance and proven popular models.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Best hot hatchbacks to buy

“If you look at the relevance of performance hatchbacks, they are not global things,” explained Pries.

Hot versions of the 1 Series have always occupied a unique spot in the hot hatchback world, using revvy six-cylinder engines and rear-wheel-drive to carve out a niche and ducking the need to beat rivals on pure performance alone to appeal to enthusiasts.

However, with the launch of the new third-generation 1 Series, BMW has adopted the front-wheel-drive platform underpinning the likes of the MINI Cooper Hatch and the X1 and X2 SUVs. It means that the new, already revealed M135i uses a turbocharged four-cylinder engine sending power to an all-wheel-drive system, and will now face off directly with the Volkswagen Golf R and the Mercedes-AMG A35.

Asked if BMW could push the M135i further up into the ranks of upcoming mega-hatches from other German brands, Pries said: If you put something like an ‘M1’ on top of it, working title of course, you would have to increase the price again because you put more substance into it. But whether this would then be a smart business proposition is not something I would answer with an immediate yes”.

New BMW M135i 2019 1 Series rear tracking

Pries confirmed that hits like the M2 Coupe and traditional M-cars like the M3 and M5 would remain the brand’s core, global performance cars, while more SUVs look in line for M-division treatment, including the new, full-size X7.

“We had a customer from the US I had lunch with recently, and I asked him ‘to your eyes, what is the size of the X7?’ For us it is huge in Europe. He said ‘it’s normal’. That shows you it is always dependent on the perspective that you look at things from”, he explained.

Would you like to see a hot BMW 1 Series 'M' car? Let us know in the comments below...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Best-selling cars 2024: the UK’s top 10 most popular models
Best-selling cars 2024 - header image
Best cars & vans

Best-selling cars 2024: the UK’s top 10 most popular models

These are the country’s most popular cars of the year so far, but which is in pole position?
5 Mar 2024
Top 10 best hot hatchbacks to buy 2024
Best hot hatchbacks - header image
Best cars & vans

Top 10 best hot hatchbacks to buy 2024

The best hot hatches offer giant-killing performance and a gripping drive, all wrapped in a user-friendly package
25 Jan 2024
New 2023 BMW 1 Series facelift caught testing on the Nurburgring
2023 BMW 1 Series (camouflaged) - front action
News

New 2023 BMW 1 Series facelift caught testing on the Nurburgring

BMW’s premium hatchback will get a complete redesign and new technology
9 Jun 2023
BMW 1 Series review
BMW M135i xDrive - front tracking
In-depth reviews

BMW 1 Series review

The BMW 1 Series is an outstanding premium hatchback, offering an enticing combination of performance, efficiency and driver thrills
3 Apr 2023

Most Popular

“MG is easily outselling Jaguar, Land Rover and Bentley combined”
Opinion - MG4
Opinion

“MG is easily outselling Jaguar, Land Rover and Bentley combined”

The wave of Chinese cars has arrived in the UK, and Mike Rutherford thinks it’s not about to stop any time soon
17 Mar 2024
Car Deal of the Day: breathtaking Lotus Emira V6 for £45k and an I.O.U.
Lotus Emira - driving
News

Car Deal of the Day: breathtaking Lotus Emira V6 for £45k and an I.O.U.

Our Deal of the Day for 15 March is a half-now, half-later plan for the last-ever petrol-powered Lotus sports car
15 Mar 2024
New Audi A5 Sportback and Avant: prices, specs and info on sleek new compact execs
New Audi A5 Avant - exclusive image
News

New Audi A5 Sportback and Avant: prices, specs and info on sleek new compact execs

The new ICE and hybrid Audi A5 is due by year’s end in hatchback and estate forms
15 Mar 2024