BMW Series 1, presentation and road test in Madrid (II)

We continue with the new BMW Series 1, which goes on sale officially tomorrow, 22 September, across the entire BMW dealer network. We already looked at the design and trim section, the news on the Series 1, but now we need to talk about the mechanical side and our first contact with the car in Madrid.

More specifically, we got behind the wheel of the BMW 116i and the automatic 120d, with the new eight-speed ZF transmission. There has also been further work on reducing consumption, with new EfficientDynamics settings and a new ECO Pro mode that can save up to 20% in fuel.

Changes in the mechanical range: 118i with turbo, 120d with 184 CV and 116i turbo with 136 CV.

Among the changes in the new generation of the BMW Series 1 are those relating to the engine range, since the so-called 118i , which until now was a two-litre naturally aspirated engine, now has its displacement reduced to 1.6 litres and gets a turbo, delivering a final output of 170 CV.

A very interesting engine, which we also got to try first-hand, is the new 116i. With 1.6 litres it offers 136 CV, based on the same engine as the 118i but with less power. Both engines feature a progressive turbo that pushes from low revs.

Finally, we have to talk about the 120d, which now delivers 184 CV and has an official average consumption of only 4.6 litres per 100 km, a figure that is quite good for the power and performance of this engine.

That said, some things remain unchanged: all Series 1 models are still rear-wheel drive. As an option, adaptive suspension will be available for those seeking better handling in all situations, and as a complement, variable sport steering will also be offered.

EfficientDynamics and ECO Pro mode

The new Series 1 features the well-known technologies for fuel saving and emissions reduction, which BMW calls EfficientDynamics. These include the Start&Stop system linked to the ZF automatic gearbox, lighter materials, brake energy recovery, a gear shift indicator, electric power steering, among other elements.

An important new feature is the ECO Pro mode. As standard, the Series 1 will have several driving modes: Comfort, Eco Pro and Sport (optionally Sport Plus). The changes to ECO Pro mode are significant, because now we can save up to 20% if we use the mode 100% of the time.

This mode can be configured with several parameters, including speed and whether or not it also affects the climate control (making it gentler). Depending on what we select, we achieve a certain level of system efficiency. For example, if we don’t want it to affect the climate control and we set the speed to 90 km/h, we obtain 80% efficiency.

Based on these parameters, the car keeps advising us how to drive as economically as possible: if we exceed the speed we have set, the car warns us; if we accelerate sharply, the car also warns us; or if we need to shift up a gear or select neutral so that the Start&Stop kicks in.

In addition, the system shows us how many extra kilometres we will cover thanks to the savings we are achieving while driving. After trying it on the road, the system is interesting because it makes us drive more carefully and pay attention to everything, such as not accelerating sharply and keeping the average speed we have set, etc.

First contact with the 116i and the automatic 120d.

First, we got behind the wheel of an automatic 120d, an interesting combination of engine and gearbox, because it is now available with the eight-speed ZF transmission, which is a real delight on the road, as well as being quick to engage gears and responsive to our commands.

During the drive, we confirmed that agility remains a strong point of the Series 1, especially thanks to its direct steering and well-calibrated chassis, which make it enjoyable on mountain roads. At the same time, it filters road irregularities quite well without ever feeling harsh, and without losing firmness.

The other model we were keen to try was the new 116i, which features a turbo and 136 CV. This time we headed into central Madrid for a brief first contact. We liked the smoothness of this engine, which is a very worthy entry-level variant with excellent behaviour both in the city and on the open road, with a progressive and smooth response.

Prices and equipment

With standard equipment including, among other things: leather steering wheel, fog lights, two-zone climate control, velour floor mats, warning triangle and first-aid kit, driving experience control switch, and exterior elements in body colour.

• BMW 116i €25,950
• BMW 118i €27,950
• BMW 116d €25,950
• BMW 118d €27,250
• BMW 120d €30,300

Photos | Diego G. Moreira