Although initially the BMW 1 Series Sedan was intended for the Chinese market, latest rumors from Munich mention an European arrival in the near future. Today, we’re bringing you the first exclusive photos of a BMW M135i sedan testing in Spain.
The new strategic approach brings the 1 Series Sedan to European soil to compete with the Audi A3 Sedan, Mercedes CLA sedan and a future Infiniti model.

But what is really important are these spy photos we bring you today. The 1 Series looks like an ordinary sedan, conveniently camouflaged, but underneath it hides a prototype of a sportier version from the M Performance lineup. There are few differences compared with the standard model, like the red brake calipers and alloy wheels of the MINI Cooper JCW.

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The big mystery lays under the hood though. So far the 1 Series Sedan was said to only feature 3 and 4-cylinder engines, while most of the high-end M Performance models, like the M140i and M240i are powered by 3.0 liter six-cylinder units. So it’s unclear what the top 1er sedan would offer in terms of displacement and power.

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The UKL platform will allow the 1 Series Sedan to actually be fun to drive, despite its front-drive nature – xDrive will also likely be available for those who absolutely cannot have FWD and certainly a prime option for Europeans.

A BMW M135i sedan would not only bring power upgrades, but also a series of performance upgrades to the chassis, suspension and brake system, similar to all the other M Performance cars. Therefore, the 1 Series Sedan would deliver a compelling package, a mix between great design, high-performance and affordability.

[Source: Motors.es]