New BMW 1 Series hatch, 2 Series Gran Coupe due next year – report

The next generation of the BMW 1 Series hatchback and BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe sedan are due to be unveiled next year – skipping a mid-life update for the current model – according to an overseas report.

BMW insider and BimmerPost forum user 'ynguldyn' – who has a solid track record for accurately revealing future BMW model plans – claims a new generation of the 1 Series hatch (codenamed F70) is due in production in July 2024.

It is due to be followed by a new 2 Series Gran Coupe – the 1 Series hatch's four-door sedan sibling – on the assembly line in November 2024 (codenamed F74).

If the production dates given are accurate, it would give the current 1 Series and 2 Series Gran Coupe a shortened model cycle of only five years – with no mid-life facelift typical of BMW models.

Overseas media have published spy photos over the past 12 months of what has been claimed to be a facelift of the current-generation 1 Series (known as the F40).

However, when asked if the spy photos show the next 1 Series hatch – or a late-stage facelift – 'ynguldyn' said: "F70 is coming out in just over a year, there's no time left for any F40 updates.".

The 1 Series prototypes shown look surprisingly similar to the current model, with new lights and bumpers – but what appears to be the same body structure, doors and windows.

Assuming the BimmerPost report is accurate, it is unclear if the next-generation 1 Series will just be a heavy facelift of the current model – which would be highly unusual for a BMW vehicle – or if the old bodywork is being used to disguise updated underpinnings.

New or updated BMW vehicles typically conduct about two years of real-world road testing – outside of the company's proving ground – before they are unveiled to the public.

The first images of these camouflaged 1 Series prototypes were captured by spy photographers in April and May 2022 – which aligns neatly with the theory they show the next-generation model, due in July 2024.

According to the BimmerPost forum user, highlights of the new small cars are planned to include 17- to 19-inch wheels, "active" seats, Harman Kardon premium audio, adaptive suspension, semi-autonomous driving technology similar to the latest BMW X1, and illuminated front grilles.

M Performance versions of both cars – the M135i and M235i – are due to offer performance brakes, the adaptive suspension system as standard, 19-inch alloy wheels, and "some lightweight parts, spoiler, interior and exterior trims."

A dual-clutch automatic transmission will reportedly be standard on most models, while M135i and M235i variants are claimed to upgrade to a standard (likely eight-speed) 'torque-converter' automatic gearbox.

Engine options are likely to mirror the new-generation BMW X1 small SUV, with a choice of petrol or diesel power, depending on market.

However, there are reportedly no plans for electric versions of the petrol-powered 1 Series and 2 Series Gran Coupe – instead, electric i1 and i2 models are slated to sit on BMW's upcoming electric-car-focused architecture, called Neue Klasse.

These models are reportedly due about three and a half years after the petrol models – in November 2027 and July 2028 respectively.

Using the X1 as a guide, engine options for the new 1 Series and 2 Series Gran Coupe will start with a 115kW/230Nm 1.5-litre turbo three-cylinder petrol engine in '18i' models.

There may be mid-range '120i' and '220i' version with 150kW/300Nm from a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine, while the high-performance M35i versions are reported to offer 235kW from a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder, based on specifications published by 'ynguldyn' for the X1 M35i.

The new 1 Series and 2 Series Gran Coupe would also be in line for BMW's next-generation iDrive 9 infotainment software, staged on a 10.7-inch touchscreen and 10.25-inch digital instrument display.

Expect more details of the 2025 BMW 1 Series and BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe to emerge closer to their reported launches next year.