UPDATE: This has been confirmed to be the FWD 1 Series Concept Active Tourer which will be revealed online later today. Stay tuned!
The online reveal for the FWD 1 Series GT (Compactive Tourer) concept is imminent (stay tuned...), so has Auto Bild magazine just leaked the first image? The image doesn't seem to have the artificial qualities and proportions that most speculative renders have and is extremely detailed, so this may be a true leak of the actual concept 1 Series GT.
For a preview of what the rear tail lights will look like, that can be seen in these
recently leaked designs.
The FWD 1 Series GT or "Compactive Tourer," as it has been referred to will be the first model in BMW's upcoming lineup of FWD 1 series cars. It will make its world public premiere at the 2012 Paris autoshow late this month. The FWD 1 series models will ride on the UKL platform, which they will share with the upcoming MINI models. The production 1 Series GT Compactive Tourer will hit the market sometime in 2013.
The FWD 1-series models will join the rest of the 1-series lineup which in the next generation is expected to go all FWD. Meanwhile, the F22 coupe and F23 cabrio (both RWD) are likely to be badged as "2-series".
Will the FWD 1 Series be destined for the US? If Ian Robertson's (BMW AG's board member for sales and marketing) words from the Paris auto show in September 2010 still holds true, these vehicles will have a four-cylinder engine in the United States at launch.
Updated with full image: