[Jason]

As reported on 1addicts Homepage.

We bring you the first photos of what appears to be a 6 cylinder twin turbo F20 1-series 5-door hatchback in testing. Until now, the only F20 1-series prototypes we have seen have featured a single exhaust outlet. This newly spotted F20 features split dual exhaust outlets, which, judging by BMWs current models, usually signifies the presence of the 3 liter twin-turbo engine under the hood. The wheels featured on this F20 test mule have also not been spotted before and may very well be the standard (or optional) wheels we will see on the next 135i hatchback.




Second generation BMW 1 Series (F20)

While the car still remains in the engineering prototype phase, plans for the car have already been laid out and seem to be the most ambitious for any BMW car ever.

According to BMW insider scott26, plans are laid down for a host of variants that include not only the traditional 3-door/5-door hatchbacks [2011], coupes and convertibles [2012] but also:

• Supersport edition -- Basicly a BMW 1-series M variant, designed by them but without the M badge. [2012]
• Touring model
• PAS type GT model (along the lines of the 5 series GT)
• Sports Activity Coupe (X2 -- along the lines of the X6)
• Roadster (Z2)
• Shooting Brake

While many of these cars would not be marketed as the same as the 1-series, they are built upon the same platform and being engineered simultaneously so to speak. Its not clear which of these models would get axed or approved, but it is ambitious nevertheless.

[ORIGIN M.]

BAM!

VW & Subaru will suffer the consequences!

Thanks for posting!!!

[3M TAPE]

bye bye Mazda3

[numba1guju]

fingers crossed for US production

[mtla4]

Originally Posted by siwon66

bye bye Mazda3

The base Mazda 3 is about 1/3 of the price of a 135. The Top of the line Mazda 3 cost half the price. Even the GTI is 15K cheaper here then a base 135I.

The 135I is not in competition with the GTI at all.

[antzcrashing]

Originally Posted by mtla4

The base Mazda 3 is about 1/3 of the price of a 135. The Top of the line Mazda 3 cost half the price. Even the GTI is 15K cheaper here then a base 135I.

The 135I is not in competition with the GTI at all.

+1 I love posts like this

[BrokenVert]

I love those wheels. And look. It still has the famous hofmeister(?) kink and I would instantly shell out the cash for a 135i hatch and or shooting brake. Utility plus and amazing drive. Im there.

[aragorn764]

Dammm now i wanna wait until 2012!

[ebeem]

nice cutting skills........

[datbimmerdoe]

I really like the wheels.

[135Eye]

Wow, very nice find.. it looks like I will be happily trading in my 135i for a 135i when the time is right

[ORIGIN M.]

Originally Posted by mtla4

The base Mazda 3 is about 1/3 of the price of a 135. The Top of the line Mazda 3 cost half the price...

The Mazda 3 is HALF Ford, and it is not that great of a car in the first place.

[Imola.ZHP]

^ also not exactly correct, but lets not argue about Mazda's, I have one I can't get rid of...

Hope this car makes it to the US!

[adrean8j]

I am thinking that might be the twin-turbo 4-banger rumored...I am pretty sure the 135i will stay in the coupe format....just my .02

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by adrean8j

I am thinking that might be the twin-turbo 4-banger rumored...I am pretty sure the 135i will stay in the coupe format....just my .02

Twin turbo 4 cylinder motor? Sequential maybe? If not, I don't see how it would be cost-effective or even benefit power production to twin-turbo a 4 cylinder motor.

[randomquickness]

anyone else think that trailer hitch looks kinda perv?

[adrean8j]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

Twin turbo 4 cylinder motor? Sequential maybe? If not, I don't see how it would be cost-effective or even benefit power production to twin-turbo a 4 cylinder motor.

Read the article below..the information is from a German sourced automotive journal. They DO mention turbo-charging...I don't know if it is twin or otherwise.....I still highly doubt the vehicle shown above is a 135i hatch....time will tell

"Even though this is something we anticipated and talked about for quite some time now, this morning the breaking news in the BMW world were that the German automaker will start using 3-cylinder engines in the next generation BMW 1 Series and the high-volume seller, 3 Series. According to sources close to BMW, the 3-cylinder engines will power some of the entry level vehicles and smaller mild hybrid platforms. The upcoming BMW Z2 and the new generation 1 Series are the prime candidates for this new direction. Quoting the same source, these engines are currently in a testing phase and are still about two years away from the launch date.

The German publication Auto Motor und Sport published today a list of these new engines. Even though we have not yet confirmed them with a second source, we will go ahead and publish them, but keep in mind that things might change along the line.
x16i – 1,35 liters I3, 122hk/190Nm
x18i – 1,35 liters I3, 150hk/220Nm
x20i – 1,35 liters I3, 180hk/260Nm
x23i – 1,80 liters I4, 204hk/300Nm
x25i – 1,80 liters I4, 240hk/350Nm
Of course many of you wonder why would BMW go into this direction, but we have said many times in the past few months: the stricter emission regulation and the need for cleaner technologies, have pushed BMW into a new direction, where efficiency is the key element.
Those engines will also be configured to work with existing and future hybrid technologies which can boost the power. Even though the smaller displacement usually implies less power, BMW is still focused on offering the same sporty performance that made the company famous.
The engines with less cylinders and displacement will make up the performance by being turbocharged.
For those of you that still believe in more power and big engines, BMW will continue to offer their award winning engines, starting with the twin-turbo 6-cylinder and the current V8 turbo engines.
[Source: GCZ and AMS ]"

[amdmaxx]

with diesel please..

Originally Posted by numba1guju

fingers crossed for US production

[HondaGoneRogue]

You can tell by the brakes and the air duct for the oil cooler that its a 135i. They have had the 135i hatch here since the series began.

[HondaGoneRogue]

Well after double checking, it seems BMW.DE DOESN'T offer the 135i in hatch form. My dealer must have been mistaken. But you can still clearly see the traits of the 135i in those pics. Really no other reason for the dual pipes.

[Robert]

4 piston brake up front, 2 in the back.

[Bimmer24]

Those tail lights look familiar. Does anybody know what car those are on?