First Gen Four BMW 1 Series Made in Leipzig

Click to enlarge, so to speak.

The first of the fourth-generation BMW 1 Series came off the production line at BMW Group Plant Leipzig today. BMW said  it was a 120 model in Alpine White for a customer in Germany.* The new BMW 1 Series is due for market launch in October 2024. When first introduced in 2007, the 1-series was a successful bet that a small hatchback doesn’t need to equate to cheap.

“The new BMW 1 Series will remain a key factor in maintaining high capacity utilization here at plant Leipzig,” said Petra Peterhänsel, Plant Director. The strongest markets for the 1 Series have been Germany and Europe, and the UK and Italy.

The so-called premium compact is manufactured exclusively at Plant Leipzig, in Saxony, where up to 500 of the cars can be made per day. Combined with the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, BMW 2 Series Active Tourer and MINI Countryman, daily production from Plant Leipzig is as many as 1300 vehicles. Since t2007 the plant has manufactured more than 1.3 million in a range of variants. As at the end of June 2024, ~443,000 third-generation BMW 1 Series have been delivered to customers.

Since 2018 BMW Group Plant Leipzig has been upgraded. It can now produce up to 350,000 units a year – 100,000 more than previously. It currently manufactures four models with three different types of drive by two different brands – all on the same production line. Since November 2023 output has been boosted by the MINI Countryman. In addition another ~800 BMW vehicles are built daily.

The body of the new BMW 1 Series is available in a choice of two solid-color and seven metallic finishes. BMW Individual paintwork will also be available, along with a wide range of BMW Individual Special Paints. The new BMW 1 Series is the first BMW to have optional contrast paintwork, with a roof in high-gloss black. As with the MINI Countryman, the roof will be painted at Plant Leipzig using a new overspray-free painting. The method is currently being piloted and works without producing the mist of excess paint that usually occurs.

Inside, the new BMW 1 Series is completely leather-free as standard. The redesigned cockpit has the BMW Curved Display. The optional M Sport Package is available from at launch in Europe.

* The 1 Series has a combined fuel consumption: 6.0 – 5.3 l/100 km (62 miles); CO2 emissions combined: 135 – 121 g/km according to WLTP; CO2 classes D.

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