New 1 Series hatched

The only thing I knew about this pretty city before touching down on a whirlwind visit this week, is that its people have a deep thirst for the four "Bs".

Beer, bratwurst, Bundesliga football and bicycles are most definitely their favourites, but after a little more than 24 hours here I think I can safely add a fifth "B" to that list - BMW.

Of course Germany is home to this motoring giant, but the reality is confirmed when checking out the number of cars on its roads with the distinctive propeller logo.

Which probably made it quite appropriate that the capital, Berlin, was chosen for the launch of the "new" 1 Series Hatch.

New? Well not quite, as it has been around since 2004, but this latest offering definitely shades its predecessor in many ways.

South African consumers will have to wait until the last quarter of this year before the vehicle will be available, but when it does eventually arrive, there will be three derivatives on offer - the 116i, 118i (both petrol) and the 120d (diesel).

With more than a million vehicles of the previous generation sold, BMW has not strayed too far from its original looks.

But what it has done is make available a whole range of technology previously only found in its more up-market vehicles, and slotted them into this five-door hatch.

The statistics supplied state the vehicle has grown in length (85mm) and width (17mm) but unless you whip out a tape measure you probably won't really notice.

That long bonnet is still the centrepiece and whether you like it or not, it definitely catches your attention and those strong angles extend right through to the rear bumper.

All engines on the 1 Series are four-cylinder TwinPower turbos that manage to increase performance over their predecessor when it comes to output, but still manage to reduce fuel consumption by an impressive 10%.

A first for the 1 Series - and BMW for that matter - is the introduction across the range of what is to be known as Sport Line and Urban Line.

This is a range of elements available to a buyer to personalise the vehicle with both interior and exterior features.

Pimp My Ride items on the Sport Line include sports seats, leather steering wheel with red stitching and special sports numbers on the instrument cluster. External features you may wish for are 16-inch alloy wheels and black trim for the exhaust pipe.

Opt for the Urban Line and you get special cloth/leather seats, 17-inch high-gloss white wheels, and splashes of white on other parts of the exterior like the side mirrors.

BMW refers to the interior as a "driver-friendly cockpit".

While not perhaps straight out of the Top Gun movie, I'm sure Tom Cruise would be happy with what we found in our launch vehicle.

All the bells and whistles were there, including the optional navigation system, which was an absolute must when trying to navigate our way through towns like Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.

Other driver assistance systems that made our drive just that little bit more comfortable were lane departure warning, park assistance, speed limit info and a rear-view camera.

Standard safety features you can expect to find on this vehicle include six airbags, tyre defect indicator, ABS brakes and dynamic brake lights.

An adaptive suspension programme is also offered as an option. Three modes are available - comfort, sport and sport+ - all of which adapt the suspension to suit driving styles and road conditions.

I must admit we had a very short glimpse into what the 1 Series is capable of but there is no doubt the manufacturer has stuck with the tried-and-tested and proud heritage built up over the last 95 years to produce a car that will appeal to the younger generation with its hip, cosmopolitan look, state-of-the-art technology and all-round vibrancy.

Very much like Berlin itself!

• Pricing of the new 1 Series Hatch will only be announced closer to its local launch.

The Specs:

BMW 116i Hatch

Engine: 1598cc four-cylinder petrol

Power: 100kW at 4400rpm

Torque: 220Nm at 1350-4300rpm

0-100km/h: 8.5 seconds

Top speed: 210km/h

Fuel consumption: 5.5l/100km (claimed)

CO2: 129g/km

Price: TBC

BMW 118i Hatch

Engine: 1598cc four-cylinder petrol

Power: 125kW at 4800rpm

Torque: 250Nm at 1500-4500rpm

0-100km/h: 7.4 seconds

Top speed: 225km/h

Fuel consumption: 5.8l/100km (claimed)

CO2: 134g/km

Price: TBC

BMW 120d Hatch

Engine: 1955cc four-cylinder diesel

Power: 135kW at 4000rpm

Torque: 380Nm at 1750-2750rpm

0-100km/h: 7.2 seconds

Top speed: 228km/h

Fuel consumption: 4.5l/100km (claimed)

CO2: 119g/km

We like:

Distinctive German precision Great fuel figures Improved looks

We don't like:

Extras will add considerably to the price