Rumour: India-spec BMW 1-Series to share engines with X1?

In the second half of this year, BMW India will kick start its foray into the entry level luxury car segment with the 1-Series hatchback. A rival to the Mercedes Benz A-Class and the Audi A3 hatchbacks, the second generation BMW 1-Series will be assembled in India through completely knocked down (CKD) kits. CKD assembly means that the 1-Series is poised to become the least priced car in BMW India's line up, with a price tag between the 20 and 25 lakh rupee marks. Marketing efforts around the 1-Series have already begun in India with a contest promising lucky winners a drive with BMW India brand ambassador, Sachin Tendulkar, and FIA GT race car driver Armaan Ebrahim. 

The 1-Series will be aimed at driving enthusiasts and younger car buyers seeking to experience the BMW brand through more affordable means. Eventually, these customers are expected move on to bigger BMW cars as their incomes grow. A similar strategy is being pursued by Mercedes Benz (with the MFA platform based entry level luxury cars) and Audi (with the A3 range based on the MQB platform). Audi will make its mark in this segment come 2014, when it will launch the A3 sedan in India.  

An interesting aspect of the 1-Series, as reported by AutocarIndia, is that the hatchback could borrow engines from the X1 crossover. The 1-Series hatchback that India is expected to get is the 5 door model, code-named the F20.  Coming back to the engines on the India-spec 1-Series, a 2 liter turbo diesel engine (184 Bhp-380 Nm) and a 2 liter naturally aspirated petrol engine (150 Bhp-200 Nm - the one that powered the previous generation X1) is what the car could come with.

The engines will drive the rear wheels of the car by means of a 8 speed automatic gearbox. While the 1-Series hatchback comes with 1.6 liter turbo petrol and 2 liter turbo diesel engine options internationally, the use of the motors borrowed from the X1 on the India-spec 1-Series is said to be a move aimed at keeping costs in check. The 1-Series sold internationally gets a 6 speed gearbox on its entry level variants. In India though, an automatic gearbox will be what BMW could be looking at as most luxury cars come with automatic transmissions as standard. 

The longitudinally mounted engine and rear wheel drive architecture on the BMW 1-Series are aimed at delivering great handling, a trait that most BMW cars are known for. Dimensions wise, the F20 BMW 1-Series hatchback is longer than the Mercedes Benz A-Class. However, the Mercedes has the BMW covered in terms of width, height and wheelbase. So, a large hatchback that can rival many C-Segment sedans in India, in terms of space on offer, is what the BMW 1-Series is all about when it comes to size. 

With BMW India losing ground in terms of sales numbers to the likes of Audi and Mercedes Benz, the 1-Series will be an important launch for the German car maker when it comes to the volumes game. For now though, BMW India seems to be making all the right noises with cost saving measures such as CKD assembly, and engine sharing with the X1. All said, it remains to be seen whether the Indian luxury car buyer will warm up to sporty, premium luxury hatchbacks such as the 1-Series and the A-Class or gravitate towards a sedan such as the upcoming Audi A3.