BMW 1 Series 2016 | new car sales price

New engines and spec tweaks destined for 1 Series in Q4.

Just a year after the BMW 1 Series' most recent facelift touched down in Australia, BMW has announced another update to the hatch range with a new range of 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engines and more standard equipment.

While engine, prices, and specifications are unchanged for the entry-level $36,900 118i and the sole diesel powered variant, the $40,300 118d, the big changes are to be found in the 120i, 125i, and introduction of the M140i variant.

New to the 1 Series range is the introduction of BMW's new 'B-Series' engine range, which is gradually filtering through the BMW line-up. The update brings the new B48 2-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines to the 120i and 125i variants of the 1 Series, whereas a newly redesigned B58 3-litre 6-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine will feature on the M140i. These engines will come paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission from ZF, with a six-speed manual available as a no-cost option.

On the 120i, the new 2-litre powerplant produces 135kW and 270Nm of torque, up from its 1.6-litre predecessor's output of 130kW and 250Nm. This power bump is enough to get it from 0 to 100km/h in 7.1 seconds, a mere tenth of a second quicker than before, whereas its official combined fuel consumption tallies in at 5.8L/100km.

Despite the raft of updates, BMW has maintained the prices for both the 120i and 125i .

The 120i now comes standard with the Sport Line package, reverse camera, dual-zone climate control, extended smartphone connectivity, ConnectedDrive Lifestyle with real-time traffic information, and 17-inch alloy rims.

As for the 125i, the new 2-litre engine gains 5kW over its N20-engined predecessor at 165kW, though its torque figure of 310Nm remains unchanged. Both acceleration figures and fuel consumption figures take a tumble, with the 125i now able to reach 100km/h from standstill in 6.1 seconds from 6.2 seconds, and achieve 5.9L/100km rather than 6.5L/100km.

In terms of specifications, the 125i now adds LED fog lights to its standard M Sport package, M Sport braking system, and the 18-inch M Sport rims.

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Despite the raft of updates, BMW has maintained the prices for both the 120i and 125i at $41,900 and $48,990 respectively.

Replacing the hot M135i is the new M140i variant, which now serves as the flagship of the 1 Series. Under the hood its new 3-litre inline-6 turbocharged engine produces 250kW and 500Nm of torque, 10kW and 50Nm more than the engine in the M135i. With that in store the M140i is able to do the 0 to 100km/h sprint in 4.6 seconds - 0.3 seconds quicker than what the M135i was capable of - and yet able to return a 0.4L/100km lower combined fuel consumption figure of 7.1L/100km.

The standard equipment list on the M140i has been expanded to include Comfort Access, 12-speaker audio system from Harmon/Kardon, leather trimmed seats, and heated front seats with electric adjustment. The M140i also retains the Adaptive M Suspension, Adaptive LED Headlights, Professional Navigation, and DAB+ Digital Radio as standard.

The M140i is the only variant in the 1 Series range that sees a price hike of $2,000, putting it at $64,900.

The updated 1 Series range will be available at dealerships from the fourth quarter of this year.

Has BMW done enough to the 1 Series to tempt you away from an A3? Tell us what you think in the comments below.