BMW 1 Series
The 1 Series represents BMW’s compact model family, combining smaller dimensions, everyday practicality and the brand’s traditional driver-focused character. From the first generation introduced in 2004, the 1 Series brought something rather unusual to the compact segment for BMW – rear-wheel-drive driving dynamics, balanced handling and a more sporting character than was typical in this class.
This page features a range of 1 Series models, from the E87 hatchback to the E82 Coupé, E88 Cabrio and the later F20 generation, including more special sporting versions such as the 1M Coupé. Together, these cars show how BMW brought its dynamic driving experience into a smaller format while retaining both practicality and a strong model identity.
Click on the model image or name to open the gallery and description
Background BMW 1 Series Coupé (E82) debuted in 2007 and brought a compact rear-wheel-drive coupé into the BMW range, based very clearly on the marque’s traditional values. The E82 belonged to the first-generation BMW 1 Series family, but unlike the three- and five-door hatchbacks, the Coupé received a classic three-box body shape with a long …
Background BMW 1 Series M Coupé (E82), widely known simply as the BMW 1M Coupé, was introduced in 2011 and brought the philosophy of BMW M GmbH to the compact BMW 1 Series Coupé for the first time. The official name was deliberately chosen as 1 Series M Coupé rather than BMW M1, since the …
Background AC Schnitzer ACS1 Sport Coupé (E82) was the Aachen-based tuning specialist AC Schnitzer’s interpretation of one of BMW’s most distinctive modern M cars – the BMW 1 Series M Coupé. Even in standard form, the car combined the compact E82 body with a 340 hp six-cylinder turbocharged engine, rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual …
Background BMW 120i five-door hatchback (E87) belonged to the original model range of the first-generation BMW 1 Series, launched in 2004, and marked a new chapter for BMW in the premium compact segment. The E87 was the first model to carry the BMW 1 Series name and was initially offered only as a five-door hatchback. …
Background BMW 1 Series Convertible (E88) was the open-top version of the first-generation BMW 1 Series and brought a compact four-seat rear-wheel-drive convertible into the brand’s model range. The car reached the market in 2008 and belonged to the same model family as the E87 five-door hatchback, the E81 three-door hatchback and the BMW 1 …
Background BMW 125i (F20) was one of the sportier petrol-powered versions of the second-generation BMW 1 Series. The five-door F20 debuted in 2011 as the successor to the first-generation E87 and continued a technical concept that was already becoming unusual in the compact class: a longitudinally mounted engine and rear-wheel drive. The BMW 125i joined …
