Smallest next-generation BMW spied

A new BMW 1 Series hatchback is coming in the middle of 2024.

Images shared by our spy photography agency show a BMW document saying the F70 116i will start production in July 2024. The current model is known internally as the F40, suggesting this isn’t an update but is instead a new model.

It’s not clear if the 116i will debut with the broader range, or if BMW will opt for a staggered rollout.

Under the skin, the 1 Series is expected to be a new model rather than an update as previously predicted. That matches reports from a well-known Bimmerpostuser, who also claimed production would start in July 2024 for a ground-up new 1er.

Expect to see the BMW Curved Display inside and fewer buttons, plus a range of turbocharged engines with 48V mild-hybrid assistance.

Two models have been snapped this time around – the range-topping M135i, and the entry-level 116i.

Both have more rounded headlights than on the current model, although the overall profile doesn’t look revolutionary.

The M135i has massive exhaust pipes at the rear, and larger wheels and tyres than the 116i. It also has a more aggressive bumper and grille lurking beneath its camouflage.

Power in the current car comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine making 225kW and 450Nm, sending power to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The current 1 Series is only five years old. If it is replaced, it will have skipped the mid-life update – or LCI – most BMW models receive.

MORE: Everything BMW 1 Series