BMW is about to make a change in the Chinese market by launching their exclusive new 1 series sedan. The car is aimed at the Mercedes Benz CLA and the A3 from Audi.
Being one of the largest markets in the world, China has its own share of luxury sedans, coupes and SUVs. Automobile manufacturers have nearly saturated the western market which has now pushed them into the Asian territory. The type of powertrains, performance and the comfort expected by people in these regions are completely different. In order to accommodate their requirements, most automobile manufacturers launch exclusive models which will be restricted to the region.
The newly announced BMW 1 series sedan for China is good example. The car picks design cues from the compact sedan concept revealed by the company at the Guangzhou Auto show. The advantage they gain is that the car looks exactly like a BMW model yet doesn’t copy from any of the existing variants. Instead, it provides a completely new look, exterior finish and the much needed change the brand requires in order to make people go for it.
Besides, they already face tough competition from Mercedes and Audi. A facelifted sedan is the right way to get things done. More details from BMW is expected. Based on latest updates, we do know that the particular model features a front wheel drive system. It is built on the UKL platform. The same platform is being used by multiple cars including the X1, BMW 2 series Active Tourer, X1, Mini hard top among a long list of other cars.
The BMW 1 series sedan will be powered by a three cylinder and a four-cylinder powertrain. Both petrol and diesel variants will be offered. As hybrid models are yet to be widely adopted in the country, BMW may choose to keep it for a late launch and get the basic models out first. The new sedan is expected to go on sale throughout China in a couple of weeks.
There is no word on the model reaching the US shores or any other region for that matter. Such decisions are purely based on sales trends. If it is going to receive buyer support in a region where a lot of features are considered important, the auto manufacturer, be it BMW or any other brand would keep it to the region where their target audience reside and hope for the best.
