After experimenting in the 1990s and early noughties with hatchbacks spun off the 3 Series, BMW finally got serious about the compact arena with the debut of the first 1 Series in 2004. Having learned its lesson from its earlier efforts, BMW didn’t bother chasing the trend of cheap, front-drive runabouts for the masses. Instead, it doubled down on its brand DNA, giving the 1 Series a genuinely sporty, rear-wheel-drive chassis and the option of powerful inline-6 engines – including with turbocharging with the launch of the M135i hot hatch in 2012.
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