Return of tii? BMW Executive Confirms Hotter 1 Series

BMW’s high-performance 1 Series has been spied undergoing development, but no one at the company had actually confirmed the car -- until today. Dr. Kay Segler, president of BMW’s M Division, confirmed BMW’s plans for the car and that it won’t share the M1 name of BMW’s legendary supercar.

Though the M1 name won’t be coming back, we don’t yet know exactly what this car will be called. A number of different names are possible -- 135is, given BMW’s current naming scheme, the 1 Series M, as it is being developed by the Motorsport Division, or even the early return of the tii badge. We saw the 1 Series tii Concept in 2007 and reported that the vaunted tii badge would be coming back in 2011, could this car be it?

Whatever the name may be, the car will have some serious performance credentials. Segler revealed to Autocar that it will produce around 350 horsepower and in excess of 310 pound-feet of torque. Power will come from an M-tuned version of BMW’s outgoing N54 twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter I-6. Autocar reports that it is likely to use BMW’s seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, but we’re hoping a six-speed manual is available as well.

In order to help the more potent 1 Series put the power to the ground, BMW’s M Division is adding an electronically controlled M differential and also reworking the car’s suspension. The 1 Series’ typical suspension layout remains, MacPherson struts in front with a multi-link rear, but with stiffer springs and dampers and a different set of bushings. In addition to helping the car get better traction, the suspension changes should also improve the car’s handling.

In this time and age, even a product from BMW’s M Division couldn’t escape the political pressure to reduce consumption and emissions. BMW’s Efficient Dynamics systems are likely to appear on the car with features such as regenerative braking and possibly even a start-stop system. These features will reportedly keep the high-performance 1 Series’ fuel economy about the same as a regular 135i -- 20 mpg combined in the U.S.

BMW’s high-performance 1 Series will reportedly go on sale in Europe next year. It is likely to make its way to the States sometime next year as well. It will slot in above the 135i and below the M3 coupe with pricing likely to start somewhere in the mid- to high-$40,000 range. Stay tuned for details as the car’s launch gets closer.