BMW PH unveils the 1 Series and X1 at Joyfest 2020

Last weekend, BMW Philippines held its annual Joyfest 2020 event at the Papa Bear Activity Center located in BGC from Feb. 21 to 23. Like in previous Joyfest events, BMW PH offered many exclusive deals on BMW cars as well as BMW Lifestyle items, and offered test drive on several BMW models. The 3-day brand event also saw the launch of the new BMW X1 and 1 Series.

SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp., the official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines and the organizer of Joyfest, announced the introduction of the all-new third generation BMW 1 Series and saw the unveiling of two variants, namely, the 118i Sport and top-of-the-line M135i xDrive.

The premium compact car was first introduced in 2004 and since then, some 2.5 millions have been sold globally. For now it will be available only as a 5-door sedan and the new generation 1 Series is higher by 13mm and wider by 34mm while wheelbase is 20mm shorter and overall length also shrunk by 5mm.

With bigger legroom and little changes in its footprint, the new 1 Series benefits from many years of development on a new cutting edge front-wheel-drive (FWD) architecture promising better agility and dynamic sharpness unseen in FWD cars before. For the topline M135i xDrive, its intelligent all-wheel drive ably matches with its more powerful engine, giving it perceptible fast and precise responses enhancing the driving experience.

The BMW 118i Sport uses a 3-cylinder engine that generates 140hp and 220 Nm of torque through a 7-speed dual-clutch Steptronic transmission. The BMW M135i xDrive uses the most powerful 4-cylinder BMW has to offer. Its 2-liter TwinPower Turbo 4-cylinder engine generates 306hp and 450 Nm of torque with an 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission, sprinting from zero to 100 km/h in a mere 4.8 seconds (4.7 seconds with the M Performance package).

On the exterior, it comes with a new face with a larger BMW kidney grille and for the first time in this model range, its two kidneys now merge in the middle. For the topline BMW M135i xDrive, instead of usual vertical bars on the grille, it now comes with a prominent 3D mesh design inspired by racing cars. The multi-angled full LED headlights gives the car a fresh and youthful look. Viewed from the side, its familiar shark nose, wedge shape silhouette and small greenhouse with the traditional Hofmeister kink on the C pillar and its well-sculpted surfaces give the new 1 Series an athletic appeal.

The topline M135i xDrive has a new BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant that is familiar with virtually all the car’s functions. To wake up the system, the driver just has to say “Hey BMW” and it can have access to its functions and information simply by speaking to it. Other driver aids like Park Distance Control (PDC), rear view camera, and Parking Assistant, which enable automatic parallel or perpendicular parking.

The all-new BMW 1 Series 118i Sport is priced at P2.69 million and the range-topping BMW M135i xDrive is priced at P4.59 million.

Aside from the 1 Series, BMW PH also unveiled the X1 sDrive18d xLine. Launched late 2015, it’s a fresh take on the current-generation BMW X1. BMW calls it the compact Sports Activity Vehicle and the new xLine variant comes with a larger grille with the kidneys now merging in the center that links up with the new LED headlights and it also features larger air intakes. On the rear end, it features a new inlay in the body-color rear apron that adopts the car’s main body color.

Inside, it has a new contrast stitching on the instrument panel, which is black on its upper section and adopts the color of the interior upholstery lower down. The black, high-gloss interior trim is combined with pearl chrome inserts, and the seats come standard with Sensatec upholstery giving it a premium and comfortable ride experience. The Control Display is a centrally mounted 6.5-inch screen that can now be operated using the BMW iDrive Controller. The Control Display represents the ideal platform on which to explore the BMW X1’s richly varied infotainment offering and access the digital services from BMW ConnectedDrive.

Its TwinTurbo 4-cylinder engine is mated with an 8-speed Steptronic transmission that generates 150hp and 350 Nm of torque. The BMW X1 sDrive18d xLine is priced at P3.09 million.

All these BMW models now come with a 5-year or 200,000-kilometer manufacturer’s warranty—a new standard in the premium automotive segment in the Philippines.