Powertrain families
B38/B48 petrol · B47 diesel · 48-volt mild hybrid
1 Series (F70) — 5-door Hatchback
2024–present
Editorially reviewedReviewed 2026-08-10; market and model-year scope is stated in the record sources.
- Internal code
- F70
- Production
- 2024–present
- Body style
- 5-door hatchback
- Platform
- transverse layout · front- or all-wheel drive
Body variants
1 Series → F70 → 5-door Hatchback
1 Series F70: history, design and engineering
How this generation came about, what made it different and how the selected 5-door hatchback fits into the family.
BMW presents F70 as the fourth 1 Series generation. It retains a transverse, five-door-only concept and the 2,670 mm wheelbase of F40, but receives revised body dimensions, drivetrain and chassis calibration, a new interior and the Operating System 9 interface.
Series production at Leipzig began in July 2024 and the European market launch followed in October. The launch range combined petrol and diesel engines with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission; selected versions add a 48-volt mild-hybrid system whose battery changes luggage capacity.
F70 also begins a naming change in which petrol derivatives lose the historic ‘i’ suffix, reserving the i prefix for BMW electric models. A designation such as 120 therefore requires the generation code and market to avoid confusion with earlier 120i cars.
2024–presentgeneration lifecycle
1body branches
3engine/drive families
6range designations
F70factory code
transverse layout · front- or all-wheel drivearchitecture
5-door Hatchback: dimensions and packaging
Dimensions can change with body, market and model year, so this page keeps them tied to the exact factory branch.
Length4,361 mm
Width1,800 mm
Height1,459 mm
Wheelbase2,670 mm
Luggage300–1,135 L
Fuel tank49 L
Seats5
Doors5-door hatchback
| Body | Code | Production | Doors / seats | Length | Luggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-door Hatchback | F70 | 2024–present | 5-door hatchback / 5 | 4,361 mm | 300–1,135 L |
Engines and powertrains
The generation could span very different engines and drivetrains. The table keeps output, gearbox, market and production period together.
Factory modification matrix
Documented 5-door hatchback applications; output and availability remain market- and model-year-specific.
| Model | Years | Engine | Output | Transmission | Drive | Market | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 116 | 2024–present | B38A15 turbo inline-three | 122 PS | 7DCT | FWD | Europe | The all-new BMW 1 Series (F70) |
| 120 | 2024–present | B38A15 turbo inline-three + 48 V mild hybrid | 170 PS system | 7DCT | FWD | Europe | The all-new BMW 1 Series (F70) |
| 123 xDrive | 2025–present | B48A20 turbo inline-four + 48 V mild hybrid | 218 PS system | 7DCT | AWD | Europe | The all-new BMW 1 Series (F70) |
| M135 xDrive | 2024–present | B48A20 turbo inline-four | 300 PS | 7DCT | AWD | Europe | The all-new BMW 1 Series (F70) |
| 118d | 2024–present | B47C20 diesel inline-four | 150 PS | 7DCT | FWD | Europe | The all-new BMW 1 Series (F70) |
| 120d | 2024–present | B47C20 diesel inline-four + 48 V mild hybrid | 163 PS system | 7DCT | FWD | Europe | The all-new BMW 1 Series (F70) |
Factory designations
116 · 120 · 123 xDrive · M135 xDrive · 118d · 120d
Petrol engines
Inline and V engines are grouped by engine family, displacement, induction system and emissions specification.
Diesel derivatives
Where diesels were offered, output, injection generation and emissions hardware are recorded market by market.
Electrification
Mild- and plug-in hybrids are separate derivatives; combustion-engine output must not be substituted for total system output.
How power reaches the road
Gearboxes, driven wheels and final-drive hardware changed with engine, market and production date.
Transmissions
Gearbox type and unit code follow engine, market and production date. Gear count alone does not identify the transmission.
Driven wheels
Catalog architecture: transverse layout · front- or all-wheel drive. All-wheel-drive availability and hardware remain derivative-specific.
Final drive
Ratio, differential type and electronic control belong to the exact derivative and can differ on performance models.
What changed underneath
Suspension, brakes, safety systems and electronics evolved across the range, even when cars shared the same basic architecture.
Body-branch dimensions
- F70: 4,361 mm × 1,800 mm × 1,459 mm
Body & suspension
- Mounting points and geometry follow the body branch
- Springs and dampers follow axle load and chassis package
- Wheels and permitted loads follow the factory label
Brakes & steering
- Brake size follows engine and equipment
- Assistance type and steering ratio can change
- ABS/DSC generation follows model year
Passive safety
- Airbag count varies by market and year
- SRS parts are VIN-specific
- Structural repairs require factory procedures
Electronics
- Vehicle-bus generations changed during production
- Control-unit software levels must remain compatible
- Retrofits are recorded separately from factory equipment
How the generation evolved
The important launches, additions and updates did not always happen at the same time for every body or market.
Fourth generation announced
BMW published the launch material with revised design, engines, chassis and OS 9.
Leipzig production
Customer-car series production began at BMW Group Plant Leipzig.
Market launch
The new generation entered its first European markets.
Live range
Powertrain and equipment additions are recorded by launch date and market, not backfilled into the 2024 specification.
The versions that stood apart
Performance models, option packages and regional editions may look related, but their engineering and production identity can be very different.
5-door Hatchback
F701 Series F70 is a distinct F70 body branch. A compact five-door body designed around everyday access, a folding rear seat and a short overall footprint. Engines/drive: B38/B48 petrol, B47 diesel, 48-volt mild hybrid.
Inside the car
Cabin technology and standard equipment changed by country and year; a build sheet remains the best guide to one individual car.
Cabin & comfort
- Trim and seats follow option codes
- Climate systems vary by market
- Audio and navigation changed by model year
Lighting & assistance
- Lamp technology and modules follow production date
- Driver assistance cannot be inferred from buttons alone
- Regional rules affect lighting and warnings
What to check today
A practical starting point for inspecting and maintaining a car from this generation — not a diagnosis of an individual example.
Identify first
- Match VIN on body and documents
- Obtain the factory option list
- Confirm market and production date
Inspect the structure
- Check repairs and corrosion
- Assess suspension, brakes and tyres
- Compare fitted parts with factory specification
Mechanical history
- Read faults with compatible diagnostics
- Verify engine and transmission maintenance
- Separate invoices from unsupported verbal history
| Item | Interval / trigger | Catalog note |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | CBS/factory schedule; time and mileage for historic cars | Oil approval follows the exact engine and market. |
| Brake fluid | Time-based factory schedule | ABS/DSC-compatible bleeding procedure is required after hydraulic work. |
| Coolant | Factory schedule and condition | Fluid specification and bleeding method are generation-specific. |
| Transmission & final drives | Unit type and operating conditions | Use the exact approved fluid; no one interval fits every derivative. |
How to identify the exact car
The badge and registration year tell only part of the story; production date, body code, engine and factory options complete it.
- Factory body codes
- F70 — 5-door Hatchback
- Range designations
- 116, 120, 123 xDrive, M135 xDrive, 118d, 120d
- Powertrain families
- B38/B48 petrol, B47 diesel, 48-volt mild hybrid
- VIN
- Identifies model, plant and production branch and keys the parts catalog and factory equipment record.
- Production date
- More useful than first-registration year when choosing parts and locating technical revisions.
- Type code
- Refines engine, body, market and transmission combination.
- Option codes
- Confirm factory equipment; later retrofits are recorded separately.
- Unit number
- Supports engine or gearbox originality checks and component applicability.
Where the information comes from
The story is mapped through English Wikipedia and its bibliography, then important dates and technical claims are checked against BMW material.
- 01BMW 1 Series (F70)Wikipedia contributors
Secondary production, dimensions, naming and derivative overview.
- 02The all-new BMW 1 SeriesBMW Group PressClub
Factory launch material for generation status, dimensions, engines, chassis, OS 9 and October 2024 launch.
- 03BMW 1 Series production launch at BMW Group Plant LeipzigBMW Group PressClub
Factory confirmation of July 2024 production start and initial production context.
Notes and limitations
- Research revision dated 2026-08-10: English Wikipedia was used as a subject and bibliography map; key claims were checked against the listed primary BMW Group material.
- Because F70 is current, every later engine, assistance-system or infotainment update needs its own effective date.
- Secondary descriptions sometimes call F70 a heavy revision of F40; BMW's primary material identifies it as the fourth model generation. The catalog records both the official generation claim and the retained platform dimensions without turning interpretation into fact.
- Tree years describe the worldwide generation lifecycle; individual market dates may be narrower.
- Exact dimensions, power, weight and emissions belong at body, engine, market and model-year level.
- Known-issue guidance is editorial context and never replaces inspection of the individual vehicle.
3 primary references · market differences documentedPhotography: Wikisympathisant, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons. Rights checked 2026-08-06; wikimedia commons 1,800 px derivative downloaded; local 640 px and 1,280 px avif versions created without cropping.Updated 6 August 2026