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2015 BMW 1 Series facelift revealed [w/video]

While we don't get the BMW 1 Series at all in the US anymore, European buyers are getting a refresh of the luxury compact hatchback for the new year. Unlike the German brand's recent work on the 6 Series, the work is actually noticeable and improves things nicely. Up front, BMW keeps the changes subtle. The lower airdam is tweaked with larger air intakes and less chrome than before. The redesign and better sealing around the reshaped, narrower headlights also help optimize airflow and – in our eyes – improve aesthetics. LED running lights are standard now, and full LED units are optional. The more striking changes come at the back, where the 1 Series now wears the Bavarian brand's latest L-shaped taillights. The lights wrap around the sides and cut into the hatch to create a much more visually interesting look. The lower apron gets some small changes as well, and it all works together to create a more cohesive look. The BMW hatchback also gets some engine tweaks to go with its updated style. A new 2.0-liter four-cylinder is offered in 150-, 190- and 224-horsepower tunes. For those who want the best fuel economy, the 116d EfficientDynamics Plus makes 116 hp from a 1.5-liter turbo diesel and features active air flaps and redesigned kidney grille bars for better aero. The top-spec M135i with its 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six gets a six-hp boost to 326 hp, too. Updates to the eight-speed automatic give it longer gearing and predictive shifting based on the vehicle's navigation system data. All of the new models hit the market in Europe later this year, specifically in late March for the UK. Read below for BMW's full list of tweaks and changes and to see it in motion on video. The BMW 1 Series for 2015 16.01.2015 Nearly two million 1 Series models have been sold since the introduction of the first 1 Series generation ten years ago. This latest incarnation builds on the winning formula of these three- and five-door predecessors with new power units from the latest BMW engine family, additional EfficientDynamics technologies fitted as standard, and careful enhancements to the exterior and interior design. The level of standard equipment is now even higher, new options have been added and with new mobility services from BMW ConnectedDrive, there are even more ways to increase the functionality and personalisation of the new 1 Series.

BMW 2 Series caught uncovered during shoot

Before we know it, the BMW 1 Series will be no more in the United States. Well, sort of. The current six-year-old coupe and convertible will be replaced by the fancy new 2 Series you see here, spotted completely uncovered during a photo shoot, with the 1 Series nomenclature being reserved for the hatchback and GT models that might not ever make it Stateside.
The roofline of the new 2 Series doesn't appear to have to changed all that much from the current 1 Series coupe, but the front and rear fascias have indeed been smoothed out. (Truth time: As much as your author adores the 1 Series, he's always found its rear end to be, well, weird.) It looks good, seen here in M235i guise, with large wheels, slimmer headlamps and large air intakes on either side of the front fascia.
The 2 Series is expected to come to the States, likely in M235i and 228i variants, though rumors suggest that we won't get a non-M 235i model. The M235i is expected to be powered by the N55 turbocharged inline-six that we currently enjoy in the 335i sedan, producing something like 320 horsepower. The 228i, unsurprisingly, should use the 2.0-liter turbo-four from the 328i, making around 240 hp. Both engines will almost certainly employ eight-speed automatic transmissions and six-speed manuals.

BMW unleashes new M4 racer on DTM

We may not get to enjoy the fruits of it all, but we're in the midst of a golden age in touring car racing around the world. In Northern Europe, rival local series have amalgamated into the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship. In the UK, the British Touring Car Championship is enjoying the largest and most diverse grid in its long history. In Australia, the V8 Supercars series has grown from a Holden vs. Ford battle to include challengers from Mercedes, Nissan and Volvo. And in Germany, the DTM championship has managed to lure BMW back onto the grid to open up the battle between Mercedes and Audi. All good things, in short.
Since returning to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters in 2012, BMW has won the drivers' title once and the constructors' title twice, proving the Bavarian manufacturer to be not only a suitable challenger to the two-horse race between its star- and ring-emblazoned rivals, but the dominant force in German tin-top racing. Now BMW is set to enter its third season since returning to the DTM, and this is the car with which it intends to do so.
Replacing the M3 DTM that has impressively won half of the DTM races it has contested over the past two years, BMW's latest racing car is made in the mold of the new M4 coupe. Only it's even meaner. While the production version has switched to a turbo six, the DTM version still uses a V8: a 4.0-liter unit with four-valve cylinder heads, mandatory air restrictors and a Bosch ECU to channel 480 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque to the rear set of Hankook racing slicks through a six-speed sequential gearbox. The lightweight chassis is rounded out with competition-level aerodynamics and all the mandatory safety equipment.