Rendering of Next 1er

Mmmm ... "gaylord purple" ... 

Five possible variants under consideration for next-gen BMW 1-series

A sort of private game of Car Design Survivor appears to be afoot in the back rooms of BMW's design studio, according to the latest reports. Five different BMW 1-series variants are on the table, but only one will make it to production.

The five variants include: a three-door shooting brake; a sport-touring model; a small Progressive Activity Sedan version with and extended tail and a higher roofline; a Sports Activity Coupe with a glass roof and a large rear liftgate; and a true five-door wagon-like car, reports AutoBild. Which of these - if any - might qualify as a spiritual successor to the 2002 is anybody's guess.

No clear front-runner has yet emerged in the body-style sweepstakes, but if the new car will seek sale in the U.S., it will likely stray away from hatchback-like variants due to their poor history of sales. Instead, leaning toward a more upright, SUV-like stance (the PAS and SAC variants) might find more buyers looking to downsize to a more efficient vehicle while maintaining utility and premium quality.

Other details about the next-generation 1-series revealed include the planned powertrains and release dates. In Europe, the petrol models are expected to feature the following variants: a 116i with a 136hp (101kW) 1.3L turbo; 118i with a 177hp (132kW) 1.3L turbo; 120i with a 218hp (162kW) 2.0L turbo; 130i with the 272hp (203kW) naturally-aspirated 3.0L inline six; and the 135i with a 326hp (243kW) turbo six-cylinder.

The diesel range will be somewhat more compact with a 118d featuring a 150hp (112kW) 2.0L turbodiesel, a 120d with a 184hp (137kW) 2.0L turbodiesel and a 123d with a 211hp (157kW) 2.0L turbodiesel.

According to the report, the first model - the five-door hatch - will hit the market around 2011, while the top-end model will wait until early 2012 to make its debut, while the standard coupe will come toward the end of 2012. A cabrio will come in early 2013 as the last of the certain-to-be-produced models.