BMW releases details of its new 1 Series sedan

Developed exclusively for the Chinese market, the 1 Series sedan is aimed right at the Mercedes-Benz CLA and the Audi A3. It borrows more than a handful of styling cues from the Concept Compact Sedan that made its official debut during last year's Guangzhou Auto Show. That means it's instantly recognisable as a member of the BMW lineup without being a carbon copy of an existing model. 

While BMW's press release doesn't include technical details, earlier reports claim the 1 Series shares its front-wheel drive UKL platform with the third generation MINI hardtop, the new X1, and the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, among others. Power presumably comes from turbocharged three and four-cylinder petrol engines lifted out of the company's parts bin.

The BMW 1 Series will go on sale across China in the coming weeks. At the time of writing it doesn't sound like the newest Bimmer sedan will be sold in the U.S.A or in Europe.