Powertrain families
B38/B48 petrol · B37/B47 diesel
1 Series (F40) — 5-door Hatchback
2019–2024
Editorially reviewedReviewed 2026-08-10; market and model-year scope is stated in the record sources.
- Internal code
- F40
- Production
- 2019–2024
- Body style
- 5-door hatchback
- Platform
- transverse layout · front- or all-wheel drive
Body variants
1 Series → F40 → 5-door Hatchback
1 Series F40: history, design and engineering
How this generation came about, what made it different and how the selected 5-door hatchback fits into the family.
F40 changed the 1 Series from a longitudinal rear-drive hatchback to BMW's transverse compact architecture. It was produced only as a five-door body, with front-wheel drive for volume versions and an all-wheel-drive rear axle added on selected xDrive models.
BMW's factory launch material emphasised the packaging consequence of that change: more rear-seat and luggage space within a compact footprint. Three- and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines were mounted transversely, with manual, dual-clutch or torque-converter transmissions depending on derivative and date.
The M135i xDrive is the M Performance flagship of the F40 range, not a standalone M model. Its all-wheel-drive hardware and chassis systems differ from front-drive versions, while later model-year digital equipment and emissions specifications must be recorded separately.
2019–2024generation lifecycle
1body branches
2engine/drive families
8range designations
F40factory 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.
Length4,319 mm
Width1,799 mm
Height1,434 mm
Wheelbase2,670 mm
Luggage380–1,200 L
Fuel tank42–50 L
Seats5
Doors5-door hatchback
| Body | Code | Production | Doors / seats | Length | Luggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-door Hatchback | F40 | 2019–2024 | 5-door hatchback / 5 | 4,319 mm | 380–1,200 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 116i | 2020–2024 | B38A15 turbo inline-three | 109 PS | 6MT / 7DCT | FWD | Europe | The all-new BMW 1 Series |
| 118i | 2019–2024 | B38A15 turbo inline-three | 136–140 PS | 6MT / 7DCT | FWD | Global range | The all-new BMW 1 Series |
| 120i | 2020–2024 | B48A20 turbo inline-four | 178 PS | 7DCT | FWD | Europe | The all-new BMW 1 Series |
| 128ti | 2020–2024 | B48A20 turbo inline-four | 265 PS | 8AT | FWD | Global range | The all-new BMW 1 Series |
| M135i xDrive | 2019–2024 | B48A20 turbo inline-four | 306 PS | 8AT | AWD | Global range | The all-new BMW 1 Series |
| 116d | 2019–2024 | B37C15 diesel inline-three | 116 PS | 6MT / 7DCT | FWD | Europe | The all-new BMW 1 Series |
| 118d | 2019–2024 | B47C20 diesel inline-four | 150 PS | 6MT / 8AT | FWD | Europe | The all-new BMW 1 Series |
| 120d xDrive | 2019–2024 | B47C20 diesel inline-four | 190 PS | 8AT | AWD | Europe | The all-new BMW 1 Series |
Factory designations
116i · 118i · 120i · 128ti · M135i xDrive · 116d · 118d · 120d xDrive
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
- F40: 4,319 mm × 1,799 mm × 1,434 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.
Architecture change
The third generation launched as a five-door-only, front-/all-wheel-drive compact.
Series production
Production began in July at Leipzig, with Regensburg also listed for the generation.
Range updates
Engines, transmissions, infotainment and market specifications changed without a separate body code.
F70 succession
F40 production closed as the fourth-generation F70 entered Leipzig production.
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
F401 Series F40 is a distinct F40 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, B37/B47 diesel.
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
- F40 — 5-door Hatchback
- Range designations
- 116i, 118i, 120i, 128ti, M135i xDrive, 116d, 118d, 120d xDrive
- Powertrain families
- B38/B48 petrol, B37/B47 diesel
- 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 (F40)Wikipedia contributors
Secondary production, platform, engine and dimension overview.
- 02The all-new BMW 1 Series – the perfect synthesis of agility and spaceBMW Group PressClub
Factory launch account of the transverse architecture, packaging and chassis systems.
- 03Specifications of the all-new BMW 1 Series, valid from 05/2019BMW Group PressClub
Factory German-market launch specification and test-cycle scope.
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.
- Launch technical figures are German-market WLTP/NEDC-correlated data and cannot be applied unchanged to every market.
- F40 has no factory three-door, coupe or cabriolet body; similarly named two-door cars belong to the separate 2 Series tree.
- 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: Charles from Port Chester, New York, CC BY 2.0 · 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