The new 1-series isn’t expected to look radically different to the outgoing model, but the new car’s longer Countryman underpinnings plus better engine packaging, should help make the new 1-series more practical than the current model. The new car’s boot can swallow significantly more than the old car’s 360-litre load bay.

The most basic models will probably feature a 1.5-litre three-cylinder diesel or a three-cylinder turbo petrol unit. The new 1-series will be front-wheel drive as standard. This setup is expected to make also use of a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a compact electric motor.

No more straight-six petrol engine fitted to high-performance M140i models, in its place, expect to find a turbo four-cylinder unit that should drive all four wheels through BMW’s xDrive four-wheel-drive system.

The new 1 Series is expected to go on sale around late 2018 or early 2019. A new 2-series, based on the same new front-wheel-drive platform, should be released in both coupe and Convertible guises.