BMW has revealed a new generation of 1-Series to the world, and it’s clearly a case of good news and bad news for fans of the unusual hatchback.

The good news is that BMW has addressed customer complaints about the cramped rear cabin and shiny new tech will make the car more economical than ever. The bad news is that the firm’s designers haven’t exactly reached for the stars in the looks department.

One would have thought it difficult to compound the dour folly which was the original 1-Series, but by seemingly grasping the skin of the old car and pulling it tight against a skeletal front end, Adrian van Hooydonk’s design team appear to have found a way.

It might be the case that the new version simply doesn’t photograph well (company spokesmen have said this is indeed the case and we’ll have to wait to see it in the flesh) but at the moment the signs are not good. Read the rest of this entry »