The current front-wheel drive generation of the 1 Series hatchback will soon receive its scheduled LCI update. Now that it has reached the halfway point of its life cycle, the 1 Series is scheduled for an update and part of that update will apparently be a quad exhaust pipe, just like the exact M cars, according to this new spy photo. (We do not own the photos but see them here)
At the moment, the M Performance variant of the 1 Series is the BMW M135i, which replaces the outgoing, rear-wheel drive BMW M140i. Now, with all the upcoming M performance models, the BMW M135i will get quad exhaust pipe. Fans of BMW will find that the quad emissions are only shown in the correct BMW M car, not the low M performance car. However, it looks like the M Division’s four tailpipes will be the latest BMW M styling cue that will be stolen by lesser insurers. At first, it was an M-style mirror, now its quadrangular extrusion.
This complete car in disguise is interesting to look at, as it is not just a 1 Series LCI and a brand new car. Usually with the LCI test mule, only the front and rear edges are disguised but this car is covered with so much camouflage that it looks like a completely new model. Does this mean that BMW is planning a much bigger LCI update than usual? Could this be a completely new model, such as a BMW M14oi, with even more power and performance than the M135i? We’re not entirely sure at this point, but it’s probably a heavy camouflage M135i LCI test mule.
This new trend of giving M performance car quad exhausts may annoy M division loyalists, who enjoy the fact that only accurate M vehicles have specific design details, such as four exhaust pipes. As those fatigue shifts to M-performance cars, there will be talk of reducing the M-Division brand from fans. However, this seems to be the direction BMW is heading, as the BMW X1 M35i has also been seen with such emissions.
[Source: Motor1]