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2025 BMW Series 1 coming soon

After the recently revealed new generations of BMW Series 3 and BMW M3, the Bavarian manufacturer announces the arrival of the new BMW Series 1. The car was announced in a video on the official BMW Instagram account.

BMW Series 1 is a range of subcompact executive cars that arrived on the market in 2004 and was offered in hatchback, coupé and convertible body styles. The published video shows all previous generations of Series 1 with the description “Ready for the new 1? First we celebrate last 20 years”. Not long after that, the official account of the BMW M department announced “There is new ONE coming soon”.

What is known so far is that it will remain a hatchback body style with a redesigned front and rear bumper, new LED lights. Earlier spy photos confirmed that the M version will feature deeper fenders, a discreet rear spoiler and quad tailpipes, just like the outgoing M135i xDrive. Inside, the new Series 1 will be equipped with a new digital cockpit and the latest technical solutions.

The current 1 Series is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-L four-cylinder engine with 306 hp (228 kW) and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm) of torque. Whether the new Series 1 will have more power and better performance than the current one remains to be seen after the official premiere, which will take place on July 1, 2024.

Source: BMW via Instagram

News

Great Wall Motors is closing its European headquarters

At a time when many Chinese companies are trying to start car production on European soil, in order to avoid additional tariffs, it seems that one Chinese manufacturer is not recording good results. Great Wall Motors has announced that it is closing its headquarters in Germany and laying off all employees.

A few years ago, the company set a goal of selling one million cars outside of China between 2025 and 2030, but that goal was postponed. Great Wall Motors sold only 6,300 cars in the European market in 2023, which is a terrible result, considering that this is less than 2 percent of their total sales (316,018 cars).

However, this decision does not mean that Great Wall Motors will completely leave the European market, but will look for the best way to adapt to the current situation and customer needs. The Chinese company will honor all agreed deals in Germany, Great Britain, Ireland and Sweden, and management will be conducted directly from the headquarters in Baoding, China.

Great Wall Motors currently has the Ora 03 models and the Wey 03 and 05 SUVs in its offer. Also, the announced debut of the Ora 07 sedan, which was supposed to be premiered in the summer, could be delayed.

Source: Great Wall Motors

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Huawei is developing a new brand of luxury cars

The Chinese tech giant Huawei revealed its first car ARCFOX Alpha S three years ago, and two years later the all-electric Aito M9 arrived on the market. However, according to information from the company, Huawei is preparing a new luxury brand in cooperation with JAC.

The first car from the new brand will be an all-electric sedan that will compete with better-known flagship models, such as the BMW i7 or Mercedes-Benz EQS, both in terms of luxury and price. It may seem too ambitious, but it is clear that Huawei is looking to enter the luxury car market, which is currently very strong with several brands managing to not only survive in the market but also achieve record results like Rolls-Royce did in 2023, and grab their share of the pie. The brand name is currently unknown.

“Yes, the name is not known yet, but it will be a high-end car. Our goals exceed the level of Maybach and Rolls-Royce’s Phantom. It will be more luxurious and comfortable than these cars,” said Yu Chengdong, director of Huawei’s Smart Car Solutions division.

In an interview with QQ, Yu Chengdong stated that he currently drives two cars, the Luxeed S7 sedan and the Aito M9 SUV, and that he is very surprised by both models, especially the range they provide (705 to 855 kilometers), but also the LiDAR technology and safety functions for which claims that they are far from the competition.

The new brand and car should be premiered by the end of 2024, and some information says that it could cost around $140,000.

Source: QQ

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