• BMW's new base model begins at $34,900
• 0-100 km/h in 10.8 seconds, top speed 200 km/h, 7.5-litres per 100 km

BMW Group Australia broadens the appeal of the 1 Series even further in 2005 with the announcement of a new base model, the 116i.

This new entrant, priced from $34,900, offers drivers all the pleasures of rear-wheel drive, precise steering and agile handling combined.

The BMW 116i boasts all the precision German engineering of its larger capacity brothers, with BMW driving DNA woven in as an integral component.

Under the long, purposeful bonnet of the BMW 116i lies a 1,596cc lightweight four-cylinder engine boosted by Double VANOS variable vale timing, delivering a smooth and zesty 85 kW of power at 6,000rpm and 150 Nm of torque at 4,300 rpm.

Mated to a five-speed gearbox, the 1205 kg BMW 116i reaches 100 km/h in 10.8 seconds and has a top speed of 200 km/h. It uses just 7.5-litres of fuel every 100 km on the EU Combined cycle helped by a Cd of just 0.29.

The 1 Series may be the smallest BMW, but size does not matter when it comes to occupant protection, as a five star rating, the highest there is, was awarded to the 120i after independent testing by EuroNCAP. The BMW 116i is engineered and equipped to an identical safety standard.

Occupant safety is a high priority at BMW so the 116i has six airbags, including intelligent, dual-stage front airbags that inflate in speed and size depending on the severity of the impact and work in conjunction with active seatbelt tensioners.

There are also side airbags and front head airbags, and the full range of BMW active safety electronic chassis controls, as seen in the BMW 120i, namely latest generation Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and Dynamic Brake Control (BDC).

The BMW 116i is fitted with run-flat 195/55 R16 tyres mounted on 16-inch wheels, backed by the BMW Tyre Puncture Warning System, which alerts the driver to the possibility of a loss in pressure. These standard fit run-flat tyres ensure the car can be driven safely for up to 150 km at up to 80 km/h even with all tyres punctured.

BMW innovation continues with Brake Force Display, providing extra illumination to warn drivers behind that the car is braking sharply.

With rear-wheel drive and a longitudinally mounted engine providing near perfect weight distribution, allied to sharp-as-a-tack steering and surefooted traction, it is hoped that the 116i will be a joy to drive.

The BMW 116i features an all-aluminium twin-joint tension-rod spring-strut front axle and stabiliser bar. This delivers an unmatched combination of excellent rigidity and very low weight. The aluminium front axle, suspension struts and pivot bearings lower the car’s unsprung mass, contributing to its excellent agility, directional stability and lateral grip.

At the rear, the pioneering BMW five-link rear suspension is fitted for optimum ride quality. By replacing the traditional double wishbone arrangement with a version of the five-link set-up employed on the 5 and 6 Series, BMW engineers have been able to subtly alter the toe-in, toe-out and camber angles for increased cornering ability.

Standard features of the BMW 116i include a sports leather-bound steering wheel with steering column adjustable for rake and reach, power windows, push button START/STOP ignition and six-speaker BMW Professional Radio/CD sound system.

Advanced electronics deliver not only an on-board computer displaying average speed, average fuel consumption, current consumption, external temperature and distance-to-empty, but also an electronic dipstick that reads the engine oil level at the push of a dash-mounted button.

The BMW 116i shares the practical versatility enjoyed by the 120i and 118i before it, with a luggage bay expandable from 330-litres to 1150-litres thanks to split-fold rear seats.

The BMW 116i arrives in the 40-strong BMW Dealer Network across Australia in March 2005.