Featuring a body that...

Featuring a body that hints at the forthcoming M1 performance model, the 1-Series caught in this week"s mag was being snapped in South Africa for its official brochure. The top-secret model was rolled out on a section of closed road. Unfortunately for BMW, our spies were on the scene to bring us the pictures first!

The styling has remained largely unchanged from that of the standard car, except for the removal of the rear doors. Even the wheelbase has stayed the same, with the addition of a longer front door giving a sporty appearance. The shape also emphasises the neat boomerang-like C-pillar.

The biggest alteration has been made to the windows - theyre pillarless. This will help to set the new variant apart and give it a sporty coupé feel. Inside, the three-door will share its dash design and layout with the existing five-door model. Access to the rear will be more difficult, but boot space is unlikely to be compromised. The front-engined rear-wheel-drive set-up will also be carried over.

Three-door buyers will get the choice of 1.6, 2.0 and 3.0-litre petrol engines, as well as a 2.0 diesel unit. However, enthusiasts will be disappointed to learn that the twin-turbo petrol powerplant from the 335i won"t be available when the latest 1 is launched. Insiders say there are currently no plans to add the high-performance unit to the line-up.

BMW also claims that more potent oil-burning engines have been ruled out because they are too heavy. Official pictures and details will be released in January when the new three-door is unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show.

The entry-level BMW will then go on UK sale in the spring, and is tipped to cost around чЈ500 less than the five-door 1-Series. That"s likely to mean prices from around чЈ15,000.