A used BMW 1 Series car for sale @ Ian Farrell Motor Company in Birmingham, West Midlands

The idea behind the 1 Series was simple: make a smaller, cheaper, hatchback version of the BMW 3 Series. BMW picked the perfect set of tools to achieve that, too the architecture of the 3 Series itself, no less. This means 1 Series buyers really were getting a premium-grade car at a (slightly) more mainstream price. Retaining the rear-wheel-drive setup was good news for handling, making the 1 Series a rarity in this sector both Audi and Mercedes-Benz use front-wheel drive (with all three also building all-wheel drive versions as well). The extra balance and purity this endowed the BMW with was obvious from the first turn of the wheel. The driver-focused layout feels good, with seats that drop nice and low, a chunky steering wheel and a nice high-mounted gearlever. That this is backed up by such an entertaining drive makes it easy to see why the 1 Series appealed.