Does anyone know when BMW started on the 1 series?

[Oracle of Delphi]

Title says it all!

[Blake Noble]

I don't know an exact date, but I do know the rumors of a sub-3er BMW, in vein of the old 2002, date back pretty far, to at least the late 1990s/early 2000s, if that gives you any idea of how long the company was playing around with the idea.

Edited March 19, 2008 by YellowJacket894

[Nick]

Well, considering it was first offered to the market in 2004, and considering it was heavily influenced by the CS1 concept from back in 2002, it wouldn't surprise me to find that it was in design from back in 99 or 2000...if not earlier...most likely around the same time Bangle started showing prominence...

[Blake Noble]

Hmmm ... I'm really wanting to say the idea of the 1er goes back to 1998, but I'm not totally sure. I'll have to dig around in my personal Car & Driver archives here shortly to seek the answer.