[Harold]

Forget the heavy disguising – here are early pictures of the BMW 1-series Cabrio. It’s really coming, and we snapped it speeding around the North Loop of the legendary Nürburgring.

BMW-enthusiasts can look forward to the summer of 2007 when the small topless BMW will come to the dealers – for relatively small cash. Different from its bigger brother, the future 3-series Coupé-Cabrio, the open One will come with a conventional canvas top. The two different roof-systems will also distance the two cars price-wise, especially since the 3 series CC will make a jump upwards and hence will make room for this new cabrio based on the 1-series. Main characteristics of the new soft-top will be the flat windscreen and the low and coupé-like canvas roof.

The boot promises to be big enough to carry all luggage for at least two passengers. As said, we expect the car to go on sale in 2007 – and to make the 1-series yet more popular, especially since neither Mercedes nor Audi will have a competition model ready by then.

Power will come from the same range of engines as known from the five-door 1-series, and we expect diesel engines to be available, too.