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#1
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1 series in North America?
I was reading a newsletter from within the company I work for an noticed
that we make parts for the BMW 1 series. I've never heard of these cars - indeed they are not shown on the North American websites. Any idea if BMW plans to bring these things to North America? Regards, Robin |
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#2
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"Robin S." > wrote
>I was reading a newsletter from within the company I work for an noticed > that we make parts for the BMW 1 series. I've never heard of these cars - > indeed they are not shown on the North American websites. > > Any idea if BMW plans to bring these things to North America? The 1 series is a smaller hatchback similar to the E36 318ti, and is not anticipated to be coming unless it gets a larger engine than the 4-banger. Floyd |
#3
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In article >,
fbloogyudsr > wrote: > The 1 series is a smaller hatchback similar to the E36 318ti, and > is not anticipated to be coming unless it gets a larger engine than > the 4-banger. It certainly doesn't look similar to the E36 - it looks more like a small E60. It's had rave reviews in the UK as a driver's car, with the larger of the two diesels being the engine of choice. And there's room for a 6 cylinder engine which everyone guesses will come later. It's very tight for rear leg room - a penalty of the RWD layout. So different from most in this class that are meant as small family cars. -- *Virtual reality is its own reward * Dave Plowman London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. |
#4
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Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> In article >, > fbloogyudsr > wrote: >> The 1 series is a smaller hatchback similar to the E36 318ti, and >> is not anticipated to be coming unless it gets a larger engine than >> the 4-banger. > > It certainly doesn't look similar to the E36 - it looks more like a > small E60. > It's had rave reviews in the UK as a driver's car, with the larger > of the two diesels being the engine of choice. And there's room for a > 6 cylinder engine which everyone guesses will come later. > > It's very tight for rear leg room - a penalty of the RWD layout. So > different from most in this class that are meant as small family cars. To me it looks like a Golf, or an older Civic hatchback. I like it. I'd buy one over a similarly-priced Mini or VW because of the RWD, but I doubt I'll ever get the chance. The problem is that BMW and their dealers seem to not like selling cheaper cars in North America. This was the problem with the 318ti. They were either optioned to the gills and way overpriced, or used as a teaser to lure people into a regular 3-Series (for only xx more dollars a month). BMW's brand management goons supposedly hated the car too. Now they have the Mini, which addresses the entry-level luxury market, without "cheapening" the BMW brand. Also, with few exceptions, the low priced entry level car these days is not a cheaper new car, but a better-model used one. This is true with any brand. Dealers make a lot more money selling used cars anyway -- not just per car, but as a percentage of total sales. Used cars are really what pays the bills. So just as a Toyota dealer sells a lot more used Corollas, etc. than new Echos, BMW dealers would rather sell people a used 3-Series than a brand-new 1. Toyota purposely makes the Echo feel cheap to facilitate this process, as BMW did with the 318ti (mostly with cheap-feeling upholstery). But with new and used BMWs selling so well these days, BMW doesn't need a teaser car to lure buyers onto their lots. If people really want a cheaper brand new car, BMW can sell them a Mini. Europe is different -- good small cars have as much cachet as anything else. They're more desirable for practical reasons, such as narrow streets, parking ease, higher fuel and insurance costs, and a culture where better does not mean bigger. Matt O. |
#5
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"Matt O'Toole" > wrote in message ... > > Europe is different -- good small cars have as much cachet as anything else. > They're more desirable for practical reasons, such as narrow streets, parking > ease, higher fuel and insurance costs, and a culture where better does not mean > bigger. Matt, That's exactly why I like the 1 series. I've got a '97 Corolla and I'd like to get a used Bimmer when it dies. I think I've got a couple of years to mull over my decision, but I don't like big cars as I live in the city and commute to work. Because I help build *stuff* for BMW and Mercedes, I have a new appreciation for why these cars cost more. While the Mini Cooper S sounds like a nice ride in my circumstance, I'm still leaning towards BMW specifically (I haven't convinced myself that I'm buying the car only for its capabilities and workmanship). A small but still practical ( but not necessarily the cheapest) car like the 1 series sounds great. Oh well. Thanks for the history all. Regards, Robin |
#6
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"Matt O'Toole" > haute in die Tasten:
> I'd buy > one over a similarly-priced Mini or VW because of the RWD, but I doubt > I'll ever get the chance. > That may be a problem, because the 1' series is far more expensive than a Golf. Starting price is 20.000 Euros, and with some extras you soon reach 30.000 Euros. A similarly equipped Golf costs at least 20% less, if you chose an Opel Astra or Ford Focus instead, the savings are even bigger. When the 1' series was introduced in Germany, the high price was regarded as its main disadvantage. Frank -- please replace spam-muelleimer with fk-newsgroups for e-mail contact Citroën Xantia - Made in Trance |
#7
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Frank Kemper wrote:
> "Matt O'Toole" > haute in die Tasten: > > >> I'd buy >>one over a similarly-priced Mini or VW because of the RWD, but I doubt >>I'll ever get the chance. >> > > > That may be a problem, because the 1' series is far more expensive than a > Golf. Starting price is 20.000 Euros, and with some extras you soon reach > 30.000 Euros. A similarly equipped Golf costs at least 20% less, if you > chose an Opel Astra or Ford Focus instead, the savings are even bigger. > > When the 1' series was introduced in Germany, the high price was regarded > as its main disadvantage. > But can you really directly compare the 1 series to the Ford Focus or the Opel Astra? Isn't it a bit like comparing the 5 series to the Ford Mondeo? It's just not the same thing. Is BMW's strategy with the 1 series really to draw people away from the Opels Astras and Ford Focuses? If you want a Ford Focus or a Golf which is fitted with the most powerful engine each model line has to offer (Ford 2.016V or Golf 2.0 16V FSI or the GTI) which have comparable BHP and acceleration times as the 120i, is the price difference really that big? Even then, I'd venture to say the BMW will be better value for your money (well, except for the GTI Golf maybe). Peter |
#8
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Peter Bozz > haute in die Tasten:
> But can you really directly compare the 1 series to the Ford Focus or > the Opel Astra? Isn't it a bit like comparing the 5 series to > the Ford Mondeo? It's just not the same thing. > On a technical basis you can very well compare these cars, especially as the 1' series lacks typical BMW characteristics like fine interior materials and smooth as silk inline-six engines. In a comparison between the VW Golf 2.0 FSI and the BMW 120i the Golf won, and other comparisons between Golf and Astra or Focus show, that all these cars are very competitive. Of course it is a difference to say "I own a BMW" instead of "I drive a Ford Focus", but time will tell wether people are ready to spend a small fortune for this. IMHO the price difference between 1' series and 3' series is too small - this car simply is too expensive. Frank -- please replace spam-muelleimer with fk-newsgroups for e-mail contact Citroen - Made in Trance |
#9
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Frank Kemper wrote:
> Peter Bozz > haute in die Tasten: > > >>But can you really directly compare the 1 series to the Ford Focus or >>the Opel Astra? Isn't it a bit like comparing the 5 series to >>the Ford Mondeo? It's just not the same thing. >> > > > On a technical basis you can very well compare these cars, especially as > the 1' series lacks typical BMW characteristics like fine interior > materials and smooth as silk inline-six engines. In a comparison between > the VW Golf 2.0 FSI and the BMW 120i the Golf won, and other comparisons > between Golf and Astra or Focus show, that all these cars are very > competitive. Of course it is a difference to say "I own a BMW" instead of > "I drive a Ford Focus", but time will tell wether people are ready to > spend a small fortune for this. IMHO the price difference between 1' > series and 3' series is too small - this car simply is too expensive. In what way did the Golf win? On the other hand, a top of the line Ford Focus goes for 31,000 EUR here in Holland, compared to a top of the line 120i for 34,000 EUR. Admittedly, I find 34,000 a lot for a BMW, but I find 31,000 preposterous for a Ford Focus. Of course Ford will sell much more Focuses, but those are lesser models, which, I will be the first to admit, are great value for money and very sensible and fun cars to own and drive. But that's besides the point. Surely, the price difference can't all be purely in the couple of enamel roundels you get on your hood, trunk and steering wheel? |
#10
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Peter Bozz > haute in die Tasten:
> In what way did the Golf win? More space inside. Better interior materials. Better suspension. Less fuel consumption. More "elastic" engine (better acceleration from 80 to 120 kph in high gear). Smaller cost of ownership, smaller price. The BMW only won in terms of handling and driving stability. Besides that it was slightly faster than the Golf (217 kph vs. 206 kph). Let's see if that is enough for the people. Besides this I find the new 1'series quite ugly, but that definitely is a matter of taste. Frank -- please replace spam-muelleimer with fk-newsgroups for e-mail contact Citroen - Made in Trance |
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