BMW announces US 1-Series pricing

[ifcar]

BMW 1 Series Priced Less Than $30,000

BMW's new 1 Series coupe will have a base price including destination of $29,375 for the 128i and $35,675 for the 135i. The 128i is powered by a 230-hp inline-six that can hit 60 mph from a standstill in 6.1 seconds with the manual transmission, while the 135i does the run a whole second quicker. Under the 135i's hood sits the BMW's 300-hp twin-turbo six-cylinder.

The coupe hits dealerships in spring 2008, and a convertible version of the 1 Series will be shown at the Detroit auto show in January.

[Rich]

If the 128i was 2-3k less expensive I'd seriously look into trading the MINI for it, but it's not, so I won't

[nickdrinkwater]

123d > 128i

[SJ_GTI]

I will be seriously considering trading my GTI in for a 128i.

My guess is, which "standard" options, the 128i coupe will be roughly 35k, while a comparably 328i coupe would be well over 40k (actually on the build it youself thing, a 328i with the options I want...not including Nav...has an MSRP of about 42.5k).

[Raza]

Scheisse, that's expensive.

[omicron]

Scheisse, that's expensive.

It shall be $6,703,556 when it launches here. A real bargain!

[TheIntrepid]

Wow, OVERLY pricey. 35k CAD, I presume.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

:shrug:

Last time i built a 335 sedan with options i wanted(granted i didn't go nuts on worthless crap) it came out at around 42K IIRC.

The 135 doesn't seem priced that well, granted it has 5K built into it on the badge alone.

The 128 does seem like a "better" deal. 230HP RWD coupe for 30K doesn't sound too bad. Then again the new tib thats supposed to be coming out will have similar power/weight and likely performance.

I guess you have to pay(for the badge) to play.

[thewizard16]

That's a bit much for that little car, but it's the US, so BMW can't let themselves be too cheap, I guess.

[Schadenfreude]

Intresting..although due to its size, what small RWD car is there that it competes with that's not similiar to a Solstice/Sky or something along those lines?

[SJ_GTI]

Wow, OVERLY pricey. 35k CAD, I presume.

Only in the sense that all BMWs are overpriced.

The 1-series coupe looks to be roughly 5-6k cheaper than a comparably equipped 3-series coupe, which the exact same drivetrain, a smaller size, and lower weight.

To all the people that liked the 3-series but complained it was now too big and too heavy, this should be an ideal car. Cheaper, smaller, lighter...but the same exact power and virtually the same chassis/suspension/wheels.

[SJ_GTI]

:shrug:

Last time i built a 335 sedan with options i wanted(granted i didn't go nuts on worthless crap) it came out at around 42K IIRC.

The 135 doesn't seem priced that well, granted it has 5K built into it on the badge alone.

The 128 does seem like a "better" deal. 230HP RWD coupe for 30K doesn't sound too bad. Then again the new tib thats supposed to be coming out will have similar power/weight and likely performance.

I guess you have to pay(for the badge) to play.

The 135i isn't a sedan, its a coupe. Its Apples and Oranges to compare it to the 3-series sedan, which is cheaper than the coupe.

If you seriously expect a Hyundai to have similar performance to BMW I think you are setting yourself up for failure. Just because its RWD doesn't mean it will handle like a BMW 9or even particularly well). My brother's Tiburon doesn't handle anything like my GTI, for example, despite being much ilghter and lower to the ground.

Hyundai has shown no aptitude for building perofrmance vehicles. I'm not sure why people (and its not just you, I realize that) expect Hyundai's first RWD coupe will automatically match what is generally considered the best (or nearly the best) handling cars on the market.

Certainly, the Sonata is not as good as an Accord, Mazda6, or Altima and Hyundai has a lot more experience building FWD sedans.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

The 135i isn't a sedan, its a coupe. Its Apples and Oranges to compare it to the 3-series sedan, which is cheaper than the coupe.

If you seriously expect a Hyundai to have similar performance to BMW I think you are setting yourself up for failure. Just because its RWD doesn't mean it will handle like a BMW 9or even particularly well). My brother's Tiburon doesn't handle anything like my GTI, for example, despite being much ilghter and lower to the ground.

Hyundai has shown no aptitude for building perofrmance vehicles. I'm not sure why people (and its not just you, I realize that) expect Hyundai's first RWD coupe will automatically match what is generally considered the best (or nearly the best) handling cars on the market.

Certainly, the Sonata is not as good as an Accord, Mazda6, or Altima and Hyundai has a lot more experience building FWD sedans.

I was more or less stating that bmw is not going to be the only occupant of this segment(small affordable rwd performance coupes).

Hyundai is entering, the domestics(GM Mainly) are looking(and going) to enter. Japanese companies have been in this segment and are toying with a return(toyota, nissan). All of which will no doubt be cheaper, and some of which(probobly not hyundai) will be able to match the performance(handling too) of the BMW.

Also when i mentioned performance for the tib i was talking power specs and 0-60 numbers. I'm no hyundai fan, i am however aware that they are capable of making great strides over their current product. They seem to be bettering themselves everytime. Anyway i'm just saying that no matter what my feelings are about them or their products it would be foolish to believe that they could NEVER produce an equal or superior product in any segment.

[nickdrinkwater]

Only in the sense that all BMWs are overpriced.

The 1-series coupe looks to be roughly 5-6k cheaper than a comparably equipped 3-series coupe, which the exact same drivetrain, a smaller size, and lower weight.

To all the people that liked the 3-series but complained it was now too big and too heavy, this should be an ideal car. Cheaper, smaller, lighter...but the same exact power and virtually the same chassis/suspension/wheels.

Lighter, but only just.

[FordSVT]

Intresting..although due to its size, what small RWD car is there that it competes with that's not similiar to a Solstice/Sky or something along those lines?

It's within 50 lbs of the Mustang GT and costs $5000 more.

[Raza]

Intresting..although due to its size, what small RWD car is there that it competes with that's not similiar to a Solstice/Sky or something along those lines?

Mustang GT might be larger, but it's a lot cheaper.  BMW decided that since this was to be a BMW, it would be RWD, and they sold it as a hatch first, and it was the only RWD hatch.  So, it's not surprising that, especially in the US, there aren't many direct competitors for it. 

BMW's website (UK and international) doesn't seem to like to list the interior dimensions of the car, and MSN Autos UK doesn't have them either, so I can't make a direct comparison, but almost every review I've read of the 1 series hatchbacks hasn't been too keen on rear seat space.  That's one of the reasons cars this size are either FWD or two seaters.  RWD makes packaging tough, and if you're going to be small and impractical, you might as well go completely selfish and make it a two seat car like the 350Z. 

I do like this car; it's the first actually good looking BMW to come out in years, and the biggest problem I have with one is that I can't afford it. 

[Vinsanity]

I do like this car; it's the first actually good looking BMW to come out in years, and the biggest problem I have with one is that I can't afford it. 

There's no way I could convince myself that the 1-series looks better than the 3

[Raza]

I hate the 3 series coupe, actually.  If you came at me with the Z4 coupe, you'd have an argument.

[ifcar]

I'm not a fan of the 3-Series coupe, but that 1-Series coupe has the roofline of the original Beetle.

[Vinsanity]

umm...what's there to hate? It's seriously as inoffensive as it gets without being bland.

[Raza]

umm...what's there to hate? It's seriously as inoffensive as it gets without being bland.

It's got that bloated new car look, and that super long rear end.  I very much prefer the sedan, and I don't even like that all that much.

[SJ_GTI]

It's within 50 lbs of the Mustang GT and costs $5000 more.

I think you would have to get them on a scale to know that for sure. As we've seen in other comparisons, BMW published weights are no necessarily using the same scale as other manufacturers.

Example:

335i Published Weight: 3571
C&D Measured Weight: 3366

Ford GT500 Published Weight (from edmunds, Ford's mustang site doesn't list weight): 3920
C&D Measured Weight: 3908

Based on that, if the published weight of a Mustang GT is

[nickdrinkwater]

The 1 Series looks quite similar to the 3 so I'm surprised you hate one and like the other.
The main differences are the lights, the odd roofline and the overdone lines on the side, none of which do the 1-Series any favours.

[SJ_GTI]

Personally I think the 3-series looks better, but I generally prefer to drive smaller cars.

[Raza]

The 1 Series looks quite similar to the 3 so I'm surprised you hate one and like the other.
The main differences are the lights, the odd roofline and the overdone lines on the side, none of which do the 1-Series any favours.

I don't think they're very similar at all.

[Vinsanity]

It's got that bloated new car look, and that super long rear end.  I very much prefer the sedan, and I don't even like that all that much.

Well to me, the 1-series looks like a midget version of the 3-series. Fine, if you're into midgets

[Raza]

Well to me, the 1-series looks like a midget version of the 3-series. Fine, if you're into midgets

Well, luckily I don't need to convince you, I just need to convince myself.  And I've already done that.

[the Teuton]

$29k can get you a lot of car in this marketplace.  This car, even for a Bimmer, is about $3-4k overpriced IMO. 

It looks like it's back to 2002 wishes and Porsche dreams for me then.

[CALL_911]

Crap. This was not the price I had in mind.

[SJ_GTI]

$29k can get you a lot of car in this marketplace.  This car, even for a Bimmer, is about $3-4k overpriced IMO. 

It looks like it's back to 2002 wishes and Porsche dreams for me then.

You were expecting BMW to sell a RWD car with a 230 HP I6 for 26-27k? Seriously? 

You guys sound like you were expecting BMW to build you a RWD WRX/GTI/Mazdaspeed3 competitor? Do you guys know that BMW also builds and sells Minis?

Its a BMW that will sell for approximately 5k less than the 3-series and offer as much, or more, performance and (IMHO) a better (re: smaller) package.

The only way I can see someone not liking this is if they didn't like BMW to begin with. And in that case...oh well, not much BMW can do about that.

This price is almost exactly where I thought it would be. Frankly, there is not much room to price it lower (unless they give it a smaller engine and take out even more equipment). If they go too low...what is the point of Mini?