Frankfurt: Report - BMW 1-Series to Start Under $30,000 in U.S.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Good news out of Frankfurt today—according to a new report in Automotive News, BMW’s forthcoming 1-series coupe will nose in under $30,000 when it arrives in the U.S. this spring.

While that’s hardly discount stuff, the rear-drive, entry-level offering has enthusiasts salivating, because even the entry-level 128i will arrive packing a 230-horsepower inline-6. The even more compelling 300-horsepower 135i will command closer to $35k as a starting point, but that should still be enough to spirit away a few sales from Audi A3 and Volvo C30 intenders. BMW’s CEO, Tom Purves, also thinks that the MSRP will be low enough that it will cajole “customers from the likes of Honda, Toyota and Mazda.”

From what we’ve seen here in Frankfurt, we’re ready for the baby Bimmer.

Game on.

Link: http://news.windingroad.com/body-stylesmar...er-30000-in-us/

[siegen]

Interesting.

[pow]

The 135i could easily take on the previous-gen M3. The 335i gets from 0-60 in 4.8 secs; the 135i is about 250 lbs lighter.

[sciguy_0504]

Move over 3-Series, there's a new "gotta have" chick/young executives car on the block.

Luckily, BMW has the market cornered.

[Z-06]

The more I think of it, the more it seems like the 335 coupe is redundant.

[bobo]

The 128i is one of the few new cars that I have interest in. It's a modern day 2002tii. I think its appeal will go way beyond young females to enthusiasts who want a back-to-basics RWD sports coupe.

[pow]

The 128i is one of the few new cars that I have interest in. It's a modern day 2002tii. I think its appeal will go way beyond young females to enthusiasts who want a back-to-basics RWD sports coupe.

Bingo. The airy greenhouse and more vertical front end are very 2002ish. It's nice seeing modern retro classics like this and the C30 (P1800 ES).

[Nick]

I'm still pissed at how much it weighs...

[Oracle of Delphi]

I'm still pissed at how much it weighs...

Then I suggest you don't date fat women, it will weigh even more after!

[jbartley]

i'm confused. they've placed this a little close to the 3-series. And I'm sure the 3-series will take a sales hit. I guess it's still BMW sales so it doesn't matter.

[PrimeGTP]

I love this car. There is no reason whatsoever to buy a 3-series with the CTS now available, but the 1-series is a whole different monster.

[Z-06]

I'm still pissed at how much it weighs...

Yeah 3450lb, in UK specs. If it was based on the previous 3-series platform, it should not have weighed more than 3300lb.

Then I suggest you don't date fat women, it will weigh even more after!

Yeah. But then I will not be driving the Albatross around the race track either.

[regfootball]

Move over 3-Series, there's a new "gotta have" chick/young executives car on the block.

Luckily, BMW has the market cornered.

we could do without the car, and the gotta have chicks and young execs that drive them

and 3500 pounds? jeez bmw makes no effort to trim curb weight. corvette is what, 3200? no surprise i guess the mini is fat too

Edited September 21, 2007 by regfootball

[pow]

we could do without the car, and the gotta have chicks and young execs that drive them

and 3500 pounds? jeez bmw makes no effort to trim curb weight. corvette is what, 3200? no surprise i guess the mini is fat too

A 328i weighs 3340 lbs, and I would imagine the 128i to be even lighter. A C6 coupe weighs 3217 lbs, and the MINI Cooper weighs 2546 lbs -- more than the Fit or Yaris, but still lighter than the '02-'06 models b/c of more aluminum components.

Edited September 21, 2007 by empowah

[Nick]

A 328i weighs 3340 lbs, and I would imagine the 128i to be even lighter. A C6 coupe weighs 3217 lbs, and the MINI Cooper weighs 2546 lbs -- more than the Fit or Yaris, but still lighter than the '02-'06 models b/c of more aluminum components.

Well, a 135i weighs about 130lbs less than a 335i...The 128i will probably be around 3150-3200 lbs or so in base trim if I had to guess...

[SoCalCTS]

Look! Its the small 300 HP rear wheel drive cadillac that I have been begging for since 2003! oh darn its a BMW. I guess I'll just wait another million years before someone at GM actually does a consumer study instead of dictating consumer demand.