If you want the car as soon as it comes out, pre-ordering can't hurt anything. You put $1000 or $1500 down, place your order, and when the car comes you negotiate a price. If you aren't satisfied with the offered price, or for whatever other reason (don't like the color, etc.), you pocket the $1500 and walk away. I did this when I bought my A4 about five years ago (when they were really hot), and when the dealer didn't move down from MSRP, I walked away with the cash.
Look at it this way: you put money down to guarantee yourself the car if you like it, and if you don't, you aren't any worse off than you were before.