Most people don't care which wheels are being driven or they wouldn't buy FWD cars in the first place.
Most people don't care which wheels are being driven or they wouldn't buy FWD cars in the first place.
The 318 is actually a very good car. Sure its slow, but its based on the E30 chassis (some argue one of the best handling 3-series are the E30 ones). And the E30 M3 motor swaps right into the 318 inducing quite a lot of fun!
NFS4: Did you expect the G35C to sell more than the 3-series coupes so quickly? I sure didn't!! I didn't even know Nissan was capable of producing that many!
Siddhartha
Lifer
- Oct 17, 1999
- 12,505
- 3
- 81
If Nissan offered an RWD V6 sedan for Altima price, I would get one. I say kudos to BMW for bringing an RWD camcord fighter. I think Nissan and Toyota will follow suit. Honda will probably keep bringing a knife to a gunfight and stick with FWD. I have my questions on how they intend to keep selling the 3 series if 1 series is an accord sized competitor with an I6.
i dun know where you live, but bmws while not a rare breed, isn't common. you prob just notice it more.
when was the last time you came home saying wow, i saw a honda/ toyota today, verses i saw a lex or a beemer today..
Not sure
How are they going to pit it agaist Accord if it's civic sized? Wouldn't it be more of a Jetta vr6 competitor?
StageLeft
No Lifer
- Sep 29, 2000
- 70,150
- 5
- 0
Same reason some people buy those tiny pissant pathetic half-mercedes silly cars. Same reason people will buy the new small H3. Because they can say they have a merc, or a hummer, or a BMW. They don't seem to care about the fact that they can't afford a REAL one and the company is catering towards them and dumbing down the prestige of its product at the same time.
My guess would be that at $25k the 1 series will be a piece of crap. It will be for people who want to say they own BMW. Meanwhile somebody in a V6 accord will be kicking your ass at the lights and have more room for his family as well. No he won't have a "BMW", but he won't care. I know I wouldn't.
That said it's still possible that BMW will sell because their name carries a lot of weight. They could rebadge a civic si (probably is no better!) give it new suspension, and jack the price up by $8k and watch it fly off the lots.
By definition the name will be diluted. When I think of BMW I think of a classy and prestigious car that most people can't properly afford. The day you buy a new BMW you're doing really well. If they bring it a mere few thousand above the average new car cost in the US (which is around $21k), there goes that fanciful idea in my head. Honestly I can say it's the sort of thing that would make me in the future less likely to buy a BMW, if the jonses can so easily afford (let's not kid ourselves - people buy them in great part as a status symbol, and that status will be diminished).
Pretty common in Silicon Valley. Not as much as a civic, but not that rare either. I see more Bimmers 3 series than say Maximas for example.
yea, but you see m5s everywhere in silly vally too
i dun think san jo is a good measure of american car buying public. and remember CA is the unofficial bmw capital so of course your observation is going to be skewed
i dun think san jo is a good measure of american car buying public. and remember CA is the unofficial bmw capital so of course your observation is going to be skewed
OS
Lifer
- Oct 11, 1999
- 15,581
- 1
- 76
heh, in the day of 200+ HP accords, camrys and altimas with cavernous interiors, I don't see how BMW is gonna pull this off to anyone who isn't a badge whore. A stripped 325 BMW costs as much as an accord with every factory option and the build on the accord/camry is basically just as good.
Every time MB or BMW tries a watered down model (190, 318), it just doesn't work out. RWD isn't going to save this car, RWD is overrated and people buying accords, camrys and altimas sure as hell aren't gonna be able to tell the difference anyways.
I test drove a 2004 accord this past weekend and the car is an incredible buy. The chassis feels like it was milled from a giant block of steel and the interior quality is fantastic. If BMW can actually compete with the accord on it's home turf, that'd be great for competition but I'm not holding my breath.
Every time MB or BMW tries a watered down model (190, 318), it just doesn't work out. RWD isn't going to save this car, RWD is overrated and people buying accords, camrys and altimas sure as hell aren't gonna be able to tell the difference anyways.
I test drove a 2004 accord this past weekend and the car is an incredible buy. The chassis feels like it was milled from a giant block of steel and the interior quality is fantastic. If BMW can actually compete with the accord on it's home turf, that'd be great for competition but I'm not holding my breath.
I don't think this 1-series is about outright power or acceleration. Its about driving enjoyment and purity. Akin to the 2002 of its day. The 2002 wasn't fast, but it went like stink on a race course.
Yeah, a new 2002 sized BMW barely the size of an '88 Civic.
2003 Accord Sedan: 189.5 inches
2003 Accord Coupe: 187.6 inches
2003 Camry: 189.2 inches
2003 Solara: 191.5 inches
2003 Jetta GLX VR6 (which maxes out at a ridiculous $26,940 list, $24,580 invoice): 172.3 inches
My fun little 2001 Mazda Protege ES with ABS, sunroof, side airbags and 18,000 miles, recently purchased for $9433: 175.3 inches
88-91 Civic Sedan: 166.6 inches
BMW 2002: 166.5 inches
If the 1-series is approximately the size of the 2002, it's not going to attract many would-be Accord/Camry buyers. They'll take a few Jetta buyers, but that's about it.
Nebor
Lifer
- Jun 24, 2003
- 29,582
- 12
- 76
What a joke... People are supposed to aspire to buy a BMW... Not be able to afford one to haul kids around in. The bunched leather of a BMWs seat is no place for a childs car seat.
This certainly diminishes the name of BMW, and makes me less likely to want a BMW in the future. I have an Acura TL Stype, and I see TLs probably once a day... But when I see a BMW 540i, the car I almost got instead, I take note... Because they are true works of art.
What a sad day for BMW, to stoop to economy cars.
This certainly diminishes the name of BMW, and makes me less likely to want a BMW in the future. I have an Acura TL Stype, and I see TLs probably once a day... But when I see a BMW 540i, the car I almost got instead, I take note... Because they are true works of art.
What a sad day for BMW, to stoop to economy cars.
- Oct 9, 1999
- 72,636
- 46
- 91
StageLeft
No Lifer
- Sep 29, 2000
- 70,150
- 5
- 0
Well said. And if they buggar up the BMW's name by putting a car easily within the price range of many new college grads in their first job a BMW will be something I personally will not aspire to owning. There is a reason why most car manufacturers have a couple of brand names. Toyota/Lexus. Nissan/Infinity. VW/Audi - oh wait, VW is trying to enter the highend now just as BMW is trying to enter the low end.
When people spend a lot of money they don't want something with the same badge as a $16k car and when people are able to buy a BMW for so little as the 1 series will cost it's going to take away from others who think it's worth spending a lot of cash for that BMW prestige.
This is just to get the sales of the borderline people, who want to be able to say they drive a BMW. I live around chicago and see sooo many low-end 3 series its not even funny. Why spend 33k for a 3 series when you could get ______ instead, and either save money or have much more performance.
/shrug
/shrug
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 21K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 14K
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 23K
-
-
Facebook
Twitter