Hurrah! BMW has finally taken a step back from the abyss of bloat, feature creep, and investment-banker-centric dynamics with the introduction of the bargain-priced 1M. The men from Munich have already provided the Bimmer-blogs pictures of the little coupe running down a road with the beloved E30 M3, and for the Roundel-tramp-stamp crowd, the line to place a deposit forms to the left, at your local X3/X5/X6 dealer.
The rest of us needn’t get so excited. Here’s why.
It’s common practice in some quarters to disparage M-cars by comparing their performance to that of the similarly-priced Corvette. We could play that game; a completely base Corvette, at $48,930, will absolutely murder the $47,010 (or thereabouts) 1M in every imaginable performance metric including real-world fuel economy.
In that same “real world”, however, the 1M will be purchased by people who need an occasional back seat and who intend to use the car on a year-’round basis. It’s not really a Corvette competitor, so let’s put it head-to-head against a selection of four-seaters to see how the Munchen Munchkin compares:
| Model | Price | Power | Weight | Brakes | Tire Width |
| BMW 1M | $47,010 | 335hp | 3,300lbs approx | 14.2 inch front, 13.8 inch rear floating caliper | 245/35/19F 265/35/19R |
| Ford Mustang GT Premium w/BBK | $34,535 | 412hp | 3,800lbs approx | 14 inch front Brembo, 11.8 inch rear floating caliper | P255/40R19 F/R |
| Hyundai Genesis 3.8 R-Spec | $27,550 | 306hp | 3,350lbs approx | 13.4 inch front Brembo, 13 inch rear Brembo caliper | 225/40YR19 F 245/40YR19 R |
If you do expand the possibilities to include two-seaters, the aforementioned Corvette offers performance in an entirely different league while the Nissan 370Z turns in similar numbers for fifteen grand less. Even Porsche can play the game; a base Boxster is $47,600 and is likely to give the 1M fits on smaller road courses.
If the new don’t-call-me-M1 fails, however, it won’t be any of the above choices which delivers the hammer blow. Rather, it will be a showroom neighbor, the 2011 M3. Forget the eight-K price gap. BMW Financial Services has traditionally offered much better lease rates on the Three than the One. Faced with the choice of $950/month 60-month finance for the little turbo 1M or a very similar 36-month lease for the storming V-8 M3, most customers will vote for the one which packs the bigger Cars-and-Coffee punch — and that one is really a Three.
Agreed. To do this car right, BMW needed to put in a storming turbo-4 and lower the price by 10K. That would have been compelling.
Agreed, zznalg. I think that this highlights part of the long-term disadvantage BMW has here in the United States: lack of 4-cylinder credibility. While the 6 is still the champ for this price point, I think that people are increasingly comfortable with 4-bangers in their luxo/sport cars.
Audi is really trying to build on its 4-cylinder strategy, considering the A4 is only available with the 2.0T (sans 3.0T S4) and the best selling Q5 and A5 variants right now are the 2.0T models.
Looking ahead, Audi last year presented a technology demo S5 running a revised 2.0T using some serious weight-reduction technology. For all intents, the car was production-worthy, but weighed significantly less than the monster V8 production S5. The result is that the 2.0T equipped car was able to match the V8 on the track due to weight reduction.
BMW should really keep an eye on this.
No. As Jack points out BMW sales numbers come from image as much as performance. The last BMW with a 4 cylinder engine, the 318, had a pathetic exhaust note that just sounded cheap. For the $40k per year millionaire trying to maximize status vs. lease payment, a 328 is a much better buy.
A friend owns both an M3 and a Porsche 911 GT3. He says the M3 is pretty worthless because it has too much mass. He calls his M3 “a good car for your trophy wife”. In contrast, his Porsche has adequate brakes and low enough mass for the race track.
the $40k per year millionaire
Priceless. I’ll never be able to look at a BMW driver in the same way again.
zznalg:
BMW hasn’t left itself any room for a turbo 4 1M going for 38K. The 135 easily tops 40K with sport and premium packages. So they have to go bigger, not smaller. The root problem i see here is that the 128/135 should have been what they were advertised as: a small, light, affordable bimmer. This point has been beaten to death, but it’s true. Had BMW priced the 128/135 at 25K-33K with a smaller engine and less creature comforts, they would have plenty of room for a 1M that would have been fantastic and not overlapped with the M3. As it is, the 1 series in general is a lost cause.
Also, BMW could have taken advantage of the more budget minded young professional in this economy. If they were selling 128’s in the upper 20s you’d get more young buyers who will buy 3s and 5s when their income increases and the economy improves. missed opportunity i say.
Why not put in the Turbo 4 from the Mini Cooper.
208hp should be plenty if they keep the weight down.
Just a radio, a/c and a stick shift.
You can even skip power windows and door locks.
Dear BMW M1,
Fat, ugly and impractical is no way to go through life.
Sincerely,
A Devout 2002 Fan
Tell that to Kirstie Allie, who still pops up every now and then.
Kirstie may be fat, but she isn’t ugly.
…..but her fatness could be impractical at times…..
*thinks aloud*
Just remember what the missionaries taught you…
Star Trek/Cheers Kirstie or WW Kirstie….
I’d hit it…
>>Kirstie may be fat, but she isn’t ugly.<<
http://www.nationalenquirer.com/kirstie_alley_diet_disaster_blimp_221pounds/celebrity/70023
You’re missing the point, Jack: do the others offer as much alcantara trim?
It’s everywhere inside the 1M. Even Porsche hasn’t (yet) envisioned so many applications…
Maybe like the Fishers and their forests, the Quandt family owns an interest in an alcantara farm. I understand that alcantaras can be difficult to breed and raise, unlike their distant cousin, the nauga.
Isn’t alcantara a synthetic substance? Or am I missing some sarcasm here?
Click on the link.
…Oooh…I picture Kirstie in a black Naugahyde jumpsuit, on Alcantara sheets…Hot!!!…I’d hit it twice!
@ dartman
We got it! You are a fan of BBW.
The whole 1 series suffers from not being sufficiently differentiated from the 3 in the US.
Tight European cities, and high European taxes and levies on anything from gas to cars’ CO2 emissions, amplify what little differences there are between the two, in a way the US never will. Here they’re both simply expensive compacts. BMW would need the two to be as different as the Fit and he Civic, in order to attract two relatively non overlapping customer groups.
Personally, I like the 1 ‘vert over the 3. In my view, that heavy, expensive hard top should have been reserved for the 6. And ‘vert backseats are for bikes, suitcases and surfboards, not people; at least at anything above parade speeds. Given how detrimental large open holes are to chassis rigidity, ultimate driving machines should be designed accordingly.
In other body styles, I’d take the 3.
The correct answer is to wait and see what the new 3-series and 1-series (and their M versions) bring to the table. Both of the current models are on their way out anyway, which explains all the new special editions.
Or just buy something used.
Jack,
Do you think this car is a turd?
What do you think about the 135?
Jay,
I think the whole 1-series strategy in this country is wrong. With a mandatory six, it’s almost as heavy and expensive as our Dreiers.
With the right four-cylinder Valvetronic, priced at $23K, it’s a winner.
Hard for them to make a case for a $23k volume car in the US, especially with the weak (and potentially declining) USD. They need the higher price point of the I6 to make it sufficiently profitable.
Full disclosure I own a 328i (wife’s) and a 318ti (daughter’s) both great german autos, but I have always been dissappointed in the 4 banger in the ti. Before that, my daughter’s ride was a 95 integra GSR vtec; I always wished that the ti had the equal of that magnificent bulletproof Honda 4-pot and tranny combo. It doesn’t have to be the fastest or most powerful to be loads o’ fun. And, no don’t tell me about no wannabe “Mini”…Jack is absolutey on target; BMW needs a 21st century equivalent to the 2002tii.
The Genesis looks like a bargain, at a whopping 20 grand less than the BMW for similar specs. The Mustang looks like a good value, as well, but could stand to lose a couple hundred pounds.
The specs aren’t everything, at least not for me.
People who buy based on specs will never have a German car.
Jack quoting Shania Twain? I guess there’s a first time for everything.
I think the theory that the 3 will be the biggest competition is spot on. The vast number of newer BMW owners I’ve met all lease the cars, so unless BMW puts a huge lease deal on the 1 Series M, it could be a non-starter. The difference could be if the 1M actually handles significantly better than the 3, but with the M3 getting rave reviews in that area it could be hard to top, and how many BMW owners buy for the performance over the prestige anyway.
I don’t know how much traction a 4 cylinder BMW would have in the market. The greatest thing about BMWs has been their I6 engines. Even with balance shafts and optimal cylinder angles no V6 can feel as smooth as an I6. Even if it got worse fuel economy, cost more, and produced less hp, I’d take an I6 over a turbo 4.
BMW could easily get traction with a 4cyl vehicle that truly hearkened back to the 1600/2002 models. Before it became known for great inline sixes, BMW established their reputation as a maker of sports sedans with four cylinder cars.
OTOH, I don’t know how many of BMW’s current customer cohort even knows that the 2002 existed. I’m pretty sure that TTAC readers who drive BMVees know the marque’s history, but I’m not so sure about the average person who leases or buys that brand.
Last night at the TTAC NAIAS meet & greet at the Detroit Beer Company (good beer, btw) one of the topics that came up was the tension automotive web sites have between serving the base, auto enthusiasts, while still drawing new readers. It just occurred to me that is not too different from the tension that companies like BMW and Porsche face as they grow their product lines and customer bases while trying (maybe) to preserve fidelity to brand consciousness.
To be sure, they’ll still offer an I6 as many people expect the smoothness, linear power delivery and reliability (non turbo 6). Also, of course, many people still associate 4s with economy and cheapness so, wouldn’t accept one. Increasingly, many people now look to turbo 4s for their generally better power-to-weight ratio (lightness can improve handling) as well as their efficiency.
I doubt the same people who know nothing about the 1600 or 2002 would know how many cylinders are under the hood of a modern BMW, especially now that BMW obfuscates the displacement in the model name. Perhaps the US is different, but BMW sold scads of 318i, is and tis in Canada and I don’t think that the people stretching to make lease payments on a 323i would think twice about a 318 or 118 at a lower price point.
But perhaps that’s BMW’s rationale? All a 116 or 318 would do is steal margin dollars from higher-profit 128s and 323s.
Consumers who prefer an I6 would probably buy a three series, and the people who want a turbo 4, can buy a 1 series. It doesn’t make sense to not offer an engine many people would buy and prefer.
“Jack quoting Shania Twain? I guess there’s a first time for everything.”
I for one, am not so surprised he’s gone for the country and western reference. He does look like a tall Shooter Jennings. And plays guitar.
@Domestic Hearse, Given Jack’s proclivity to hit on any decent looking female with an X# of miles radius and his living in Ohio (very heavy country music popularity) he’s likely heard a female say that to him once or twice after laying his best line on them.
I think it’d be cool if BMW offered a turbo 4 cylinder in the US, but that’ll never happen because that screams “cheap car” to most American buyers who also consider how much hair gel they’re going to apply before they hop in their BMW and pop up their collar.
@grzdj
Hair gel? Occasionally. Popped collar? Never. You’re thinking of Mercedes convertible drivers.
you’ll find both in a G37 coupe
At least it isn’t an over-weight, greasy-looking, smoking dude in a Corvette!
Likely future ‘Vette owner rolls eyes and sighs.
They do: the MINI Cooper S and JCW. Nice little motor, and would be great for the 1-series if it could be adapted to RWD. But nobody would ever buy a premium small car with a turbo 4.
scottmcg:
that’s a great point. maybe BMW is concerned about canabalizing Mini sales if it drops 4s in its cars? but really, i’d think there’s a market for a rwd mini with a BMW badge and no union jacks on the mirrors. no?
Audi doesn’t seem to be doing to bad with the 2.0T A4.
ScottMcG. they are gonna offer that engine in the 1 Series. In Europe
Nice breakdown.
Kinda want a mustang now…
Quite right – the price makes no sense.
However, there is hope. Automobile claims that the base engine in the Z4 will be a turbo 4 which could also make its way into the entry level 3 (and maybe 1). Let’s hope that the M division will also take an interest in it.
2011 Mustang GT500, $48,645, 550hp, 3,820lbs
2012 Mustang Boss 302, $40,995, 440hp, 3,636lbs
Both come standard with the Mustang GT’s optional Brembo brakes and 255/40/19s F/R
I kind of doubt it’s going to be possible to get the BOSS 302 for MSRP.
True
If you don’t mind haggling with the dealer for a couple of hours, you can probably get the price on that Mustang GT Premium down to $30k, making it an even better deal. After test driving one last October, I have to admit it was reeeeeaaaaalllll fun. The sound, the power, and the surprising handling put a smile on my face and had my wife (a Mustang lover) practically giddy.
But seriously, has anyone, ever, in the history of the world, cross-shopped a new Mustang and an M-anything? I don’t think so.
Mind you I even rather like Mustangs (but would never buy one), but get real.
BMW will sell every one of these they bother to import, most likely at MSRP or above.
Spot on, Jack. I keep looking for something with a blue propellor on the hood that has 4 seats to replace my Z3. In the “4 seats” category, the 1 is barely better than the Mustang for people bigger than elementary school age children, or dogs, or groceries. Yes, it’s a little tiny bit faster than the 3, but the 3 has more utility.
If I don’t care about 4-seat utility, the field of choices is pretty wide.
Re the comments about 4-cylinder engines, I think the biggest problem with 4-cylinder roughness comes with displacements over 2 liters. I can think of a lot of 4-cylinder engines of 2 liter or less displacement that I have driven that seemed pretty smooth, and without balance shafts. BMW made two of them.
In fact, I recall some English wag saying, in the 1960s or 70s that the Germans made the best 4s, the Brits made the best 6s and the Americans made the best V-8s. There was some truth to that: the 6s in the Jaguars and in the Austin-Healy 3000 were surpassingly smooth engines. The Porsche and BMW 4s were excellent, as were the DOHC fours made by Fiat and Alfa-Romeo.
Honestly though, the 1M will probably trash both the Hyundai and the Ford on track. The engine is just the weakest link in an otherwise quite promising (if still a little bit too heavy) package.
All the suspension and chassis bits are pretty much a compilation of other M models so it’s bound to be fast through the twisty bits. The engine will also have some low end grunt to get out of the corners compared to the M cars of the last few years.
Granted, I’d much rather have seen them put a real M engine in this thing but it just wouldn’t have made sense to develop a completely new engine that can only be used for this niche product that is probably only going to be sold for little over 1 year, because it would have probably bumped the price up to more than the M3’s.
If the M3 is in reality similarly priced it would be hard to pass that up, but if you are buying instead of leasing I would consider the possibilty that this one will depreciate less in the long run and mightn even have a shot at becoming somewhat collectible somewhere down the road.
The idea of putting a turbo I-4 into the 1-series looks good on paper, but the problem is that turbos are expensive, likely more expensive than the I-6. Look at the pricing issue Ford has with the Ecoboost, where it is trying to convince F-150 buyers to pay up for the blown 6 over the V-8.
Uh, the I6 in the 1 series IS a turbo…. At least in the 135 and 1M. I assume that the 1M is in fact using the same twin-turbo as the 335iS, rather than the new single turbo motor in the 135i and 335i. And even if you are comparing the cost of a turbo 4 vs. the 128i, the price difference is really quite irrelevant in what is still a pretty expensive car. I would think it would be worth doing for the wieght reduction alone, and the fact that you can EASILY get 128i levels of hp out of a pretty small (1.4-1.6l) four. And the fuel economy benefits too.
One BIG advantage of the turbo in the M1 versus the V8 in the M3 is that getting a bunch more hp out of the M1 is going to be as simple as a software upgrade, while getting more power out of the M3 is really, really, really expensive. I fully expect the aftermarket to have a field day with this car. And once you up the HP to the level of the M3, the torque output will be in another realm entirely.
I too fail to see the issue with using a turbo 4 – that would certainly be my choice. The 2.0T in my Saab 9-3 is powerful, efficient, and so quiet and smooth as to be a little too quiet and smooth. And should I decide 210hp just isn’t enough, a $1000 or so in software, intake, and exhaust will take it will over 300hp. The magic of boost.
Jack, may I have a word about those run-flats that BMW puts on everything? I heard they were rather dubious, but I don’t know. The info comes from the MINI side of the house.
They are terrible. Run-flat tires, as a concept, are not compatible with acceptable levels of performance or ride comfort.
The run-flats are horrible. I ditched them on my cars and don’t regret it. Huge improvement. In addition to the handling, ride and cost issues, the Goodyear Eagle EMTs I had would develop huge bulges in the sidewall from potholes. I was losing a $275 (after the road insurance adjustment) tire every 6 months or so.
They are horrible. I had them on my E46 330i; they were noisy, subject to lots of tramlining, and poor braking in the wet. I got rid of them ASAP.
Thanks, understood. MINI S comes with run-flats because it has a different exhaust configuration, so the space where the spare resides on normal MINI is taken away. When I asked the salesman (who has a JCW and races at local AutoX), he said, “BMW puts run-flats on all cars and nobody minds!” I was a little dubious at that statement, and was wondering what the situation is with proper RWD BMWs. At leat they have some space for spares, I hope?
Runflats have gotten better, but they still have some serious shortcomings. Namely, they can leave you stranded when a spare wouldn’t. They aren’t a replacement for a spare any more than a can of fix-a-flat is. Maybe less so, since there’s no mileage or speed restriction with fix-a-flat.
If you have to drive a good distance to get to a repair place, your tire is toast. If you’re in the middle of nowhere, your tire will be toast, and there probably not going to have a replacement in stock. Further, punctures near the edge of the tread will destroy the tire very quickly. I had a small puncture turn into a 4″ gash you could stick your finger through in about 10 miles at 60 mph. No tires in that podunk town on a Sunday afternoon, so I had to have a friend bring me one of my snow tires.
They are comforting on the highway though- especially when you’re going fast. Total control- you can barely tell the tire is flat.
Run-flats are pure suck, with horrible ride and performance, yet cost more than regular tires.
I know a full-size spare is a pipe dream at this point, but at least keep the space-saver.
And having had a regular tire blowout at speed years ago, I can tell you that even a regular tire flatting is controllable if you’re paying attention.
This discussion reminds me of the time a former co-worker boasted of his recently acquired M3…
– a cabriolet
– with an automatic (back before paddleshifters)
I thought, well, if you’re going to piss away money, you might as well be tan.
“- a cabriolet
– with an automatic (back before paddleshifters)”
– and an 80s power ballad mix cd entitled “I’m a big girl now.” (with special thanks to Kyle Kinane)
At our house we have a BMW 335i and a Mustang GT. By the numbers, the Mustang is probably the equal of the BMW. But subjectively, they’re not even close. I paid about $10,000 more for my BMW than my wife paid for her Mustang, and I don’t regret it for a minute.
Despite the run-flat tires. This is the first car I’ve driven where the non-run flat winter tires are quieter than the summer run flats. The run flats wore out very quickly, too.
Bob
Hyundai Sonata 274hp 3300lbs $24k
BMW 528i 240hp 3900lbs $50k
Corvette 430hp 3300 lbs $50k
BMW M1 335hp 3300lbs $50K
Going by specs alone does not work to explain the appeal of a vehicle. The M1 should be very dynamic and ergonomic, with nice leather, quality interior etc etc….Worthwhile I’m not sure? Appreciated, yes.
The 1M is a bit overpriced, and it aught to have something more robust than an N54 with a software tune and bigger radiator.
Still, if you’re just doing bench-racing with the Vette, Mustang, etc., you probably haven’t driven a sporting BMW.
I drove an ’07 Corvette back-to-back with an ’07 335i sedan. The vette probably had slightly higher limits (not much faster in a straight line at my altitude), but the 335i had a couple of big advantages. 1) The handling was much more confidence inspiring. It just communicates everything that’s going on and the balance is just supurb. In the Vette, it was hard to tell how close to the limits you were. This made the 335i more fun to handle, even if it probably isn’t as quick around the track (people like the Miata for the same reason). 2) The 335i had a much higher quality feel to it. The interior is a lot more practical and nice place to spend time.
TTAC did a 335i/Vette comparisson test a few years back, and also preferred the bimmer. With the 1M, it’s the same kind of deal with a similar price as the 335i, except the $ goes to even nicer suspension and performance.
Still, it’d be nice if they offered a simple, stripped-down, light, inexpensive car. Manual seats and mirrors…cloth…1-zone heating…things like that, and had the a 4-cyl turbo 1M starting in the low-mid 30’s.
Of course, it’s hard to make the 1 too light because it’s based on the 3.
<i>”Still, if you’re just doing bench-racing with the Vette, Mustang, etc., you probably haven’t driven one.”</i>
Almost nobody’s driven one yet, and BMW is unlikely to let us have one because they won’t want me to put a Traqmate on it and a Mustang GT.
Still, I should point out that I am a former BMW owner, worked for both BMWFS and a BMW dealership, learned how to drive in a 733i five-speed, and I have served as a driving instructor for many BMW owners. I’m aware of the positive aspects of BMWs.
That doesn’t make up for the fact that BMW is slowly falling off the price/performance apex they hit in 1999 with the E46 M3, which could just about keep up with a stock Vette or 911 while costing $47K then.
I don’t think there’s any bench racing going on, how about Randy Pobst @ Willow Springs in a Mustang GT vs an M3? They lapped identical times, most other performance measures were identical too, and a 335i is definitely slower than an M3.
As for a the corvette, same power as the mustang, 400lbs lighter, I really doubt you can claim the performance between the 335 and Vette are even close. Perhaps the seat-o-the-pant meter needs recalibration?
That doesn’t make up for the fact that BMW is slowly falling off the price/performance apex they hit in 1999 with the E46 M3, which could just about keep up with a stock Vette or 911 while costing $47K then.
Preach it Jack! It’s why I won’t buy a BMW later than an E46 (3 series) or E39 (5 series)
Jack: I changed my post to “haven’t driven a performance BMW”
Thesal: Bench racing is what we’re doing now, comparing specs. My point is that there is more to the car than the specs. I wouldn’t have believed it myself until I drove them back to back.
Regarding power, my butt-dyno works just fine. The ’07 Vette makes about 400 hp. I live at 6000′, where ambient air pressure is 11.8 psi. 11.8/14.7 = .8, so a normally aspirated car makes about 80% of it’s sea-level power up here. 400 * .8 = 320.
The 335i, being turbocharged, retains most of it’s power up here. Furthermore, it’s largely agreed that the N54 is underrated at 300 hp, and probably makes more like 325. Therefore, both cars were making about the same amount of power for me. The difference besides the 3 weighing more, is that the N54 felt like the torque came up quicker (peak torque at 1700 rpm), while the Vette took a while to really come on the cam (peak torque at 4400 rpm). That little bit of peak power, and lower weight, are why the vette was only slightly faster in a straight line.
To top it off, I raced an ’05 Corvette at the strip. He was mid/high 14’s, I was mid/high 13’s, which is REALLY fast at this altitude. Note that the ’05 Vette is only rated at 350 hp.
Again though- I said the big differences were in the subjective feel and confidence-inspiring ability of the car (not to mention interior). Read Realton’s post above mine; he has a 335i and a Mustang GT, and agrees with this statement. And, again, TTAC agrees with my preference in their test, and they weren’t even at high altitude.
carve,
’05 Corvettes are actually rated at 400hp. That was the C6′ first year. Though that makes the close 1/4 mile times that much more embarrassing for the ‘Vette.
My mistake then. It must’ve been an ’03 or ’04. It was definitely a C5.
Do not forget that not every BMW target buyer is pinching pennies. I live near a medical school and go to their gym, and I see so many people driving so utterly unpractical eye-candy type of cars. The same person may show up in a Mercedez Benz coupe, a mini van, or a mini convertible.
Nonetheless, something is telling me that 1-series are not a smashing success. I rarely see them on the road. Its shortcoming is obvious, with the price of just a few K below 3-series, most people who consider it opt for 3-series or something else.
The headroom is not confidence inspiring. The 1 lists 37.4″, that’s less than acceptable. I need 40″, 39″ if it’s something really awesome. So far the only small expensive car that passed was Infi G37. And that’s without a helmet.
Take off the hat……
There are many auto enthusiast that believe, like Honda, that BMW has lost its way at least in regards to its roots as a performance-oriented manufacturer. The cars are getting stupid expensive, curb weight continues ever upward, and the notion of a BMW as a status symbol usurps “The Ultimate Driving Machine” campaign. The 1 Series has always been a strange niche of BMW’s lineup, at least here in the US. The 128i is a considered a chic car, but the 135i has some traction with enthusiasts as a spiritual successor to the 2002. It’s a little lighter than the 335 (but not as much as one would hope or expect), has a powerful turbocharged six, and is rear wheel drive. I know Evo drivers who have given up their rides for a 135i and spoken positively about them. Yes, the interiors are cheaper than a 3, but the wonderful BMW engine, mated to one of the nicest manual gearboxes in the world, with a sport suspension and BMW ergonomics does make a compelling case to Petrol Heads.
Will the 1M up the level of performance and shake the elitism associated with the brand, or will it fail miserably because there are several alternatives as Mr. Baruth has pointed out?
I’m holding out for the 0-Series.
0-Series right here – http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/us/en/index.html
One set of BMWs that are true to themselves.
@Uncle Pete: while the bikes have never had the same image issues as the cars and good engineering has kept most of them lightweight the increasing complexity of CAN bus electronics and powered brake systems has triggered quite a few screeds in motorcycle magazines and fora. Personally I ride a 78 R100S which is stone axe simple and easy to fix but I understand the appeal of an R1200RT with ABS, electronic shocks and a stereo, even if I can’t do all of the maintenance. Of course it’s worth noting that the motorcycles have faster over the years and more capable of holding their own against Japanese and Italian competitors while the cars have lost their edge and most importantly Chris Bangle was never allowed near BMW Motorrad.
In the Beemer world, I’ve owned a ’68 R69S, ’95 R1100GS and a ’02 K1200RS. Even though the K bike had a huge amount of tech, it never let me down, so I have a good feeling about them I guess.
That said, I sold the K bike because I have less time to ride long distances, my new wife is not interesting in riding, and I wanted to go back to a smaller bike. I have my eye out for a toaster tank right now :)
It is the same old argument. If they only built a car…
When they build it (they being auto maker) and price it to recoup the costs, “WHINE, its too expensive and for the same money…”
If they cut corners to meet a price barrier but offer performance, “WHINE, its all cheap and plastic inside, why couldn’t they give it a nicer interior…”
If they make it small and nimble, “WHINE, its all cramped and stuff, you can’t even put a kid in the backseat and forget a Costco trip…”
If they actually think of seating four, “WHINE, its too heavy, too big, what were they thinking, this thing is a porker, who is going to go to Costco in this car anyway…”
Bah. BMW’s done a good job. The automotive press is a huge part of the problem – there is no such thing as the perfect car.
true. but why make the 1 if it’s not significantly different than the 3 in either performance or price, but is less practical?
What’s even worse, IMO, is how insane the pricetag of the Z4 has reached. Seriously, almost 65k for a fully loaded Z4. No I don’t think so!
Forget the eight-K price gap. BMW Financial Services has traditionally offered much better lease rates on the Three than the One.
While it is true that most 3 series are leased, I thought that most M variants were purchased. While I certainly understand the merits of leasing if you own your own business, I just don’t understand the high lease rates of any car. After three years you have nothing but canceled checks. Even if churning your rides is your thing, wouldn’t it make sense to buy and sell, at least for vehicles that hold their value well?
Remember that most people get / buy a new car every 6 years so if you lease for 3 with a good residual, you can effectively spend the ‘same’ for a car but get a new one more frequently.
The magic of ownership alludes most people b/c
1) most people don’t understand the math behind it
2) most people don’t do their own repairs anymore so maintenance / repairs can be daunting
3) most people won’t research cars to understand what will last (beyond the Camcord)
Then comes the C55 Black Series Coupe with 422 5.5l V8 and stop-start technology.
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110112/CARNEWS/110119963&template=mobileart
The 1 is more of a worldwide car. Some places where a 3 is considered “big”, a 1 slips under size rules. Here in the US it just does not make any sense, but if registration was 2k per year more for a 3, it would.
47k is just another example of BMW profit taking. They know that the number sold will be trivial, and that it will halo the normal car. Half will go to folks who have no idea what they have or why it is “special”.
You can still get a good BMW. You just have to make sure you choose the right options, and wait for it. Unfortunately you can get a Honda clone just as easily. (silver/auto/prem 328xi)
BTW, speaking of costs, have anyone seen Lexus IS-F? That thing _starts_ somewhere in high 50s, and I don’t think it can beat a Vette.
I sat in an ISF, C6 ZR1, and Mustang. The lexus was by far the most awesome place to spend time in. The engine was just a bonus. Not that the Lexus is a more fun vehicle to drive fast, to me its a more enjoyable vehicle to be in. The Panamera and CL550 have it beat though, but I’d love any of them.
I don’t get the criticism directed towards the 1-series. The 135 is a slightly smaller, slightly lighter, slightly faster, and slightly cheaper 335i, and the 335i is an enthusiast darling.
If you don’t have kids or need of the back seat a lot (it is still very usable if needed) and feel the 3 has grown too big, the 1 is a great buy.
Please bring 1 series diesel hatchback across the pond.
I second that emotion.
seems like a decent way to go ONLY IF you cant afford a porsche with decent options.
Jack, nice tag line by the way.
If you set your expectations at the bottom of the gutter, crawling on the sidewalk is a success. The US allotment for the 1M is supposed to be about 1,000 cars. If they can find plenty of suckers to buy the 335is at near-M3 prices, I imagine the 1M’s US allotment will go fast.
I’m kinda surprised no one’s brought up the supercharger Ford offers for the 5.0 Mustang to bump it up to 624HP… $34,535 + $7,499 = $42,034. Enough left over to fuel the beast for a long while, or to replace the tires a few times.
I have to go with the notion for the turbo-4 in this car. Straight sixes aren’t the best sounding motors and four bangers aren’t much worse if you’re only going by exhaust note.
“Straight sixes are the best sounding motors”
Fixed.
Speed is not everything, not even close. 95% of drivers can’t take any of the above mentioned cars to their limits, specially on a public road. I sense a lot of ego in these posts. What matters to me now is not what I drive, but how I drive. M1, C6, ISF, M3, I’d drive them all the same ie. too fast or too slow most of time. I rather spend my money on racing school and own a slower car.
Me too, so get a Mustang GT, and race school.
Faster car AND race school, quite the compromise.
The 1-series could have been a great car, but now it´s just the most expensive small car.
And it´s obese.
There´s really no reason to buy it instead of a 3-series.
They should only sell 1-series hatch, as an entry level BMW.