Has there been any word if the 1 series will make it over here to the states? And possible dates. I've been searching the internet and one minute someone says it will then the next it will not.

 

I have heard it is a bust. There was no real "market" for the 1. Who knows, Truth is, I don’t mind BMW keeping the lowest model they make over 30k. I think BMW is a direct competitor with MB (Mercedes) and by keeping the lowest car at 30k its kind of like telling MB "we wont stoop as low as you will to increase market share....we are who we are....and we like it that way.

I like this topic and argue with friends quite often

~Neal

 

IMO, they can keep it over there. Having seen it in action on "Top Gear," I can sum it up in one word, "fugly!"

 

The head of BMW recently announced that the 1 series is going to come to the U.S.

From what I hear, it's going to be a different version than the hatch currently sold elsewhere.

 

That would be nice, glenberk. There was a picture of a coupe, drawing maybe, in Automobile magazine last year and it looked nice. I'm not sure if it was listed as a 1 series or 2. Thanks.

Newdl, the price has nothing to do with it. Neither does status. We looked the other day at the new 3 series and like most things in America. It looks to have grown and feels and drives that way in the model we tested. Those were her words. She is considering moving to a vehicle with a little more room than her Z3 without going family sized.

 

I recently visited Long Beach BMW/MINI to ask about getting on a waiting list for the 1 series convertible. I had been told a couple months ago by an employee at South Bay BMW/MINI that the 1 series indeed was coming here. After meeting with John Hughes at LB BMW/MINI, he sent me an email containing the following statements:

There is hope yet.

 

If there is a market for the Audi A3 in America, there is a market for the BMW 1 series. I have seen the car myself in Germany, and the car looks a whole lot better than the Audi A3. I think not only should they bring the 5 door, I think they should bring the three door with the 3 liter SMG.

 

I don't know about you but here in NE Ohio I have seen about 3 at the most A3's on the road. Americans in general do not buy small cars. (We are the exception to the rule )

I would venture to guess that the smaller cars are being purchased by the younger generations…..and this being said, BMW’s will not be on top of their list. Price is quite the deterrent when there are far more affordable 4cyl small econ cars around (not many that will out perform, or out handle I am sure, but still I don’t think that is the #1 reason for purchase... )

I agree that it is a nice looking car, I have seen them on the island of Aruba. Just because they are FAR better looking than the A3 does not mean that Audi is selling enough a3's to merit market competition.

I LOVE BMW's please do not get me wrong.....but I can see why they would not bring a 4cyl to America.

Feel free to argue, discuss, or outright fight with me ...I love discussing BMW's.

~Neal

Oops....just read that pervious post about them comin in 08.....I still dont think it will actually happen....but thats cool if it does....2 door 3.3 333hp M would be nice...too bad it will cost an arm, leg, and first born.

 

The 130 has the 3.0 liter six with 266hp. I'm not sure of the weight of the car but being a some what smaller car than the 3 series, rear wheel drive and 266hp, I would think that model would have a sporty feel to it.

I wouldn't consider the 4 cylinder models unless my only reasoning was to get good gas mileage. In that case. Buy a Honda or something. But with BMW's reputation, I would think a 130 would do decent here. Probably even better if it were a coupe.

 

^^ i would only consider a BMW with its famous inline 6

 

Someone posted above saying that the BMW 1 series will be coming to the US, they are correct.

The 1 series is selling very well in Europe, so there is no big rush to send it here.

At first, North American (NA) BMW dealerships didn't want the car here because they felt it wouldn't sell with the 4 cylinder the 1 series was introduced in Europe with. Then the dealerships didn't want the car bacause of the hatchback. How quickly they seem to forget (or maybe they didn't forget) the 318Ti of the late 90's and how that car now has a cult following. OK so it didn't sell so well then, but let's not get bogged down with that fact right now.

The NA dealerships only wanted a six cylinder car in saloon (sedan) and coupe form. A saloon form was never planned for the car and the installation of the six was suppose to happen later rather than sooner. BMW owners screemed loud enough and BMW listened.

So what is going to happen now? The car is coming here including the hot version 130i M sport, but it's going to be very expensive. BMW North America does not want anything, even another of their own models to undercut the price of the 3 series. So the smallest and hottest BMW will sell for about $42,000 to $44,000 dollors.

To me that's a lot of money. Even more since I don't have it.

I wonder how the 1 series will sell in North America with these prices? Guess we will find out in 2008

Steven

 

yack...BMW 1 series is so ugly.





A3 look is way up scale...plus the AUDI interior is much better than BMW.

 

Saw the 1-series 130 in Australia - basically small car with a six-cylinder 3.X litre engine. Pretty fricking cool and fast - but hyper expensive too!

 

Well, first of all, thats a difference in opinion, which we all have, and I doubt you have even seen the BMW in person. I have seen both the 1 series and the Audi A3. Both the Audi A3 and the BMW dont look that attractive from the photos but in person, I do have to say they look attractive, however I must lean towards the BMW.

Quality...are you kidding? All the Audi A3 is, is the next generation Volkswagen Golf. The interior quality is horrible and so is the ride quality. To basically quote Jeremy Clarkson, he summed the car up with "baffeling", because the car had such a hard ride, but the handleing was awful. It was mysterious.

I would consider a car such as an Audi A3 or a BMW 1, and there is a market in the united states for them. The audi has proved that, the car is selling and I have seen quite a few of them. It just is not as sporty as the BMW, it was not created to compete with the GTi. But it wasnt created to do that either. It was made to be a luxury hatch back, and both the A3 and BMW do that quite well. Just the BMW....a bit better.

 

Sorry, I did not say that I have driven all of them. My friend in Asia has BMW 1 series and I have to say that the car feel so weak. Yes BMW put 6 pistons in that car but it's not going as quick as it should compare to 3.2 A3 is much faster and it's 4 wheel drive.

BMW did downgrade a lot of plastic in the 1 series. You can't just look at the car and tell. You have to touch it. It feels like a plastic toy, but on the AUDI feels more like real matterial.

Look at the design of the new BMW. I just ca't stand it, espacially the 1 and 5 series. 3 series looks ok, but I don't think the new design concept is doing well with BMW.

My friend sold his 1 seires after owning for less than a year.

My wife do like the 1 series, but after she sat in one she was so disappointed. We judge the car by experiencing it. I don't care what an old british guy say, but I have to drive it to see for myself. You have to drive both and you will see.

 

The BMW 130i would outrun the A3 3.2 DSG. The BMW 130i comes with 261 horsepower, and 232 lbs of torque. Zero to 60 in 6.1. Its also safe to say that the 130iM would out do the S3.

Dont get me wrong, I like both cars. The more cars from Europe, the better. Im dissapointed we dont have all of the 3 and 5 door versions. However, sitting in an Audi A3, knowing its simply a Volkswagen wont do it for me.

 

Again, you have to drive one and you will see. From the paper BMW is looking good, but AUDI pulls a lot stronger and quicker because of AWD and DSG transmittion. 232 lbs of torqe got to come real late, because I did not feel it....also it was my friend car so I don't want to redline it to see the real power.

yeah...VW, AUDI, SEAT, PORSCHE, BENTLEY, LAMBORGHINI...it's the same company sharing the same parts and design. It's depend on what you would compare to. You could say simply an up scale VW or downgrade version of BENTLEY.



Cheers!

 

As of now, the BMW 130 5-door is NOT coming here, only the convertible and coupe, which I have not seen, nor believe are available out there if even fully developed for production. As to which car is faster, horsepower and torque maximums and curves are only part of the equation. Look at the weights, and especially weight distribution, of each vehicle. That AWD and DSG adds hundreds of pounds to the Audi. I'd have to think the BMW would be quicker. I cannot compare interiors as I have not seen the BMW, but the A3 seems nice enough, if not a bit snug. As to exterior styling, I do have to admit I prefer the cleaner look of the Audis over the Bangled BMWs. I only hope the 130 convertible (what I'm waiting for) hints at a somewhat cleaner future for BMW styling.

 

Still, one would think the AWD would add a lot of weight to the car, which in turn would negatively affect everything associated with performance, except handling on slippery surfaces.

As for the tranny, I have always prefered the SMG to the DSG. It shifts just as quick, gives the sporty jerk, and is more sporty overall. The only thing is that what VW looses in sportiness it regaines in everyday drivability.

 

For the fact DSG DOES shift faster than SMG. The DSG invented by VAG is far superior than SMG, and that is the truth.

But I do agree VAG product loose the sport character in these days.. they become more luxuary and gain more weight..

 

Does DSG hold its own gear at rev limiter?

I have not driver a DSG equipped car, but I have driven a 545i SMG sport, and it made that heavy old sport sedan feel like an adrenaline rushed race car.

 

DSG only shift when you hit the redline. It's better than SMG in everyway. I drove M3 with SMG and it does shift as fast as DSG, but not as smooth as the DSG.

Check this video out. It's R32 Vs 130i. That british dude also said that VW interior is far better than the M version of the 1 series. R32 has the same engine as the A3 3.2.

R32 is FASTER than PORSCHE 911, NSX TYPE R and even AUDI S4. It will be too hard to pass when it gets here. Rumor is the R32 will be R36 when it gets to US with 3.6 engine...now that hawt!

R32 vs BMW 1 Series

 

VW's R32 has been in the US for at least a year, as has the TT with the same motor.