"BMW's 1 Series: Small and Sporty"
In short, they feel it's a packaging nightmare and a dilution of the brand. I don't think they get it.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Business WEAK
There's no market for the gutless four-cylinder engines in the U.S. so the entry-level 1-Series will probably be the 128i, powered by a 230-hp 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that's more than up to the task of propelling the hefty 3200-pound 1-Series along. Expect a 0-60 time of around six seconds and a limited top speed of 155 mph.
Enthusiasts will be more taken with the 135i, which will be powered by a 300-hp, 300 lb-ft 3.0-liter, twin-turbo six-banger. Just 40 hp or so down on the old M3, the 135i will be blisteringly fast, capable of hitting 60 in five seconds, reined in at 155 mph. Six-speed manuals and six-speed automatics will be available but those hoping for an M-powered 1-Series will be disappointed -- it's not planned. A ragtop convertible is in the pipeline, however, and will be clogging up the high-school parking lots of well-to-do neighborhoods by 2010.
|