Video found here:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=121868
Drop-Top BMW 1 Series Caught in Germany and the U.S.
It's hard to tell whether the upcoming
2009 BMW 1 Series coupe will make much of a dent in the U.S. market. Inexpensive BMWs haven't done well here, but the 1 Series is a far more compelling package than the forgettable 1992 318ti hatchback.
BMW isn't taking any chances, though, as it's also preparing a 1 Series convertible to add some appeal to its new lineup of entry-level cars. We caught up with several of the prototypes recently on the Nürburgring test track in Germany and in the desert of Central California.
While the larger, more expensive 3 Series convertible features a retractable hardtop, the 2009 BMW 1 Series convertible will use a traditional folding soft top. Cost is the most likely reason, but minimizing weight surely played into the equation as well.
It won't be a low-budget, manual-operated setup, however, as BMW will want to position the 1 Series as a measurable step up from entry-level drop tops like the
Mazda MX-5 and
Pontiac Solstice. From the looks of these prototypes, BMW's engineers managed to add the soft top while leaving enough room for a decent-size trunk, too.
Engine choices will mimic those of the standard coupe. Base-model 128i convertibles will get a 230-horsepower 3.0-liter six, while the top-of-the-line 135i convertible will get BMW's 300-hp twin-turbo six. Both manual and automatic transmissions will be offered.
Sales of the coupe are scheduled to start in the spring of next year, so expect to see the convertible's introduction shortly thereafter.
Taken from Edmunds.com
