Quote:
Originally Posted by Brookside
You sum it up well.
What sort of haunts me, maybe because ( probably) I'm older than some of you, is the how BMW's image has changed over the years from being a car that was financially out-of-reach for many to a manufacturer that tries very hard to be many things to a diverse customer base with as little dilution as possible to the integrity of the brand.
I think a lot of us applaud BMW for a return to it's roots (about time!). Maybe BMW will start to cut some of the fat off of the 3-er too.
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My E92 could definately stand to lose a few lbs, that's for sure. :biggrin: I think it is in the weight range of a 5 series as few as 10 years ago--not sure what E that is, but you get the drift. The cars are becoming bigger and heavier--which some people don't need. So for years you either had to live with it or get a Z roadster, which is a great car, but not as practical as the 3. Thus enters the 1 which is the size of an E36, roughly, right? That is right up my alley--I am almost 30, but no kids and no dog, so no need for a lot in the back.
I loved my dad's E46--and getting a 3 has been my dream since he brought his home in 2000--it is the standard that others have tried to hit for many years now. It just seems BMW has had to "play" in arenas that used to not matter in such a car--areas where the Japanese excel--and that is luxury. Those things add to the length and weight of the car--which pulls BMW from its roots. Just check out the new M3--they had to drop a damn V8 in the thing in order to get the performance expected out of the M. I thought that was sad, to tell you the truth. The I6 has been a BMW benchmark for years, and it seems to be somewhat on the way out.
And as long as the top end of the 1 is in the mid 30's, you won't see THAT many badge whores--even though there are plenty of them out there buying 3's now. In that range, you are still looking at a mid $400 per month lease payment--which is quite high when you can get a Cobalt for $119 a month.
Regardless--If they do the tailights right, I will be on board for the 1er right at the beginning. :biggrin: