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The IAA went off pretty much as I expected - I didn't think we'd get much out of this show. The meat in this sandwhich is coming when we see driving impresssions (hopefully next week or so).
These shows have a ton of folks clammoring for the execs, so I can understand Drillslinger's frustration. They are stinking Rugby scrums. The trick is to find an engineer standing to the side and get them talking - find out what they are responsible for on the car, have them show you it - express an 'Ah, so that's how that works, clever!' and as long as you can keep the PR handler away they talk (good social engineering ; -).
BMW probably was pushing the much bolder X6 - I think they have more tied to that than the 1er. The coupe is merely an extension to the current line - and this is Frankfurt, DE not Frankfurt, KY so pricing is going to be assumed for the Euro market based on exisiting 1er prices and the rest of the lines sedans/coupe ratios. I wasn't surprised that the 128 wasn't there - it's a US market only vehicle. It's w-a-y too early to be talking pricing for the US market - we'll get the hints - but I do believe BMW sees this as a way of pulling in buyers of Japanese cars. That quote from the BMW exec was the money quote - the pricing was not the key but the target audience was.
In the grand scheme of things autoshows are shams - dances with bad music and bad refreshments. We may be days away from driving impressions. And that's when my frustration level will build. I want to spend 15 minutes behind the wheel so badly.
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