[Technic]

Originally Posted by spinzero

So both models come in at almost exactly $3K less than the corresponding 3er sedan.

This, as I have said many times, makes the 128i a very shitty deal. There are some important things that the 135i comes with that are not even offered as options in the 335i. Those are the M exterior/interior, and of course the brembo 6 pots. Separately, these options will surely run north of $2K. Considering this, $3K is a justifiable price gap between the two model.

On the other hand, there is not a single thing that the 128 has that is not standard in the 328i. Not only that, I also have to point out that the 128i comes with a electric assist steering, while the 328i comes with a hydraulic one.

This really begs the question. Why would I get a 128i when I can get a 328i with hydraulic steering and 4 door practicality for just $3K more? Weight difference is rather negligible, and fuel efficiency will probably be worse. The brand name of the 3er also trumps that of the 1er. Is $3K really enough to overcome these factors?

My only conclusion is that BMW plans the 1er coupe to be lower volume model than I anticipated.

BMW already stated so.