1er coupe U.S. price point???

[ibeam81]

Originally Posted by MPower

35,000 dead is decent, 35,995 isnt. At that price, the BMW driving advantage dwindles and cars like the Mitsubishi Evo start to get more tempting. BMW can talk all they want about placing the car within their lineup but they have got to be more attentive to the market. If they really want this to be a car for the first-time BMW buyer, 35,995 isnt going to cut it. That is more than than a loaded Honda Accord V6 coupe, that is more than a Mitsubishi Evo, more than a Subie WRX STi, more than the project base price of a V8-powered Pontiac G8, more than nearly everything but a 335i. That just doenst cut it in my book. The first-time BMW buyer is going to have price in the back of their mind and a base 135i costing 36,000 dollars turns people away before they even look at the thing.

I hope that you are right. Actually, I hope that you are wrong and that the 135i is less (way less) than $35K.

There are obviously a lot of variables and unknowns here. If BMW markets the 135i as a baby M3 then I can see a premium and possibly high price tag (although still a relative bargain price wise compared to the new M3). I think a lot depends on the anticipated sales split between the 135i and 128i. If it's around 35%/65% then a lower price for the 135i makes sense. If it's more like 20%/80% then I can see more of a premium for the 135i over the 128i.

Anyway, the discussion is interesting and the good news is that we will eventually know the price. I can remember not that long ago when the 1er coupe was just a rumor. The 135i was a pleasant surprise and hopefully the pricing will be equally satisfying.

[BForbes]

MPower, you cant simply knock BMW for pricing this car at $36,000. An Subaru STI will cost 35k. Mitsu also said there will be a price hike on the EVO X. More than likely 33k. The BMW shouldnt be identical with their pricing. A 135i is a premium car. Not spiced up economy car.(im also thinking about an EVO X) To be honest, I believe a 135i will be waay to much car for a first-time BMW buyer.(At least one in their 20's at least) A 135i will be a very fast car. It will be the fastest Non-M car. They will not give it away and quite frankly I dont blame them. 34-36k is acceptable in my book. 37k as a base would be way too much for such a TINY car.

[BMW_In_Future]

Does anyone know when they will be releasing the price for both models? Is it a few weeks or months?

[Deutsch]

Thing is with European cars, you're always going to pay a premium, new and used(depending upon model). They're built to a standard that in many ways justifies the price, though this is quickly starting to change. It also doesn't help that the dollar is weak against the Euro. Either way BMW will sell 1er coupes, how many depends upon the price. I can say for sure though, I know I'd never pay $40k for a compact car, premium or not.

[Deutsch]

Originally Posted by 135iInNearFuture

Does anyone know when they will be releasing the price for both models? Is it a few weeks or months?

Spring '08

[BMW_In_Future]

Originally Posted by Deutsch

Spring '08

So they will release the price when they release the car? Is that how it always is? I thought they would release the price at least a month or 2 before the car comes out

[ibeam81]

Originally Posted by 135iInNearFuture

So they will release the price when they release the car? Is that how it always is? I thought they would release the price at least a month or 2 before the car comes out

We've already seen prices for the UK and Germany, so it's possible that we might see them early in the US as well.

[BMW_In_Future]

Originally Posted by ibeam81

We've already seen prices for the UK and Germany, so it's possible that we might see them early in the US as well.

I hope so. Ibeam, I live in germantown too. Small world

[BForbes]

Originally Posted by Deutsch

Thing is with European cars, you're always going to pay a premium, new and used(depending upon model). They're built to a standard that in many ways justifies the price, though this is quickly starting to change. It also doesn't help that the dollar is weak against the Euro. Either way BMW will sell 1er coupes, how many depends upon the price. I can say for sure though, I know I'd never pay $40k for a compact car, premium or not.

Thats the reason why I believe the 135i wont cost as much as everyone fears.(37k) BMW has enough trouble trying to move the Z4M's at 55k.

[Deutsch]

I doubt BMWNA expects Z4 M's to be high volume cars, they're not. At the end of the year I'm sure sales will pick up as dealers will be anxious to move pre-existing sitting inventory in prep. for the new year, prices will come down.

[ibeam81]

Originally Posted by 135iInNearFuture

I hope so. Ibeam, I live in germantown too. Small world

Small and getting smaller by the minute. It certainly makes for interesting times. :smile:

[hector]

Originally Posted by ibeam81

Small and getting smaller by the minute. :smile:

actually, through accretion of interstellar matter trapped by earth's gravitational field the world is slowly enlarging:biggrin:.

[ibeam81]

Originally Posted by hector

actually, through accretion of interstellar matter trapped by earth's gravitational field the world is slowly enlarging:biggrin:.

Good one! Particularly after I was just discussing the space time continuum with someone.

[IrvRobinson2]

Originally Posted by ibeam81

We've already seen prices for the UK and Germany, so it's possible that we might see them early in the US as well.

we should definitely have the prices before the end of the year

[ibeam81]

Originally Posted by IrvRobinson

we should definitely have the prices before the end of the year

Thanks Irv. I was waiting for you to chime in.

Do care to venture a more educated guess as to the base prices of the 135i and 128i?

[imported_MPower]

Originally Posted by onehots2k

MPower, you cant simply knock BMW for pricing this car at $36,000. An Subaru STI will cost 35k. Mitsu also said there will be a price hike on the EVO X. More than likely 33k. The BMW shouldnt be identical with their pricing. A 135i is a premium car. Not spiced up economy car.(im also thinking about an EVO X) To be honest, I believe a 135i will be waay to much car for a first-time BMW buyer.(At least one in their 20's at least) A 135i will be a very fast car. It will be the fastest Non-M car. They will not give it away and quite frankly I dont blame them. 34-36k is acceptable in my book. 37k as a base would be way too much for such a TINY car.

Comparatively, at 34,000 dollars, the 135i would be priced a little more than the larger, more luxury-orientated 328i. This is a technique BMW uses in every lineup they have (the "lower" model's top of the line engine closely matching the price of the cheapest "higher" model's). In comparison, at 34,000, a Subaru WRX STi's base price is ~33,000, or 1,000 dollars less than the BMW. It features an advanced all-wheel drive system, a turbocharged and intercooled engine, Brembo brakes, high performance wheels and tires, 6-speed manual gearbox, alcantara upholstery, a "premium" sound system, and 4-doors. Apart from the number of doors, that very closely mimics the spec of the 135i. Both produce around 300 horsepower and 300 lb.ft. of torque and both are targeted at enthusiasts. BMW cant have it both ways. If they are really trying to market this at the younger enthusiasts, they can not ignore the price of its competitors. At 36,000, you are already 3 grand more than the Subie. That, for many of people, will be a deal breaker regardless of the badge.

Additionally, a bottom-of-the-line Evo can be had for under 30 grand. Similar spec to the 135i mechanically but less luxury.

Take a look at the Audi A3. It has been a decent selling car but nothing spectacular. Why? The base model with decent spec gets around 30,000 dollars, or 8 grand more than a Golf GTI. Same chassis, same engine, different badge =/= 8 grand more. BMW would do themselves well to price this in contention for the market they are looking at.

However, if they are targeting the 335i buyer who wants something more sporty, 36 grand is reasonable. But I am willing to bet more than 70% of the members here dont fall into that category. The 135i has been appealing for enthusiasts for one big reason: price. This car wouldnt have the interest it has if it was priced very closely to the 335i.

At 36,000 dollars, you are looking at a little more than a 3 grand difference between the 135i and the 335i. In a year or two, you could easily haggle a dealer very close to 37,000 for a base 335i. So when that happens, what advantage would the 135i have? The 335i is more luxurious, will certainly have more standard equipment, and be noticeably bigger making it much more practical. That adds up to a 318ti-sized failure.

Price the base model at 32,000-33,000 and you are in good shape. Enough to lure the 335i buyer and good enough to convince STi-man that he wants something a bit more sophisticated.

[eMINI]

Originally Posted by MPower

Price the base model at 32,000-33,000 and you are in good shape. Enough to lure the 335i buyer and good enough to convince STi-man that he wants something a bit more sophisticated.

And, at that price, buyers will be much more likely to indulge a little more in option packages.

[ibeam81]

Originally Posted by MPower

Comparatively, at 34,000 dollars, the 135i would be priced a little more than the larger, more luxury-orientated 328i. This is a technique BMW uses in every lineup they have (the "lower" model's top of the line engine closely matching the price of the cheapest "higher" model's). In comparison, at 34,000, a Subaru WRX STi's base price is ~33,000, or 1,000 dollars less than the BMW. It features an advanced all-wheel drive system, a turbocharged and intercooled engine, Brembo brakes, high performance wheels and tires, 6-speed manual gearbox, alcantara upholstery, a "premium" sound system, and 4-doors. Apart from the number of doors, that very closely mimics the spec of the 135i. Both produce around 300 horsepower and 300 lb.ft. of torque and both are targeted at enthusiasts. BMW cant have it both ways. If they are really trying to market this at the younger enthusiasts, they can not ignore the price of its competitors. At 36,000, you are already 3 grand more than the Subie. That, for many of people, will be a deal breaker regardless of the badge.

Additionally, a bottom-of-the-line Evo can be had for under 30 grand. Similar spec to the 135i mechanically but less luxury.

Take a look at the Audi A3. It has been a decent selling car but nothing spectacular. Why? The base model with decent spec gets around 30,000 dollars, or 8 grand more than a Golf GTI. Same chassis, same engine, different badge =/= 8 grand more. BMW would do themselves well to price this in contention for the market they are looking at.

However, if they are targeting the 335i buyer who wants something more sporty, 36 grand is reasonable. But I am willing to bet more than 70% of the members here dont fall into that category. The 135i has been appealing for enthusiasts for one big reason: price. This car wouldnt have the interest it has if it was priced very closely to the 335i.

At 36,000 dollars, you are looking at a little more than a 3 grand difference between the 135i and the 335i. In a year or two, you could easily haggle a dealer very close to 37,000 for a base 335i. So when that happens, what advantage would the 135i have? The 335i is more luxurious, will certainly have more standard equipment, and be noticeably bigger making it much more practical. That adds up to a 318ti-sized failure.

Price the base model at 32,000-33,000 and you are in good shape. Enough to lure the 335i buyer and good enough to convince STi-man that he wants something a bit more sophisticated.

Good post and very sound reasoning. I certainly hope that it works out that way. My fear is a sales split between the 128i and 135i of 80%/20% or worse that results in the 135i being more of a limited production vehicle with a corresponding premium price tag. There are a lot of enthusiasts on this board, so the demand for the 135i appears to be very high (at least 50% and probably higher). However in "Real Life" I'm pretty sure that the percentage of 135i sales will pale in comparison to 128i sales.

Also, if you look at the way BMW is packaging the 1er for the US it doesn't really align well with some of BMW's past practices. While the 128i will be BMW's new entry model, the 135i is a near ///M machine. IMO the gap between a 128i and 135i is much greater than that between a 328i and a 335i. Without the M bits on the 135i it would be easier for me to accept a price in the $32K-$33K range.

Anyway, I really wish that I knew what was going on behind closed doors at BMW or that my ESP was working better. While I enjoy discussing the prospective pricing of the 1er, I must admit that it's extremely frustrating as well.

If BMW does price the 135i as a baby M for the masses, I will be one happy camper. However if the price of admission is too high, then I suspect that many will look elsewhere.

[imported_THE JEDI]

Okay I say 28.500 for a 128, which gives BMW that below 30 grand, and I say 34,000 for the 135 which keeps it above the 328 sedan

[BForbes]

Originally Posted by MPower

Comparatively, at 34,000 dollars, the 135i would be priced a little more than the larger, more luxury-orientated 328i. This is a technique BMW uses in every lineup they have (the "lower" model's top of the line engine closely matching the price of the cheapest "higher" model's). In comparison, at 34,000, a Subaru WRX STi's base price is ~33,000, or 1,000 dollars less than the BMW. It features an advanced all-wheel drive system, a turbocharged and intercooled engine, Brembo brakes, high performance wheels and tires, 6-speed manual gearbox, alcantara upholstery, a "premium" sound system, and 4-doors. Apart from the number of doors, that very closely mimics the spec of the 135i. Both produce around 300 horsepower and 300 lb.ft. of torque and both are targeted at enthusiasts. BMW cant have it both ways. If they are really trying to market this at the younger enthusiasts, they can not ignore the price of its competitors. At 36,000, you are already 3 grand more than the Subie. That, for many of people, will be a deal breaker regardless of the badge.

Additionally, a bottom-of-the-line Evo can be had for under 30 grand. Similar spec to the 135i mechanically but less luxury.

Take a look at the Audi A3. It has been a decent selling car but nothing spectacular. Why? The base model with decent spec gets around 30,000 dollars, or 8 grand more than a Golf GTI. Same chassis, same engine, different badge =/= 8 grand more. BMW would do themselves well to price this in contention for the market they are looking at.

However, if they are targeting the 335i buyer who wants something more sporty, 36 grand is reasonable. But I am willing to bet more than 70% of the members here dont fall into that category. The 135i has been appealing for enthusiasts for one big reason: price. This car wouldnt have the interest it has if it was priced very closely to the 335i.

At 36,000 dollars, you are looking at a little more than a 3 grand difference between the 135i and the 335i. In a year or two, you could easily haggle a dealer very close to 37,000 for a base 335i. So when that happens, what advantage would the 135i have? The 335i is more luxurious, will certainly have more standard equipment, and be noticeably bigger making it much more practical. That adds up to a 318ti-sized failure.

Price the base model at 32,000-33,000 and you are in good shape. Enough to lure the 335i buyer and good enough to convince STi-man that he wants something a bit more sophisticated.

I understand what your saying, its ran through my head before. But you have to know BMW by now. "A BMW car will cost MORE than an equally optioned and almost equally capable competitor." For example, look at the 330i vs G35, and then 335i vs g37. Then look at X5 vs the new MDX(which matches it in handling and grip) This car will not be priced the same as a Mitsu Evo, or STI. No matter how much we want it to it wont. BMW is not hurting, they arent desperate to sell these. They are going to get away with whatever they can in regards to pricing. That is the reason why I believe it will start at 34-35k. A special edition 350Z starts at 34-35k.

And How quickly we forget that the BMW Warranty is second to none.

[Won35i]

Originally Posted by onehots2k

I understand what your saying, its ran through my head before. But you have to know BMW by now. "A BMW car will cost MORE than an equally optioned and almost equally capable competitor." For example, look at the 330i vs G35, and then 335i vs g37. Then look at X5 vs the new MDX(which matches it in handling and grip) This car will not be priced the same as a Mitsu Evo, or STI. No matter how much we want it to it wont. BMW is not hurting, they arent desperate to sell these. They are going to get away with whatever they can in regards to pricing. That is the reason why I believe it will start at 34-35k. A special edition 350Z starts at 34-35k.

And How quickly we forget that the BMW Warranty is second to none.

You are absolutely right. Nothing can rival BMWs 4 year warranty. Unfortunately after that it sucks, but most of us dont keep our cars that long anyways. Ill go out and speculate that it should be around 34-35k MSRP, which would be great. Thatll mean around a 31-32k Invoicing. Im assuming the car will coming with Leatherette and Dakota will be an option. Id like to see it standard with Dakota but thats asking too much from the BMW heads, lol. Who knows though, maybe we will be surprised.

[redwood]

I would be extremely happy if the 135i started at $35K. The Subaru STI is a great car to drive and I have several friends with them, but BMW is not trying to directly compete with them, I believe. The Evo and the STI have nice seats, but other than that they are pretty cheap, etc. The stereo blows, the doors are hollow sounding. I guarantee even a "cheap" line like the 1-series is going to be nicer. Between that and the full free maintenance, $35K would be worth it to me. My girlfriend, who is not a snob by any means as she drives a Nissan Xterra, said it best when she saw the STI sticker at the auto show. "$34K? For a SUBARU?" (Edmunds lists $33,495 though not sure if that includes delivery and other crap). I doubt you'll hear anybody say "$35K for a BMW?"