An inside source has told reporters from AutoExpress that the new model line is being designed primarily for town use but driver appeal would still be key. The lineup will be positioned below the current Mini range and will get its own unique label, possibly Isetta or Triumph. The cars won’t feature advanced technologies such as hybrids because “that technology is reserved for larger models, such as SUVs,” the insider explained.
Instead, the cars will rely on compact turbo petrol and diesel engines to keep costs down while still boosting efficiency. Previous reports suggested the car would feature FWD configuration and measure no more than 3.75m in length. Production would also be outsourced to vehicle assemblers such as Magna-Steyr but the engines and drivetrain would be built by BMW at plants in Germany.
Reader Comments
Sun Feb 3 2008 10:42 AM
HECTOR says
Is there any question BMW (and MB) is becoming an automotive whore? Isn't the 1 series enough of a monstrosity to wear the propeller? Isn't a Mini SUV enough of kick in the balls of good taste? Guess not. Now they're thinking of slapping the once proud white and blue badge on some little car made for high school girls.
And I will take my G37 in red please.
Sun Feb 3 2008 3:28 PM
rnsaza says
HECTOR, while we're all entitled to our own opinion do you not think that BMW's global success across its range of products is an indication that they know what the motoring public wants? When BMW showed its Z-13 car some years ago I dreamed of owning such a small car, perhaps I will still get that opportunity!
Sun Feb 3 2008 10:34 PM
HECTOR says
Sorry buddy but I just find something incredibly perverse and unnatural in the drive behind BMW's (and MB's and Audi's) push to become put one of their cars in everyone's driveway. An M5 losses part of it's appeal when a 1 series driven by a brans snob wo can't afford the 3 series stands next to it at the traffic light.
I am a firm believe in laisses faire economics but I am also a purist when it comes to things automotive: I believe turns signals must be yellow, I believe the shifter must be in the transmission tunnel and I believe BMW should not go downmarket.
Incidentally I also believe that VW should not go upmarket. But that's another story.
Mon Feb 4 2008 12:51 PM
chris says
hector; i agree with you but unfortunately; law is going to govern the way these companies do business. personally i like the idea of the 1 series. I mean, I'd love a Z4, cause in the end its the worlds best car company making the smallest sporty little thing ever. but in the end, I need more than just 2 seats on occasion.. so the 1 series makes sense for me. I think the styling is all wrong... but thats another thing. They tried to make a small car look mean and aggressive... when something in that market unfortunately needs to be a little cutesy. but i digress.
I dont have a problem with BMW going for a green brand, in a sense, theyve already done this with bringing back Mini. BMW is a very rich company that is seeing a huge change in the way automotive business is being done. you cant have a premier brand any more without a very large common market brand. If you want to see the 5 and 7 series, or the upcoming 8 series, or any of the M cars, you're going to have to learn to love the idea of BMW's empire selling 95% of their products as little eco friendly green cars, cause the rest of the 5% of their vehicles are just going to obliterate the CAFE and CO2 averages.
Personally I want to see BMW do a green brand. Again; I couldn't care less about all this eco crap cause in the end, most of the "eco" changes we've made havent done anything in the grand scheme of things. we're replacing incandescent lights with mercury containing CFL's manufactured in the dirtiest country ever.
But i am a huge fan of pushing technology in the name of efficiency. because in the end, the more efficient something is, the more fun it is. Lexus is trying to get people to realize that hybrid doesnt need to mean boring. Theyre about to put out the LF-A which should prove the point. more efficiency means more power on the floor.
Mon Feb 4 2008 5:38 PM
Roy says
To many people, I guess it all depends on perception. In Germany, all the taxicabs are M-B 300s. Does that make it a less desirable automobile? It depends on how important image is to the buyer. We know that image is frequently important to buyers, so it makes sense for car companies to continue to differentiate their brands (Hector, Bugattis and Lamborghinis are part of VW while Ferrari and Maserati are owned by ... Fiat! Perhaps you will feel differently about high class VWs when Porsche owns them? Would you buy a Porsche Phaeton?).
The interesting thing with BMW is to focus on its roots: the 3 wheel bubble cars and 2002 were small, fun driver's cars. One could argue they lost their way when the 5 and 7 series ballooned into vacuous monsters.
Mon Feb 4 2008 10:50 PM
HECTOR says
Of course image is important to buyers, which is why, if money were no object, I would never own a 7 series or an S class but would instead look to either Bentley or even Lexus for my ride. When you think luxury and exclusivity you no longer think BMW or MB and that's telling.
Look at it this way: both BMW and MB are famous for being purveyors of fine cars large cars. My heart tells me that's what they should continue doing, being at the top. Leave the bottom to VW and Toyota. But no, they want to be everything to every body and in my mind they're ending being nobodies.
The Phaeton - fine car though it is - failed in the USA because people couldn't associate the vehicle and its price with the badge in front of it. The 1 series deserves to fail miserably because BMW should never have put the propeller on that car.
And that's my opinion.
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