Marketing campaigns are always in search of a new hook, and BMW's gotten creative to help keep the 1-Series on boil. Readers of the March 24th edition of Autoweek were treated to a smattering of tiny-Roundel factoids at the bottom of the mag's pages. Some of them might be true, while others seem entirely made up. The hard facts are naturally spot-on, but subjective impressions like back seat comfort, desirability, and a link to the 2002 are all tenuous at best. The effort is charming in its cleverness, even if we're not entirely sold on the idea that we're going to regret it if we neglect to buy a 1-Series.
[Source: AutoInsane.com]
New KITT Attack Mode revealed at Comic Con
London 2008: Honda OSM concept roadster says, "Cheerio!"
London 2008: Lotus unveils the Evora
2010 Chevy Camaro - Official Details and Images
2010 Chevy Camaro - LIVE from the reveal
First Drive: Maserati Quattroporte S in Europe
First Drive: 2008 MINI Cooper S JCW
In the Autoblog Garage:2009 Nissan GT-R
North American Exclusive First Drive: Alfa MiTo
First Drive: 2009 Kia Borrego
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Robert @ Apr 13th 2008 11:13AM
hmm bmw think this car is some kind of GT-R or something good.
zamafir @ Apr 13th 2008 11:50AM
I think BMW realizes it's going to have a hard time moving volumes on a smaller 3 series, with the schnoz of the x3, and no real savings, thus the desperate marketing campaigns.
dantzig @ Apr 13th 2008 12:39PM
i submit that $33k is in fact $10k less than $43k.
(starting prices for the convertibles)
zamafir @ Apr 13th 2008 12:58PM
Right and the last three 128i converts I saw retailed around 40k, I'm not sure most BMW buyers purchase their cars without the luxury options most have come to expect, and the price difference between the 135 and 335 is $5,000 which might make a difference to some, but not the Bimmer owners I know, those who've added the 128 to the collection o minis, 335is, 545i (old i know) for the misses.
Snutz @ Apr 13th 2008 12:10PM
I already read that issue of Autoweek and never even noticed the tiny ads. Just went back and looked at the issue, they're definitely there but I guess I never looked at the page numbers. At least they're amusing though once you see them.
Apparently it takes 44 seconds to lower the top on a 1 Series convertible. Ouch. A Miata can do it in about 2.
Snutz @ Apr 13th 2008 3:03PM
Ohh, 44 seconds is to open AND close the top. So I guess it's not as bad as I thought. My bad.
Aaron Slater @ Apr 13th 2008 12:38PM
42 Milliseconds? Is this a subtle joke-within-a-subtle-ad? Or is the 1 series the answer to life, the universe, and everything?
SPG @ Apr 13th 2008 1:47PM
Fun idea, I like it.
jg @ Apr 13th 2008 2:09PM
I was at a dealer yesterday hoping to see an X6 (not out yet). Anyway they had a 328i coupe for 37K and we're selling a 128i for 36.5k. Weird.
CarbonBlack @ Apr 13th 2008 5:50PM
This is what I have heard from about a dozen different sources! In the last podcast, they talked about how you can get a couple years old M3 for less than the 1series new. Those old M3's would be ALOT BETTER than a new 1series.
tankd0g @ Apr 13th 2008 9:56PM
most would contend that a new ones series IS the old M3.
M @ Apr 16th 2008 11:54PM
no tangd0g most would not contend that.
The 1 is quite different from the E46 M3 in handling and power delivery (driven both as a BMW technician)
Gooch @ Apr 13th 2008 3:31PM
Zamafir,
Mentioning the 545i makes me think of what people used to say about Caddys (and I'm now paraphrasing): "It might be an old BMW, but it's still a BMW!" A six-speed manual 545i was (and remains) a great sleeper. So too the 540i.
This is guerilla marketing at its best. Nothing desperate about it at all. Nice job, BMW.
jbaldwin @ Apr 13th 2008 5:41PM
It's funny listening to the "BMW Guys" bash the 1 series saying that there's no savings from the 3 series. Not only is it over $5,000 cheaper, but it's faster, handles better and stops quicker. The 3 series has gotten big and fat. The 1 series is the size of the last generation 3 series, which my age group (22-30) loves. The interior dimensions on the 1 Series are barely smaller than the 3 Series and to everyone in my age group it looks a lot better. Maybe when we get old we'll want a heavier slower car that costs more, but for now we all want the 1.
Dan Roth @ Apr 13th 2008 6:10PM
no. I'm in that age group (barely) and I don't find the 1 attractive. It may be smaller than the now-bloated 3 series, but that comes at the cost of space efficiency. It's TIGHT, and the 3 is not known for its spaciousness. Smaller would be okay if it were lighter, but it's not, really. Further, for what the 1-series costs, you can step into a 3 - either a slightly less luxe brand new one, or a phenomenal E46 with a few miles.
jamie collie @ Apr 14th 2008 12:52AM
@Dan
First, you say that it's not lighter. Well it's actually 200 pounds lighter, which is why it's faster and more nimble.
Second, you say it's so "TIGHT". Well below are the dimensions, the 1 Series on the left and 3 Series on the right. As you can see they 1 actually has more cargo capacity and the exact same passenger volume. I don't know how big you are, but for someone that's 6' tall and 180 pounds I fit perfectly.
Front legroom 41.4 " 41.8 "
Rear legroom 32.0 " 33.7 "
Front headroom 37.9 " 38.4 "
Rear headroom 37.1 " 36.8 "
Front shoulder room 54.0 " 55.3 "
Rear shoulder room 53.4 " 51.9 "
Passenger volume 88.5 cu.ft. 88.5 cu.ft.
Cargo capacity 13.1 cu.ft. 11.1 cu.ft.
All of this for exactly $5,900 less and for your idea about getting a used e46, which is far slower than the 1, it's even tighter inside.
M @ Apr 16th 2008 11:58PM
@jamie
a used E46 is not slower than the new 1 if you get an E46 M3 (many can be had in the $20-29K range now)
JustJoe @ Apr 14th 2008 1:45AM
This teensy, almost subliminal advertising was noted by an Autoblog commenter right after the Autoweek issue came out. Dunno why it took y'all so long for you to report on it yourselves! ;)
Ian @ Apr 14th 2008 4:33AM
Coincidentally that is also the number of milliseconds it takes to stop wanting one once you find out the weight, price, and that they aren't bringing the damn hatch out here.
Rocketboy @ Apr 14th 2008 9:07AM
I like it. It's very MINI-esque.