Autoblog

BMW's 1-Series does not smirk at you and say "don't hate me because I'm beautiful." No, this small Teut is easy to deride on appearance; one look has you hating it because it's not beautiful while so many of its past brethren have been classically handsome. Whether it suits your taste or not, the 128i convertible we borrowed is unmistakably the work of the wizards of Munich. So, it's definitely a BMW, and it's being described as a reincarnation of the legendary 2002; does it measure up?


Photos Copyright ©2008 Dan Roth / Weblogs, Inc.

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]

Click above for a few stills from the sham documentary.

Last week we reported on the literal, if untrue, launch of a BMW 135i from a 454 meter-high ramp in the fictional Bavarian village of Oberpfaffelbachen. Now, the faux documentary film producer who decided to cover this historic event (bought and paid for by Bimmer's boffins) has finally released his masterwork for the world to see. We've embedded it after the jump, but be forewarned, you'll never be able to get that 30+ minutes of your life back.

Click above for a few images leading up to Rampfest.

As jaded pseudo-journalists, viral marketing campaigns have lost some of their grimy allure over the last few years. But BMW's latest attempt to get the masses pumped about the imminent launch of the 1-series coupe in the U.S. has so much hoontastic potential than even our oddly named friends can't ignore it.

Head on over to the fictional Bavarian village of (lemme get this right) Oberpfaffelbachen's website and you're greeted with the Oktoberfest anthem. From there, you can read up on the town's history, get a quick "Hallo" from the mayor and begin to understand the marketing ruse that BMW is launching – literally – when you check out the Rampenfest link.

The idea is simple. Build a 454 meter-high ramp that will launch the 135i over the European landscape and across the Atlantic onto U.S. shores. But the joke doesn't end there. Jeff Schultz, a (faux) documentary filmmaker, has decided to produce a movie that will cover the entire event from conception to completion, and he's been kind enough to put up a trailer of his flick to whet our appetites for the big day.

You can check out the trailer here, the filmmaker's blog here and if you're 21, female and willing to email a picture of yourself to be voted Miss Ramp (rim shot), you can enter with the rest of the contestants here.



[Source: Oberpfafelbachen via Jalopnik]

The 1-Series has officially joined BMW's line up in the United States, having finally been added to the brand's official website. Along with its place among the Ultimate Driving Machines online, the 1-Series also gets officially pricing, which turns out to be exactly what we thought it would be. The 135i will have an MSRP of $34,900 plus a $775 charge for delivery and all the whatnots involved with a purchasing a car. The 128i, meanwhile, will start at $28,600 and carry an identical $775 charge for destination and delivery.

The 128i is powered by BMW's 3.0L inline-six producing 230 horsepower, while the top shelf 135i is motivated by the superlative twin-turbo 3.0L inline-six producing 300 HP. Both are, of course, rear-wheel drive, small, and relatively light weight at around 3,200 lbs. - the purest coupes from BMW we've seen in a while. We optioned up a 135i with everything and arrived at an MSRP of $48,995 (that's it above - how you like the Cashmere Silver Metallic?). Frankly, that's ridiculously expensive for a car this size, regardless of what wheels are being driven or the engine under the hood. Do you think they're worth the high asking price? Answer in our poll below.


Thanks for the tip, Boris!

[Source: BMW]

Since it's launch in 2004, BMW has sold 470,000 1-series models throughout the world, and with the upcoming 1-series coupe, the automaker expects those numbers to increase, particularly when U.S. sales begin at the end of this month.

According to a report by Thomson Financial, the coupe alone should account for over 20,000 sales annually and with the addition of the convertible version expected to hit in spring of '08, there's no where to go but up. The primary question that will be answered early next year is who will be buying the new "compact" Bimmer, and whether or not the coupe will draw more buyers into the BMW fold or if it will merely cannibalize sales of the Bavarian's best-selling 3-series.

[Source: Forbes]

You've heard this shtick before, but with oil prices hitting record highs – again – most automakers are making a play at bringing more frugal offerings to market. In the case of BMW though, we're a bit disjointed on the idea. Sure, the 1-series is the company's second best seller in Europe, behind the 3-series, and purchasing a 128i when it goes on sale here in the States next year is the best way to get behind the wheel of a Bimmer on the cheap. But if buyers are supposedly so cost conscious, would they really drop the coin on a BMW if fuel consumption were at the top of their priority list? BMW's cache, in the realm of both driving dynamics and badge-snobber, is largely unmatched, but are buyers bent on a Bimmer really going to downsize their ride when they can surely afford the premium the marque commands? We're not so sure.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

A new entry-level car from a premium European brand will be washing up on our shores when the BMW 1-Series arrives carrying a price tag slightly under $30,000. Much the same way as Volvo's looking to its bobbed-tail C30 to recruit younger buyers into the fold while offering an appropriately flavored confection of a car, the 1-Series has the task of winning customers who would love a Roundel on the hood, but can't swing the 3-series. Having done the truncated poop deck on the E36 318ti, BMW decided to go with a traditional three-box profile this time around.

Where former entry-level efforts from premium European brands have not inspired drivers, the 1-Series has everyone buzzing. While the 135i gets the 335's delectable 300-HP drivetrain, good for a 5.1 second run to 60 mph, even the "entry level" 128i will have plenty of snort. The 128i will make do with 230 horses, giving up a second in the accelerative dash, yet taking it about $5,000 easier on your checkbook. We expect that BMW has learned from its 318ti experience, and the interior will not be a cheapened affair when compared to the 3-series, but will carry the same high quality materials, super comfortable seats, and impossibly tight fits. It's getting to be so you can't swing a cat without hitting a slightly-sub-30K vehicle with a spiffy emblem on the rump. We like that.

[Source: Auto News - sub req.]