[Itgb]

There's a 320i, but no 220i? Seems like a less powerful engine and smaller car would be a good fit to compete vs A3 and CLA.

[MikeT]

It wouldn't shock me if they did a 220i for the U.S. at some point. Keep in mind that the U.S.-spec 320i launched about a year after the 328i.

[VGR00]

Australia is getting a 220i but not the 228i. Sucks if you ask me

[Wozich]

Originally Posted by VGR00

Australia is getting a 220i but not the 228i. Sucks if you ask me

It's the same with Europe.

[Itgb]

Yeah BMW's marketing strategy is questionable regarding some models. At least for the US, the most logical explanation is they want to sell as many 228i and M235i models with the higher profit margin as they did with the 3-series. Then after a year or so, release the lower model to pick up a different customer looking for that $30k price point.

[jazza]

Originally Posted by VGR00

Australia is getting a 220i but not the 228i. Sucks if you ask me

Originally Posted by Wositsch

It's the same with Europe.

In Spain the 228i will be available in the summer, so I guess in the rest of Europe will be the same ....

[bimmerfile]

Originally Posted by Itgb

There's a 320i, but no 220i? Seems like a less powerful engine and smaller car would be a good fit to compete vs A3 and CLA.

Who/What would be the key target demographic market for the 220i in North America?
During the 6+ years of the 1er in N/A, BMW never offered anything below the 128i and there appears to have been no discernible consumer demand for anything less powerful in the 1er range.

[Math]

Originally Posted by jazza

In Spain the 228i will be available in the summer, so I guess in the rest of Europe will be the same ....

Really? Where did you get that info? Will it more likely be a 225i with 218hp? As compared with the equivalent 1 series..

[Itgb]

Originally Posted by bimmerfile

Who/What would be the key target demographic market for the 220i in North America?
During the 6+ years of the 1er in N/A, BMW never offered anything below the 128i and there appears to have been no discernible consumer demand for anything less powerful in the 1er range.

Did you read anything I wrote?

Originally Posted by Itgb

Seems like a less powerful engine and smaller car would be a good fit to compete vs A3 and CLA.

Originally Posted by Itgb

Then after a year or so, release the lower model to pick up a different customer looking for that $30k price point.

They released a 320i even though there hasn't been a 180hp 3-series since the 325i E46 in the US. There was enough bitching and moaning about a 4-cyl 3-series, I don't think many people saw an even lower powered 3-series like the 320i coming. So if BMW felt the US market could use an "entry level" engine for the 3-series, why not the 1-series?

And to answer your comment, if it wasn't done in the previous generation 1-series then they don't need it now; well I don't think BMW had a turbo 4 at the time the 1-series came out(besides the Mini S engine), so a N/A engine would have been too underpowered for US tastes. The N20 has opened up new possibilities with it's horsepower range of 180-240hp.

[MikeT]

Originally Posted by bimmerfile

Who/What would be the key target demographic market for the 220i in North America?
During the 6+ years of the 1er in N/A, BMW never offered anything below the 128i and there appears to have been no discernible consumer demand for anything less powerful in the 1er range.

True enough, but the same could be said of the 3-series up until a year ago. BMW-NA hadn't slotted a 320i below the 325i/328i in decades, yet voila! It came out last year.

Look, will there be a 220i in the U.S. a year from now? I have no idea, but it wouldn't shock me.

[jazza]

Originally Posted by Math

Really? Where did you get that info? Will it more likely be a 225i with 218hp? As compared with the equivalent 1 series..

http://www.km77.com/01/bmw/serie-2/c...-303137-p.html


La gama del Serie 2 Coupé la conforman las versiones 218d (143 CV), 220d y 220i (ambas con 184 CV), 225d (218 CV) y M235i (326 CV), a las que se unirá en verano de 2014 la versión 228i (245 CV)

"which will join in the summer of 2014 228i version (245 hp)"

The information is somewhat confusing, because, at least in Spain at the moment, there is no 218d or 225d, which I guess will also come out in summer. In fact, in the forum I think, already it's been said.

[Math]

Originally Posted by jazza;*****440

http://www.km77.com/01/bmw/serie-2/c...-303137-p.html


La gama del Serie 2 Coupé la conforman las versiones 218d (143 CV), 220d y 220i (ambas con 184 CV), 225d (218 CV) y M235i (326 CV), a las que se unirá en verano de 2014 la versión 228i (245 CV)

"which will join in the summer of 2014 228i version (245 hp)"

The information is somewhat confusing, because, at least in Spain at the moment, there is no 218d or 225d, which I guess will also come out in summer. In fact, in the forum I think, already it's been said.

Thanks! Could be right, here in Belgium we can already order 218d and 225d(this only with automatic gearbox ). We will see in a few months what the full line-up is.

[bimmerfile]

Originally Posted by Itgb

Did you read anything I wrote?

Yah, I think you said that a 2-door 2er coupe with less HP & torque would compete well against the 4 door A3 and CLA sedans here in North America.

So your contention is that the detuned 2er coupe with 181HP and 0-100kph time of 7 seconds will steal sales away from the 4 dr CLA and A3 sedans.

Good luck with making that business case.

[Itgb]

Originally Posted by bimmerfile

Yah, I think you said that a 2-door 2er coupe with less HP & torque would compete well against the 4 door A3 and CLA sedans here in North America.

So your contention is that the detuned 2er coupe with 181HP and 0-100kph time of 7 seconds will steal sales away from the 4 dr CLA and A3 sedans.

Good luck with making that business case.

So please enlighten us as to which BMW competes with the CLA($30K, 6.9s 0-60) and A3($30k, 7.2s 0-60)?

Some people don't care about performance or number of doors; they buy on price and brand. Why do you think BMW introduced the 320i?

[dougi83]

You can download the Press Release KIT HERE available in EN/FR/ES/IT :

Read it in Chapter 4 The driving experience:
A perfect balance of agility, efficiency and comfort.

"And following hot on the heels of that trio are two more four-cylinder diesel models in the form of the BMW 218d Coupe (105 kW/143 hp) and
BMW 225d Coupe (160 kW/218 hp). The BMW 228i Coupe with 180 kW/245 hp is scheduled to join the model range in summer 2014. All the engines can be combined with an eight-speed automatic gearbox (standard in the BMW 225d Coupe) "



And more info here for the 218d and 225d :

"Immediately after market launch the model portfolio will be extended by two diesel variants. In two additional output categories, the BMW 218d Coupe and the BMW 225d Coupe offer an optimal combination of efficiency and dynamic performance so typical of a BMW. The BMW 218d Coupe features as standard a six-speed manual gearbox. As an option, this model comes with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission. The engine in the BMW 225d Coupe is offered in conjunction with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission."

March : 218d - 225d in Europe
Summer : 228i in Europe (Australia ?)

[Itgb]

[QUOTE=bimmerfile;15414059]

Originally Posted by Itgb

[COLOR="Blue"]So please enlighten us as to which BMW competes with the CLA($30K, 6.9s 0-60) and A3($30k, 7.2s 0-60)?
Some people don't care about performance or number of doors; they buy on price and brand. Why do you think BMW introduced the 320i?[/[/COLOR]QUOTE]

--------------------------------------------------------------------

My guess is that the 4 dr 2-series Grand Coupe (pic below) will compete nicely with the 4 dr CLA and 4 dr A3.

I can see a market for the 320i - e.g. suburban moms taking their bubble wrapped kiddies to school or the mall.
I can even see the CLA & A3 competing for that demographic.

BTW, according to your logic - why not introduce a 420i to better compete with the base Audi A4?

I agree that a 2-series GC would be the solution to the body-style comparison, but it is a car that doesn't exist except in renderings. Even if it does come out, it's min. 2 yrs away as we haven't seen a test mule yet and one of the BMW execs is saying it's not necessary.

Can you not accept the fact that some people buy on price? A 220i would compete on price until a 2-series GC would be available. Even if the GC comes, it may be even more expensive than a comparable coupe, so the 220i would still be needed to compete at the entry level premium car price with the CLA/A3.

[bimmerfile]

[QUOTE=Itgb;15414489]

Originally Posted by bimmerfile

..............................Can you not accept the fact that some people buy on price? A 220i would compete on price until a 2-series GC would be available. Even if the GC comes, it may be even more expensive than a comparable coupe, so the 220i would still be needed to compete at the entry level premium car price with the CLA/A3.

I will agree that there would be "some people" who would buy a 220i - but, in my opinion, that demographic would be too small to make it worthwhile to introduce the 220i to N/A - particularly when BMW is trying to image the 2er as an enthusiast's performance car.
As well, you're more likely to rob sales from the 228i rather than the CLA or A3 - so, not a smart marketing move.
I think the 2er and 4er buyer is a different buyer profile from the 3er buyer and you will no sooner see a 220i than a 420i.

[Haades]

[QUOTE=bimmerfile;15414658]

Originally Posted by Itgb

I will agree that there would be "some people" who would buy a 220i - but, in my opinion, that demographic would be too small to make it worthwhile to introduce the 220i to N/A - particularly when BMW is trying to image the 2er as an enthusiast's performance car.
As well, you're more likely to rob sales from the 228i rather than the CLA or A3 - so, not a smart marketing move.
I think the 2er and 4er buyer is a different buyer profile from the 3er buyer and you will no sooner see a 220i than a 420i.

I think you'd see a lot more people at least give BMW a look rather than the A3 or CLA based on a sub-30k starting price alone. I looked at a 228i with options and it came out to ~$35k, if that price was about $3,000 lower, I'd jump on it without hesitation.

Some people buy BMW's for the quality, not speed.

[bimmerfile]

[QUOTE=Haades;15538416]

Originally Posted by bimmerfile

I think you'd see a lot more people at least give BMW a look rather than the A3 or CLA based on a sub-30k starting price alone. I looked at a 228i with options and it came out to ~$35k, if that price was about $3,000 lower, I'd jump on it without hesitation.

Some people buy BMW's for the quality, not speed.

I think that if they're gonna bring a different engine in the 2 series to Canada or the U.S., it'll be the 218d.
That'd bring a lot more interest to 2 series line-up.
At 60+ mpg, it'd sell like hotcakes.