BMW want high profit per unit. Hardtop is still too expensive for a car around or just under $30k. When technology gets cheaper I'm sure we will see 1er/2er with hardtop - in next generation maybe.

Yes, some manufacturesrs make small CCs (Peugeot, Nissan, Renault, Opel, etc). But do they make high profits? No, they don't - they have to count on mass sales. Something BMW can not - because low production (they do not even have capacities) keeps prices higher (lowe supply, high demand = higher prices).

E93 is in higher class - more profitable.

Also 6er is a good candidate for hardtop in the next generation.

Wow!!! I have to say that I'm very suprised to see these pictures. It seem like BMW want to earn some more money in the lower market. Looking at the pictures the proportions of the car appeal to me and it looks very cute. This is far from a Z4 or 3 coupe competitor. It's more of a MX5 competitor. A convertible for those who want something small but not to expensive and on top of that they will have braging rights, saying that they own a drop top bimmer.

Price wise it will probably have a starting price of around 200k. To be honest I'm loving it allready, it's very cute. Put some nice 19 inch rims on it and you're good to go.

Here is chop of how the car might end up looking.

OK... here I go again:

COST: is higher to the consumer, I didn't mean BMW
WEIGHT: small cars tend to favour fuel economy, where extra weight hinders it
SPACE: even though new hardtop are more space efficient, it's still not that great considering the car is a small (meaning not much room to begin with) 4 seater (meaning you might have to accomodate more that 2 ppl)... I mean the CLK isn't a hardtop right?

Again, not to say you aren't right that a hardtop could be possible (I mean look at the Eos), but I'm not sure it would make sense IMO. I'm not even convinced that the E93 should be hardtop... leave that to roadsters.

Exactly... this car isn't competing with the Slk or the CLK... not even the Audi TT. This car is the first from the big 3... there's no Aclass convertible and I'm pretty sure there's no A3 Convertible either.

This car is pretty much aimed at the MX5. It has very much the same philosophy. Lightweight, simplistic and pure driving enjoyment. And if BMW is to do that, the price has to stay somewhat low. All you guys were bitching and moaning how expensive the BMW 1 series can get so this will be even more expensive. A hardtop will not help at all

mehh you guys are gr8 at justifying bmw´s actions.. imo i hate canvas.. and i know they could do it if they wanted to..

I'm sure they could... but you gotta see where the 1 series convertible is aimed at. And that's the lower market.

What's that supposed to mean?

The Z3/Z4 are aimed at the Miata, they are both roadsters. Really the only folding hardtops that make any sense are ones that are put on roadsters. I'm almost certain putting a retractable hardtop on a cabrio would eat some sales of the coupe version.

No they are not!? Since when does the SLK/Z4/TT segment compete with the Miata?

Miata is a much cheaper car so I dont see it as a Z4/SLK/Boxster condender. Instead I want to add Nissan 350Z Roadster.