German Car Zone

That is possible, but I'd wait to see how sales shake out first before removing it. The price gulf between say a 4-cylinder 320i and the remaining 335i would be too great IMO. They need something in the middle for a person that doesn't want a 335 ($$), but don't want a mere "4-cylinder". Yes, some Americans are biased against 4-cylinder "luxury" brand cars. Ask any Saab salesperson.


M

I feel sorry for all SAAB dealers out there. If it is indeed the next 320i that is up for debut on the american market then I guess it will be a 1.6 turbo with just over 200 hp and it will need to be priced just under the equivalent 6 cylinder alternatives in order for it not to lose any of the price based exclusivity.

Now, where does that leave us? The 328i has some 230 hp and that engine could be replaced with the 272 hp euro version. The 335i could get the 326 hp upgrade and, voila, we have a nice ladder...

^ Yep.


M

I guess I need to go buy me a 3 series then.

This is the key. I agree the 3 series is a PREMIUM product. But it's not luxury. I don't take the engine into account when I talk about whether a car is luxury or not.

The 3 series outsells the Mondeo in the UK. The 3 series is not a luxury car by any stretch of the imagination.

An S class, 7 Series, Porsche 911 (not Boxster) are luxury cars, for example.

One man's necessity is another man's luxury...

While I agree, it is also a matter of perspective.

A standard no frills 316i is 84,179.40 USD here in DK, and I could probably stop the first 50 people that would call it a luxury car. Even though they probably have to live with manual windows in the back.

You could of course argue, that it's still no luxury car regardless of the price, and I'd agree with you.

i could be wrong but i've gotten the impression that all na engines are to be superceded by smaller, more efficient turbo-mills; wouldn't that spell extinction for that engine? 272hp sounds nice,but it seems more probable to me that it would be coming from a relatively large 4cyl. given the overall trajectory of the engine program.

With a 4 cylinder engine in the US, the current fights about which engine is better will pale in comparison with the arguments that will come revolving around who has the bigger engine and is therefore better and more qualified to speak.

If I read that correctly then it means that US will be getting TT 4 cyl engines for 3 series and at a later stage the X1 and X3 will be considered. BMW you should know that there is no consideration necessary as you are bhind in the small engine turbo race so just bring it already.