Is America Ready For A Tiny BMW?

    I wrote previously about Mercedes’ assailing into the small car marketplace. For strange for that may seem to many Americans, both Mercedes and BMW hold long produced smaller and less valued models for the European market. Nowadays, it appears that BMW is being doing the identical: introducing to the North American market a truly compact car, smaller than any BMW that has ever graced our highways and back streets. Is this a good stir for the German automaker? Or, will it water solitary a prestigious brand term?

 Part of fraction automaker’s marketing strategy is to convince you, the consumer, what their vehicle line is all about. Dodge would like you to swallow that they award sporty cars and disturbing trucks; Scion touts their youth oriented vehicles; and both BMW and Mercedes, like Cadillac, sell luxury vehicles. Millions of dollars of advertising is spent per year to reinforce place name likeness which is supported by consumer surveys of that particular sentiment.

 Speaking about Cadillac, in the early 1980s GM’s luxury brand briefly marketed a compact car – the Cimarron – that ultimately bombed, in part, because it mislaid far from its extensive luxury car base. Complete, the car was little more than a rebadged and re - tweaked Chevrolet Cavalier, but it contradicted the entire Cadillac kind. Even a slightly preferred and much later comp, the Catera, further failed as the car was perceived for what it really was: a remade Opel.

 So, now the dilemma: will consumers accept the “1 Series” BMW’s planned entry or will it engender confusion and diminish the BMW name? As the backgrounder, the current 1 Series is estimated to be overhauled in 2006. Just now the car is offered since a sport hatchback, but the hatchback isn’t impending to appear as imported due to America’s loathing to that proper constitution loveliness. Thus a sedan old saw is being considered by BMW for production according to published reports.

 I visited BMW’s U. K. site to examine the up to date Series 1 model. With the typical BMW fascia in place the Series 1 resembles a slightly lengthy Volkswagen Golf mated to a compact BMW. The “1” comes equipped with either a 1. 6L or 2. 0L I4 gasoline engine, a facetious 24V 3. 0L V6, or a 2. 0L four conduit diesel that achieves a whopping 50 mpg fuel economy. Prices for the “1” start at just under $25, 000

 Equipment on the “1” is typical BMW with ABS and all the full luxury appointments. Plainly, the stale “1” is not a stripped model as it drift lousy with of the amenities institute on larger BMWs.

 In my outlook BMW must tread suspiciously in bringing a car of this size to the American market. Disregard the hatchback and just go with the vehicle with either a wagon and or a coupe as a possibility. Unlike the basic Mercedes models, the “1” may just be sound to pull it do in for BMW and allow the German automaker to administer a tiny BMW successfully in the U. S. Alternatively, BMW just may necessity to consider launching a separate brand, to retain the BMW mystique in the American market.