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Filed under: Coupes , Sedans/Saloons , Government/Legal , Green , I.C.E. , BMW Click above for high-res photo gallery of the BMW Concept 1 Series tii Rumors of a new four cylinder engine from BMW have been confirmed by BMW's North American leader Jim O'Donnell. Questions on whether it will be offered in the United States, though, are still very much in the air. "We can't really confirm or deny when it is going to come into the US, or if it is going to come into the US, until after the election and the government makes it clear what is going to be the platform that manufacturers have got to work to," says O'Donnell. It really seems so simple to us. If an automaker has a new engine that offers both good performance and good fuel economy, it should be offered in the U.S. market. Granted, the last effort to sell four-cylinder Bimmers in the States didn't go over so well. But BMW's reputation was earned first by cars like the 2002, which was motivated by a sprightly...
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Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage , Convertibles , BMW 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? Gallery: In The Autoblog Garage - BMW 128i Convertible Photos Copyright (C)2008 Dan Roth / Weblogs, Inc. Continue reading In The Autoblog Garage: BMW 128i Convertible Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Coupes , Marketing/Advertising , BMW 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 ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Coupes , Marketing/Advertising , Videos , BMW 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. Gallery: Rampfest Continue reading VIDEO: Rampenfest the movie, now playing on the screen in front of you Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Coupes , Marketing/Advertising , Videos , BMW Click above to view video BMW has definitely ramped up its marketing for the launch of the new 1-series coupe. We've already seen the fruits of its advertising partners' ingenuity on the cover of Vice magazine , and today we've been tipped off on the attached video. In it, you'll see a group of agency types assemble a two-dimensional 1 out of paper and poster board. When complete, they go out for a Flintstones-powered "test drive" in Manhattan to try it out for size. Just remember, crosswalk and sidewalk operation is safe for pretend 1-series Bimmers only. Watch the full video after the jump . Thanks for the tip, Jon! [Source: BMW via YouTube ] Continue reading VIDEO: BMW 1-series looks pretty good on paper Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Etc. , Marketing/Advertising , BMW 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 eminent 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...
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Filed under: Marketing/Advertising , BMW , Canada Magazines and ads are forever tied at the hip. After all, without the latter, the former can't exist. A magazine's front cover is one of the few spots left that's devoid of commercial encroachment -- until now. BMW Canada and Vice magazine have managed to give the 1-series top billing in the April edition. By day, it's just another issue of Vice , but douse the lights and you see some very clever marketing in action. That's because the mag has a special glow-in-the-dark treatment that turns the cover into a full-page ad for the BMW 1-series. As advertising stunts go, it's brilliant. Here's a front-page ad that's both unobtrusive (on newsstands, you just see the standard cover) and highly effective, since people are likely to talk about it and show it to friends. It couldn't have come cheap, either, as the covers had to be shuttled between two facilities during the manufacturing process to get the glowy...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Coupes , Sports/GTs , Geneva Motor Show , BMW Click the image above for more hi-res shots of the carbon-heavy BMW 1-Series performance parts P. T. Barnum already answered how many people you could fit in an itty bitty car. BMW is now trying to figure out how much carbon you can fit into the same. The BMW 1-Series performance parts will keep carbon weavers in business for some time (we figure they'll be quite popular). The only sizable component not made out of carbon was the silencer, and no one will see that after it's installed. If nothing else, it could be the best and most agreeable way to raise your carbon footprint. It's a shame about that hood, though... Check out the gallery of hi-res photos below. Gallery: BMW 1-series performance parts catalog Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Coupes , Marketing/Advertising , Videos , BMW click image above to view video The BMW 1-Series looks like it's going to be a well-placed shot in the arm for BMW. The sporty coupe will hit the scene in the U.S. just as Americans are becoming more interested in rear-wheel-drive vehicles again. And it's also a small car in a time when buyers are practically abandoning their SUVs on the freeway. BMW faithful are excited too, as the 1-Series seems as if it will channel the much revered 2002 like a long lost loved one. This video shows similarities between the two cars that stretch from the past to the present. It's a kick ass minute of footage filled with everything from 1968 oversteer to 2007 CGI. Check it out after the jump . Thanks for the tip, Jon! [Source: YouTube] Continue reading VIDEO: More 1-Series goodness Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Coupes , Marketing/Advertising , Videos , BMW The BMW 1-Series is on the verge of being sold here in the U.S., which means the multimedia blitz is on its way. With automakers getting more creative to capture buyers attention, spots are getting more high tech, and less reality based. BMW brass have recognized the trend, and the end result is a fanciful version of how the 1-Series is produced at the factory. Hit the jump to see the the :30 spot, which carries the tag line "Makes you want to get behind the wheel." While the commercial may not do that for us, the razor sharp BMW chassis and silky smooth 300-hp twin-turbo inline-six has us panging for a shot behind the wheel. Check out the gas fill up point just before the Bimmer takes off. That would beat the hell out of self-serve in the dead of winter. [Source: YouTube] Continue reading VIDEO: BMW 1-Series spot - creation by precision Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Car Buying , Coupes , BMW 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 -...
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Filed under: Coupes , Euro , BMW Buyers abroad who've opted to equip their BMW 1-series coupe with diesel power now have the option to smack down a few euros on the table for some M-sport kit. The 120d and 123d models can now pack the same visual punch as the 135i, complete with M-specific 17-inch alloys wrapped in 205/50 rubber in the front and 225/45 gumballs in the rear. The package also includes new front and rear fascias, and naturally, there's plenty M-badging to differentiate it from its more sedate siblings. The cost for the additional bits runs 3,300 euros for the 120d and 2,100 euros for the upgraded 123d. [Source: Auto Motor und Sport] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Convertibles , Coupes , 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] Gallery: BMW 1-Series Coupe Gallery: 2008 BMW 1-Series Convertible Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Tokyo Motor Show , Audi , BMW , Volkswagen Over the course of the last few weeks, we've been constantly updating our comprehensive list of debuts slated for the Tokyo Motor Show, but one glaring omission continually jumped out at us: BMW. We know they'll be showing off the M3 Sedan , but it was rumored that something else would grace the Bavarian's show stand. Automotive News finally shed some light on the mystery model, but it doesn't reveal much. BMW will be showing a concept built atop the 1-series platform, but when AN quizzed a BMW spokesperson, all they would say is that the unnamed concept won't be the X1 mini 'ute. Our first suspicion was the 1-series convertible , but that's far too dull for Tokyo. We'll let the relentless speculation begin below. As for the rest of the Germans, we know Audi is bringing the A1 concept to the show, which should be close to the production model set to debut in 2009, while Volkswagen will be releasing its first Up! variant...
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Filed under: Frankfurt Auto Show , Coupes , BMW Click the image above for a host of live high-res pics of the BMW 1-series. Of all the vehicles that made their debut at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, one will likely have more impact on North American...
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