[aajami]

Sorry to necro this thread, Red Bread, but fellow forum member mkoesel just pointed me to this post by Scott26:

http://www.f30post.com/forums/showpo...5&postcount=48

Apparently BMW had considered making a 2-series GC (baby sedan) to compete against the forthcoming A3 sedan and MB CLC, but those plans were nixed for fear of cannibalizing F30 sales.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by aajami

Sorry to necro this thread, Red Bread, but fellow forum member mkoesel just pointed me to this post by Scott26:

http://www.f30post.com/forums/showpo...5&postcount=48

Apparently BMW had considered making a 2-series GC (baby sedan) to compete against the forthcoming A3 sedan and MB CLC, but those plans were nixed for fear of cannibalizing F30 sales.

Haha, thanks. Could have been interesting, I have to think that BMW is up to something to fill this gap, at least for the EU. I realize the F20/F21 cover this market fairly well, I guess I'm just finally starting to feel the pain of Americans loving silly SUV's.

[aajami]

Hey, look at me! I'm necroing this thread yet again, but this time with good news:

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/ne...-series-saloon

BMW is reconsidering its plans for an F26 aka a 2-series Gran Coupe aka a "smallish RWD sedan."

Scott26 implied something similar a few weeks ago as well. Unfortunately, we're probably going to have to wait at least 24 months before we see this thing come to market, but it's a good sign regardless.

My dilemma now is whether or not to pull the trigger on an X1 sDrive28i this fall, or hold onto our E46 325i until the F26 materializes.

[Garduna]

Originally Posted by aajami

What was the reasoning behind not bringing the F20 1-series to North America, anyway? Fear of cannibalization with F30 sales?

The idea is in norther america, due to the amount of space we have, nobody in the right mind would purchase smaller more compact cars for a similar price to that of a full sized sedan. That's the overall consensis anyways.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by Garduna

The idea is in norther america, due to the amount of space we have, nobody in the right mind would purchase smaller more compact cars for a similar price to that of a full sized sedan. That's the overall consensis anyways.

Yet I can build a JCW for $42k, or a Goodwood Mini for $55k.

Realistically though, I'll probably buy an F31 in the next year or eighteen months, and if a smaller F20 five door were available, I wouldn't even consider the F31, not because of price, but because of how big it is. So I suppose by limiting our choices, BMW makes more money.

[lcrain]

I would wait for the A3 personally. Should be around the same size as your B5 A4 was. S3 will probably have a similar engine to the golf R, the RS3 sedan will likely use the turbo 5 cylinder found in the TTRS, hopefully I can afford a second car like that when it comes out because it will be awesome.

The concept looked great, Audi has been killing it with interiors. Yes it is not rwd, but awd is audi's staple. I don't see any better rwd options, maybe the caddy ats when it comes out...or ats-v.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by lcrain

I would wait for the A3 personally. Should be around the same size as your B5 A4 was. S3 will probably have a similar engine to the golf R, the RS3 sedan will likely use the turbo 5 cylinder found in the TTRS, hopefully I can afford a second car like that when it comes out because it will be awesome.

The concept looked great, Audi has been killing it with interiors. Yes it is not rwd, but awd is audi's staple. I don't see any better rwd options, maybe the caddy ats when it comes out...or ats-v.

Agreed, just wish the new A3 was going to have a longitudinal engine layout that would allow for quattro awd, not the Haldex layout of the current A3/Golf R. Still, it is the most promising thing on the near horizon.

[aajami]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Agreed, just wish the new A3 was going to have a longitudinal engine layout that would allow for quattro awd, not the Haldex layout of the current A3/Golf R. Still, it is the most promising thing on the near horizon.

Did you not see the article I linked above? Or is that window too far out on the horizon for you? (It's too far for me)

[lcrain]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Agreed, just wish the new A3 was going to have a longitudinal engine layout that would allow for quattro awd, not the Haldex layout of the current A3/Golf R. Still, it is the most promising thing on the near horizon.

The TTRS has haldex, and that thing is supercar fast with a tune. You can mess with the the bias enough to get it to be 50/50 all the time, maybe even has a rear bias.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by aajami

Did you not see the article I linked above? Or is that window too far out on the horizon for you? (It's too far for me)

Yeah, I saw a similar article recently. It could work, probably for my car. Both myself and my wife need a car in the next few years, so an F31 and some form of 1er sedan might work. I'm just a little disenchanted with the recent BMW's as they get less and less driver centric.

To be honest, I'm holding out the most hope for a BRZ/FR-S sedan or the next Lexus IS being based on that chassis. I'm also curious what will happen with the WRX/STI if they really don't tie it to the Impreza chassis.