118i in Canada?

[imported_Kafka]

I just saw a 118i parked in Town & Country BMW close to Hw7 and Kennedy.

It was black with Coral Red interior I think...

So we DO have 118i in Canada? Or that one is just a one-off test / press car??

Thanks...

[cks0213]

I know in Edmonton there is a hatchback version of the 1 series.
My Sales man told me that the guy came in for a oil change before with the hatchback. The guy who owns it imported it from mexico.
I don't know how he imported it, but i guess it isn't impossible.

[j8smith]

Originally Posted by cks0213

I know in Edmonton there is a hatchback version of the 1 series.
My Sales man told me that the guy came in for a oil change before with the hatchback. The guy who owns it imported it from mexico.
I don't know how he imported it, but i guess it isn't impossible.

Ha! I knew I wasn't seeing things. I saw this car going north on 109 a few weeks ago. It definitly didn't have AB plates on it, so maybe the owner is from mexico, here for work.

[koala]

Yeah I saw that 1 series hatch a while back at Kingsway mall... must feel like a tool now that the 128/135 are out, more than likely at less money than it cost to import that thing.

[raisemyrent]

if he still has mexico plates, then he didn't import it; he must be here temporarily and will drive it back when he leaves. in that case, he paid whatever he paid in mexico and nothing else.

p.s. they don't sell the coupé in mexico.

[spudw]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if they offer a smaller-engined model in Canada in MY2009. We have the 323i, which was introduced in 2007 to join the 328i and the 335i. I could see 128i and 135i being joined by a 118i coming in at ~$29,900 in Canada with 16" wheels, no climate control and a few other minor goodies deleted from the standard features list. It would be a true entry level, but still all BMW...

[VanCooper]

I have spotted this exact same car on the UBC campus In Vancouver during the winter semester last year. It's White on black and it has BC plates on it. There were a few stickers in and around the windshield with one of them clearly saying it was origininally a Mexico car.

Certainly made me look twice!

[the1andony]

i was there yesterday my dealer told me its just mistake....its actually a 128i

[digital12]

118 will not be coming to Canada.... I asked the SA today

[raisemyrent]

there's no 118i in mexico either...

[bdardashti]

Originally Posted by digital12

118 will not be coming to Canada.... I asked the SA today

My SA told me the same thing when I went for the 128i test drive, but you never know...they didn't necessarily know about the 323i in 2006 when the 325i, 330i was introduced..

On another note, although I personally believed that we would get the 123i in Canada (like 323i), I don't know about that anymore. The 3er COUPE doesn't have a '23 model...And, with BMW's marketing of the 1er, it might be little difficult to get a 123i model and continue the same marketing scheme. If they bring a 123i (or 118i), it will be truly an entry-level car, something that BMW is saying the 1er is not.

I really don't know its too hard to tell at this point.

[bimmernotbeamer]

Agreed. ^^^^

If the next generation 1 series comes in a sedan body style, then I can see BMW releasing a 123 sedan. I can't see a 123i coupe coming. The current 128 fits in where the old e46 320 and e36 318 left off.

[Qube]

I drove that car. Supposed to be rebadged to 128i. I didn't pursue it further.

[mtla4]

Originally Posted by DavidN

Agreed. ^^^^

If the next generation 1 series comes in a sedan body style, then I can see BMW releasing a 123 sedan. I can't see a 123i coupe coming. The current 128 fits in where the old e46 320 and e36 318 left off.

The 323I fills that slot the 128 IMO is above. The 323I are loaners and rental cars at the dealer.

[koala]

BMW will need to do something about the pricing on the 323i -- or discontinue it (more likely IMO).

[bimmernotbeamer]

Originally Posted by mtla4

The 323I fills that slot the 128 IMO is above. The 323I are loaners and rental cars at the dealer.

I was thinking more from a pricing point of view. The e36 318 and e46 320 were about 32-33K, like the 128. The 323 is 35k (correct me if I'm wrong). But I agree about the 323 being the dealer loaner car.

[Simoncanada]

I spotted the same 118i coupe (Black/Red Coral) on Steeles Avenue yesterday. I have a feeling there will be a 4 cylinder 118i coming to Canada only (i.e no US model) similar to the 323i-328i case. I think the pricing will be like $29,900, a true GTI/base A3 fighter? maybe, just a thought....

[spudw]

Doesn't anybody have a camera phone around here?

[Simoncanada]

I was too busy following the 118i, the the look is basically the same as a 128i with dual exhaust pipes.... rims are exactly the same as the 128i... I of course don't want to see the 118i coming because it will automatically make the 1 series the official loaner car on BMW dealerships....

[Road Runner]

Spotted a silver, 4 door, 1 series hatch this morning here in Calgary. Couldn't get a good look at where the plates were from, but they weren't from around here...

[SM]

I have seen a 1 series hatch 4 door with Mexican plates around the University of Windsor. Definitely a students cars, probably brought it up from Mexico for 8 months of the year.

As for asking Sales Associates about what is coming next, don't bother. BMW has some of the least knowledgeable sales people at any dealership, if your asking them anything other than what is for sale RIGHT NOW and what is written about it in the brochure, they won't know, but of course they will never admit it.

Things like ZHP package on the E46s, build dates, and other little things that enthusiasts talk about is completely beyond them.

Everyone one of them I've interacted with knows how to sell cars, they don't actually know anything about cars.