1M, Why?

[Diver]

It seems odd to me that BMW produced the 1M given that it will have only one year of production, not that many cars will be produced and the price premium over a loaded 1 sereis coupe is not that much. Even though development costs were kept down by using an off the shelf engine, I would venture to guess that BMW is not making a profit on the 1M.

Sometimes manufacturers will produce a limited production vehicle at break even or a loss as a halo car to raise the image of the entire line. However, the 1M is at the lower end of BMW's price range and most halo cars are at the high end.

Rumors indicating the 1 series coupe will skip the 2013 model year and be replaced by a more upscale 2 series would also seem to reduce the opportunity for the 1M to have a halo effect.

Anyway, a fairly small group of lucky people will get to own the 1M and they will love it.

[dmw16]

I think the 1M is actually a perfect halo car. The 1M brings very positive attention to the 1-series cars and if BMW is looking to grow that part of their line in North America than having a serious performance version makes good sense.

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by dmw16

I think the 1M is actually a perfect halo car. The 1M brings very positive attention to the 1-series cars and if BMW is looking to grow that part of their line in North America than having a serious performance version makes good sense.

[Mark]

Originally Posted by dmw16

I think the 1M is actually a perfect halo car. The 1M brings very positive attention to the 1-series cars and if BMW is looking to grow that part of their line in North America than having a serious performance version makes good sense.

Makes perfect sense

[Stratus650]

IMO it's not the first time BMW takes this approach. It's somehow similar to the E46 M3 CSL...

"..The BMW M3 CSL (Coupé Sport Leichtbau) was a limited edition version of the M3, with only 1,400 cars being produced for its 2004 model year run. The CSL was never released into the North American market, and was only available in two colours - Silver Grey Metallic and Black Sapphire Metallic... "

you can imagine the development costs of such a unique car, however the low numbers sold may never cover these costs...

at the end, this is raising the company's image

[My135]

Where did you get the information that BMW only build 1M for 1 year? I thought 1M will last the whole current 1 series development cylce unless there is a new 1 series in 2013.

[PyratOne]

Originally Posted by My135

Where did you get the information that BMW only build 1M for 1 year? I thought 1M will last the whole current 1 series development cylce unless there is a new 1 series in 2013.

maybe less than a year.

Its all over the threads

[DiavelM3]

Originally Posted by PyratOne

maybe less than a year.

Its all over the threads

Actually, there is new information that the 1M might continue through 2012....
Due to demand...

As quoted in another thread: "Btw... when I was at the Welt the other day... one of the BMW reps said that the demand for the //1M is quite high. But he also said that only 2,500 cars will be built in the first year. Not sure how many for the second year. Just FIY guys."

[dmw16]

Originally Posted by maxnix

But.....the new 1er is incorporating FWD, 3 cylinder engines, and probably some other downgrades.

So how exactly is the 1M a halo car for future 1er? It is a mere abnormal diversion, at best. It make no sense to me for future 1e.

I think you are missing the point of a halo car a little bit.

Take the Nissan GT-R for example, it's very much a halo car for Nissan. It's nothing like an Altima or Maxima but still raises brand awareness and brings positive attention to Nissan.

The 1M is even more focused as it raises awareness and draws attention to smaller BMW cars.

As for the next generation of 1's being downgrades, I don't think that really the case. Rather it will be an expanded line. 3-cylinder engines and the like are the new reality of rising fuel costs. But I trust that BMW will wring lots of performance out of the smaller mills.

[///1M]

Originally Posted by dmw16

I think you are missing the point of a halo car a little bit.

Take the Nissan GT-R for example, it's very much a halo car for Nissan. It's nothing like an Altima or Maxima but still raises brand awareness and brings positive attention to Nissan.

The 1M is even more focused as it raises awareness and draws attention to smaller BMW cars.

As for the next generation of 1's being downgrades, I don't think that really the case. Rather it will be an expanded line. 3-cylinder engines and the like are the new reality of rising fuel costs. But I trust that BMW will wring lots of performance out of the smaller mills.

Exactly.

[Twinsturbo]

BMW is starting to build the new 1-series in late 2012. When BMW introduced 1M in australia recently the announced 2700cars or 2800.

[BrokenVert]

They made the 1M because back in 2008 when the 1er first came out we all complained to BMW that they effectively neutered the car with it's lack of a decent suspension and LSD.

It was a highly tumultuous time and evidently BMW actually decided to listen to it's customers for once.

[Diver]

Originally Posted by dmw16

The 1M is even more focused as it raises awareness and draws attention to smaller BMW cars.

That is probably the best explanation so far.

[BrokenVert]

And let's not even talk about what went one when the dumped first broke about how the 135 was originally concieved as the M model in the lineup and then the descision to make it a standard model was made near the end of the development cycle.

[superchargedman]

How many people will be uber pissed off if they do blue for the 2012 year? They better stick to the current colour scheme or heads are gonna roll.

Originally Posted by ferrari4evr1

Actually, there is new information that the 1M might continue through 2012....
Due to demand...

As quoted in another thread: "Btw... when I was at the Welt the other day... one of the BMW reps said that the demand for the //1M is quite high. But he also said that only 2,500 cars will be built in the first year. Not sure how many for the second year. Just FIY guys."

[DiavelM3]

Originally Posted by superchargedman

How many people will be uber pissed off if they do blue for the 2012 year? They better stick to the current colour scheme or heads are gonna roll.

LOL!!! Can you imagine???? That is exactly what i was thinking. That's why i want to hold out and see what happens. Imagine if they came out with an Interlagos Blue 1M with blue stitching (instead of orange). I would be all over that like white on rice. But BMW may want to duck for cover if they did that cuz, the the Lynch Mob will come after them

[Grey Dove]

[QUOTE=ferrari4evr1;9213439]LOL!!! Can you imagine???? That is exactly what i was thinking. That's why i want to hold out and see what happens. Imagine if they came out with an Interlagos Blue 1M with blue stitching (instead of orange). I would be all over that like white on rice. But BMW may want to duck for cover if they did that cuz, the the Lynch Mob will come after them
[/QUOTE

Where do I sign up? anyways to be on the safe side I will rename the color I chose BLUE SAPHIRE METALLIC

[Merlosso]

I get the feeling this was a test to gauge interest and demand for such a car. It uses an existing engine and chassis with a quick development time, and it's being launched just two years before the redesign of the 1 series coupe. If it does well then they can justify the cost of developing an F22 M car from scratch.

Whatever the reason for building it, I'm glad they did and I want one in 2012.

[Dan Parker]

As an owner of an 06 Z4 M Coupe I see the 1M in the same category as the Z4 MC. Very similar price, horsepower, weight, using a current chassis, and very limited production numbers. I think BMW is a company that makes a niche car every few years. A few examples, the e36 M3 Lightweight, only 120 produced! The Z3 MC was born from an M engineer playing around with an idea and BMW gave the go ahead to make it so. Whether they make money on that particular model is probably irrelevant to them because they need to appeal to younger motorsports enthusiasts to keep the brand exciting and exclusive. Not many big auto manufacturers do what BMW does in this regard and that's a really good thing.

[sparoz]

1M like the previous M3 has been the halo car of BMW. Despite it may be still out of the price range of younger enthusiast, it is something that is closer to what they can aspire to. Something like a R8 won't bring as much to Audi as what the M3 used to do.

As a young teenager, I loved the E36, then the E46 M3 in my early 20s. If it wasn't for the M3s, I probably wouldn't have bought my first BMW, and probably wouldn't be looking forward to the delivery of 1M, my fifth, and X5 next year, my sixth.

As the M3 moved more up market and they introduced the 1 series (in which really was the same size as the old 3ers), they really needed something to close that gap again to those buyers.

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by My135

Where did you get the information that BMW only build 1M for 1 year? I thought 1M will last the whole current 1 series development cylce unless there is a new 1 series in 2013.

Current 1 series coupe/vert production ends at the end of the first quarter of 2012..... which is 1 year

[Raine]

The 1M will probably be the last small car + comparatively light weight car BMW will ever produce for awhile.

With the new 1-series (2-series?) becoming longer and the new 3-series undoubtedly becoming heavier because of nanny regulations, the days of small, light weight RWD cars w/ 300-400+ HP/TQ + 6 MT w/o killing the handling looks bleak.