It’s always funny to me how BMW is such a different brand in the US than on its home turf. Here is your front wheel drive hatchback Bimmer pumping out all of 90 hp from its Formula 1 derived 1.5 liter inline-3 turbo diesel. (Yes, it tips the scales at 3000 pounds).
Very much in contrast to the trend, this fire breather actually understates its displacement in the model designation 214d. What’s next, a 720? Oh wait, that already exists in Turkey (it’s called 730i but has only 2 liters of displacement).
It’s good to know there is at least one late model BMW that my ’95 Toyota Carina wagon can outrun…..
Shitbox, by BMW.
No, no; “Premium Entry-Level Transportation for the Aspirational Buyer.” 😉
I laughed. 🙂
I like tall hatchbacks in general but I don’t see the appeal of a slow, now-pointlessly diesel one with BMW operating costs.
You’ll also find the 730i/730Li—with its 2.0T engine—in China. The reason being is that plenty of people don’t ever leave the congested city and get on the open highway, where a 2.0T in a large sedan would begin to feel a tad inadequate.
It’s funny you call a 258 hp, 250 kph, zero to 62 mph in 6,2 seconds a tad inadequate …. even on the open highway 😉
What’s its pricing position over there? Much more expensive than something like a 5-door Fiesta?
This may explain why the 3-series over here doesn’t feel its asking price.
The recent news surrounding GM prompted quite a lot of CC commentary regarding that company’s products and its future. I submit that BMW is another entity that may be in more trouble than people realize. Why? Well cars like this, for starters. Hardly an ultimate driving machine by anyone’s standard. And then there’s the problem with BMW’s historic “driving enthusiast” positioning–what happens when people no longer want to drive (a mindset that is increasingly prevalent in the U.S. right now)? BMW seems to be placing their bets and moving away from driving enthusiasts, but I’m not sure toward what. The new cars and SUVs are expensive and posh, but seem rather soulless. The “enthusiast” passion that set BMWs apart from other makes for so long seems to have faded, and with it so has my decades-long enthusiasm for the brand.
From a design standpoint, the looks have gotten very conservative, perhaps an over-reaction to the Chris Bangle extremism–but in my opinion the new BMWs don’t look particularly fresh or exciting. Audi arguably does consistent “upscale German conservative” styling better, and the looks fit with the brand’s dry, technical competency image. Mercedes-Benz seems to be recapturing a bit of their swagger, and their interiors have certainly gotten nicer. Land Rover/Range Rover is optimizing their imagery to stand apart from the SUV crowd, even if few people drive the vehicles as designed (which used to be true of so many BMW owners who bought for the image but had no idea how to actually take advantage of the cars’ capabilities). Porsche, with its push into SUVs and sedans, seems to be taking over for BMW in targeting performance enthusiasts (and wannabes) seeking practical vehicles with “go fast” imagery. Alfa Romeo is also a new fringe entrant that is gaining some traction as the hot new choice for enthusiasts.
So, sad to say, as a hardcore BMW loyalist and owner, my picks for our BMW 5-Series replacement would be Porsche, Alfa, Range Rover, Mercedes and Audi all before BMW. Not sure if others feel this way, but the current transformation of the automotive landscape, where yesterday’s winners become tomorrow’s losers, I think BMW’s situation is worthy of debate.
GN, very well said and this comment might be the kernel of a great article.
As for us, when we finally got to the age and income to buy a BMW, we got a Buick instead. We’re probably not indicative of most consumers, but at the end of the day the value proposition to buy an upscale German marque (which is what we assumed we would do) just wasn’t there.
I’m finally in the position to buy a BMW, but the personal desire to own one has long died. I was a life-long BMW fanboy, but the last 20 years have diluted the appeal of the brand. I question BMW’s strategy of flooding the market with cheap leases. Now I see 5 year old BMW’s replacing Hondas as the darlings of the high school tuner car set. Encountering left land bandits on the freeway, increasingly BMW drivers are the ones clogging the road. The bloom is long off the rose.
Interesting. When I finally got to the stage of being able to afford a BMW, well I got myself the other car in the picture. But perhaps it’s because I live 4 hours from BMW’s headquarters and BMWs are, well, everyday cars here.
As for that horrible MPV, I am at a loss as to why BMW even bothered. They look so… 2002. It’s as if its own designers lost heart and gave up.
I actually liked the interior/exterior design language of the 2008ish Benzes. o me, the interiors of the new Benzes are too ugly and the design language of the exterior resembles that of Kia/Hyundai.
It seems to me that BMW is coasting on its legacy in the way Cadillac and Buick did in the 1970s. BMW earned a great reputation in its early days and has held onto that image even as true enthusiasts get less enthusiastic about its cars.
I expect that this will hold for awhile, at least until the Next New Thing becomes the object of desire in gated communities everywhere. And it might be Tesla.
Your point about “gated communities everywhere” in the U.S. raises an interesting question about Tesla.
According to the website EVAdoption, as of August 2018, the following was the total market share of EVs (all makes and models of plug-in EVs, I rounded up or down for simplicity):
10%: California
4%: Washington, Oregon
3%: Colorado, Arizona, Hawaii, Washington DC
2%: Maryland, Virginia, Utah, Nevada, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey
1% or Less: remaining 36 U.S. states
Talk to Westerners and folks in the Northeast corridor, and the EV phenomenon (and therefore Tesla) is unstoppable. And in those markets (and arguably the big cities in many other states–with Chicago in Illinois being a case in point) Tesla has clearly carved heavily into the customer base of traditional ICE luxury brands, hurting their overall U.S. share and sales performance. Hence the frantic race among upscale brands to add EV offerings in the hopes of stemming Tesla’s momentum. But, at the same time, can Tesla expand their reach into less “EV friendly” markets to become the all-conquering new luxury brand? And what about current Tesla owners–will they replace their Tesla with a new one (in the traditional upmarket “impress the neighbors” manner), or simply keep the one they have and just get less visible software updates? Get the popcorn, this is going to be fun to watch.
I think that a Tesla/EV expansion will continue into most of the midwest, and certainly into the parts of it where people buy/lease $40k + cars. I am seeing a handful in Indianapolis and I suspect that they have a lot of growth ahead of them, particularly as the tech continues to improve. I also think that folks of upper incomes trade cars not because they are close to being worn out, but because they have scratches and dings and grunge in the bottoms of the cubbys and cup holders. If resale is strong the trade-ins for new cars will continue. Very few of those buyers drove their Mercedes for 10 years/150K in the 80s either, even though the cars were very capable of it. I am waiting on the chance to buy a good, serviceable 15-20 year old Model S for $3k for my city beater. 🙂
The other thing to watch is whether the EV phenomenon will take on a political association/backlash. I see these cars expanding in “blue” areas more than “red” ones, mainly because smaller, rural areas will find the cars less appealing than those in larger, more metropolitan areas. This effect is already somewhat visible among expensive Euro brands and dealer availability will likely affect customer location in the same way. I agree on the popcorn. Got some salt? 🙂
The plural of anecdote is not data, but I can clearly see Tesla making inroads here in Chicago.
At least in Seattle, I’ve noticed the resale values of EV cars seems extremely depressed. The make me wonder how large the potential market really is at this point. I would think Seattle’s market would embrace early adoption but the current fact are supporting the notion.
This is basically a Mini with a new skin, right? BMW only used the “Ultimate Driving Machine” moniker over here, over there there are plenty of Audi and Mercedes models equally “shitboxish” and also FWD with no “sporting” pretensions whatsoever.
What is astounding to me (and has been over the last half decade or so) is the sheer variety and number of different models and body styles that BMW, a relatively small company comparatively, is able to pump out.
If they end up jettisoning all the stuff that didn’t really stick to the wall and go back to their core competencies (3/5/7 sedan/wagon, X3/X5/X7 SUV and I guess that new Z4/Supra thing, all worldwide), they’ll likely do fine, it’ll just take focus and more exploration into the electric world beyond i3/i8. But maybe they are already doing just fine with the people that want to be associated with a $299 320i lease, after all, it’ll get them to their job as well as anything else for the length of the lease and after that it’s off to CarMax for $19,900. I mean it’s not like a 320i can cost a lot more to assemble than a Camry and if BMW can get $12500 or so in lease revenues out of it and another $15000 or so at auction after it’s done for a car that’s been on sale for what, 7 years now, they’ve done very well.
“What is astounding to me (and has been over the last half decade or so) is the sheer variety and number of different models and body styles that BMW, a relatively small company comparatively, is able to pump out.”
I agree. That they can simultaneously sell a b-segment commuter hatch like this alongside executive sedans, M performance models, grand touring coupes, and SUVs all cresting $100K US is remarkable to me.
Although here, Ford and Chevrolet aren’t too far behind in the breadth of prices and models bearing the same badge.
I don’t think they have that many models …
X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 X6 … they don’t even have an X7 or X8
1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8-series … where’s the 9- and 10-series ?
In the M-range you only have a 1M, M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M8 and a few X M models ….
🙂
🙂
There is now an X7. It’ll arrive in the US next year.
If they keep “pumping out” more cars, they will become “too ordinary” and lose their cache’, IMHO.
See many BMW CUV’s in ‘burbs and to me they are “the new minivan”.
The i3 doesn’t exactly fit the “ultimate driving machine” model either, though in my brief drive it was quite nice, and it seems to be doing quite well. At least here in Tesla-land, I see them frequently.
Well, they do have some good ideas with the EVs, at least to my eyes. The i3 and i8 are both interesting visually, but I don’t know that either really is competitive in that market.
Cars, in general, are really becoming commodities rather than the product of one company’s designs. Shared components, built by third party suppliers, underpin most and regulations are dictating the shapes of most, along with aerodynamic considerations. What is the last really distinctive design you have seen? Has anything that has hit the mass market recently been anything but derivative? You can only build something different when you charge a premium for it, and even then most OEMs lose money on those kinds of cars. Rolls Royce, for good or bad, produces a bespoke product, fairly still handbuilt, and charges out the nose for it, with a waiting list for their product. So does Ferrari, Aston, and a few others. They can afford to play the game, but few others can. When you have to compete on price, you make the most basic and share as much costs as you can with others.
I give BMW credit, along with Mercedes, for keeping the NA market thinking that they are only a premium product. As noted by others, Cadillac did this for years, but once the people saw that the Emperor was naked, the cache of the brand evaporated along with demand.
BMW follows the path of Mercedes and cheapens its brand, but people will still pay a premium for it when a Ford, Fiat or VW might make more sense.
I think BMW is the “Ultimate Driving Machine” only in North America, just like Mercedes. Everywhere else, both have far more pedestrian offerings.
Besides new Civics, Millennial men with beards love CPO Beemers.* Then can say to whom they are trying to impress, “I drive a BMW”, but omit the “pre-owned” part.
*They could be newly leased, too. I’m mainly being satirical.
This little hatch would be a hit as a “0 series”, with ads saying “now you can get a Bimmer for same price as a Kia!” [more satire]
I’m a Millenial guy, don’t have a beard, and I daily drive a 2013 200 Limited, which I actually really like and intentionally bought as a nice little daily driver, and that it is. I also have an ’06 Ram 2500 HD Laramie and two classics, a ’93 Concorde and a ’91 LeBaron convertible.
I personally wouldn’t want a Civic or a BMW. I’ve noticed that my cohorts are really big on Subarus, Toyota Tacoma, VWs/Audis and Focus STs–cars I wouldn’t care to own, either. After my 200, a 300C or Grand Cherokee/Durango is in my future, maybe a Charger since I kind of like the way they look ever since they were redesigned in 2015. I’m not opposed to a Cherokee either.
That is one expensive Kia. The 214d starts at 32K US $ at the current exchange rate. And we’re talking stripper here.
I’ve driven a few of these things and despite my usual dislike for claiming “that’s not a proper X” I’ve got to admit this really did not feel like a BMW. It’s not really the FWD as such. Through MINI, BMW has proven they can certainly build a FWD car that’s engaging to drive. The problem is that this box is not engaging to drive at all, the minimum one should expect from the Bavarians. Instead, it feels like any regular minivan with a somewhat plusher interior, and the first time it’s really only the badge that’s being sold. Ironically, much more capable (and affordable) minivans such as the Opel Zafira are being discontinued while this mediocre thing thrives – for now, until customers wake up and realise this BMW has no clothes, or even a Hofmeister kink.
A note on the 3-cyl diesel: it’s a very capable engine and, unless you really listen closely, you won’t notice the missing cylinder. Also not something European customers are bothered about, small engines are now the norm. The regular 1-series it powered still was a joy to drive.
No your Toyota carina/ Corona will not out run it, I have a 90hp diesel here different make but similar weight and I also owned a 2.0 93 Toyota Corona so trust me The Toyota hasnt got the performance to catch it, look up the torque figures and where in the rev range it maxes and you’ll understand why.
BMW learned how to do FWD using a borrowed drivetrain/platform with the early MINI though now its all built in house so this little car should drive ok. Its just another puddle jumper from a European brand, they all make em.
Though I didn’t post this vehicle to boost about the ‘performance’ of my economy minded 25 year old beater wagon, in the defense of my venerable Toyota Carina I should add that it takes the 214d all of 12.9 seconds to reach – 62 mph, 1.4 seconds longer than myToyota. In the defense of the BMW, it ties my classic car at 115 mph for top speed.
I just double checked and noticed I posted incorrect figures for hp for the 214d – it has 95 German ps – so approx. 93 and a half hp, 5 more than I said in the original post.
The low end torque of the turbocharged BMW engine (162 lb ft at 1750) certainly makes the most of what little power is there. But with a claimed curb weight of 3140 pounds, you can only do so much.
That being said, I am an advocate of cars with low hp numbers. When you look at the performance figures of most modern cars versus speed limits let alone traffic, it is ridiculous just how much power goes to waste. To cruise at 70 mph, you need around 30 to 40 hp……
In Germany and on the Isle of man, it would be another case, but traffic mostly permits you from driving fast on German roads – or just common sense.
In any case it is interesting that the article sparked a discussion about brand images and capitalizing on past glory – all of it is true in my opinion.
There is, however, another question the existence of the 214d raises: How much power do you actually really practically need in your daily driving? I think the answer is pretty obvious – but then buying or driving a car is hardly ever a logical and rational thing.
Whats your problem here? This is a very sensible car, from a certain standpoint. It’s the
“Grandpa-does-not-buy-crap-from-GM-or-the-ilk-to-move-the-grandchildren-around-BMW.”
Assistant systems galore, even a mobility-warranty (owner gets a replacement whenever he wants). That’s all. And therefore it’s ok. Grandpa doesn’t want to impress anybody. He just doesn’t buy GMcrap.
Also I like it that BMW is committed to their clientele unlike so many others. Grandpa wants another BMW? Alright, no problem, here you are.