Is it the time right for BMW to launch the 1 Series?

Success breeds even more success, especially if you’re BMW. It managed to put more cars on the road than arch rival Mercedes-Benz, and seems to be moving from strength to strength. One wonders though, if its success has been the result to clever deals, such as the massive discounting for the IMF/World Bank limousines, or the rapidly falling price of the latest 3 Series since its launch in early 2005? If BMWs are such wonderfully rewarding cars to drive, why is there the need to have so many promos to get them on the road? Perhaps the time is ripe for BMWs to return to first principles and be sold on the fact that they are excellent driver’s cars. Now that the dealer doesn’t have Mini in its line-up (Minis are now marketed and sold by the Eurokars Group), it is time that BMW launch the 1 Series, in particular the basic 116i. It should be marketed like the E36 316i, a special limited-edition under $100,000 BMW to compete against the Mercedes-Benz A-class, Alfa Romeo 147, Volkswagen Golf 1.6 and Audi A3. It should be stripped of all extraneous gadgets like i-Drive, sat-nav or variable ratio powered steering, but be true to the fine handling that its 50:50 weight balance and rear-wheel drive affords. It will be a ‘classic’ BMW that will appeal to drivers, not the posers that have been sucked in by deals and clever marketing schemes.