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Originally Posted by elitex
Seriously? It's just one of the many engine options. Don't like it? Then choose a bigger engine. Simple.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clbmw
Yeah as long as 3 banger doesn't replace the 4 banger at the current price point...
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Sorry for the late reply, I've been busy. It's not so much like "oh, with an I3, I4 and I6, let's make fun of the I3 and dismiss the other engines" kinda deal, it's more of the direction that Bimmer is going.
IMO, out of the German luxury big 3, BMW has always been a brand that's more reliable and well-rounded balance of sportiness and luxury... Benz: Plush? Yes. Sporty? Not really. Audi: Not as reliable and their reminder beeps will drive you nuts. For some reason, non-exotic cars of other origins don't have the same appeal as a Deutschwagen.
Either way, when I think of luxury cars, I think something with a decent engine; a 4-banger was already pushing it, but it has decent HP, turbo and the acoustics are respectable, so I can let the ?35i's of the world go... But when I think I3, I think Geo Metro, smart fortwo or despite technological advancements and could churn out something like 200HP, it evokes a feeling like it can't make more than 90HP and would probably sound like a rice rocket at WOT, and getting an exhaust would probably be shooting yourself in the foot in terms of acoustics rather than in my case, starting my 330xi and having the uninitiated ask brand of exhaust I've put on it while it's actually bone stock (true story)... Also not to mention for the Average Joe who doesn't know cars that much, there are still people that gauge your power by the amount of cylinders you have, and like ltbmw said, hope the 3-banger isn't priced the same as the entry level (?20i), then the ?20i would get bumped up in price, and the ?35i would be like a $70K option.
I mean... It's almost like BMW is reverting to a non-luxury brand and 20 years from now, what's next? Back to cloth seats, hubcaps/steelies and no remote? Having to distinguish the luxury cars by model, akin to how we do with say... VW and the Phaeton or upcoming Kia K9000 vs. rest of lineup? Fading into the background like VW themselves and having to create/take over a luxury company just to resurrect a sense of prestige?