BMW announces new 123d with 45mpg but not for US
BMW just officially announced the US introduction of their small 1-Series but as usual it doesn't look like we will be getting the most efficient models. It looks like the US market will only be getting the 3.0L inline 6 with and without turbocharging, just like the larger 3-series.
Over on the other side of the pond, buyers have the option of a variable twin-turbo four cylinder diesel that puts out 204hp which should be plenty of juice for the small car. Even with that output, the 123d is rated at 45mpg on the EU combined cycle and a respectable if not stellar 138g/km of CO2 emissions. That makes the 123d the first high-volume model with over 200hp and less than 140g/km of CO2. Hopefully if the X5 and 5-series diesels prove popular next year and the new fuel economy regulations go into effect we will see the 1-series diesel before long.
[Source: World Car Fans]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Herb 2:21PM (7/01/2007)
I am waiting for a diesel option with or without BMW
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Thomas Ashworth 1:41PM (7/01/2007)
I lived in Europe for over 16 years until 1990 but go back each year to visit. They have always had more fuel efficient cars with plenty of speed without high horsepower. The past two years I have seen many U.S. models such as Chrysler, Chevrolet and Cadillac driving around with turbo-diesel engines. Why can't we get the same car here? Also, many European diesel cars aren't brought in. Why not? They have modern subways and street cars and high speed rail. Why not here?
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mikeinBuilding7 2:26PM (7/01/2007)
That's a beautiful photo.
As another reader wrote, allow the savings account to grow, until BMW offers the 118d here.
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mikeinBuilding7 2:55PM (7/01/2007)
Too Bad.
This car could be an Iconic car, like the VW Beetle.
The 118d-4door could have been Big.
However, maybe most BMW dealerships aren't capable of handling the volume, maybe they are Afraid of getting Rich.
They are from a Socialist country.
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ronpaul08 3:17PM (7/01/2007)
"However, maybe most BMW dealerships aren't capable of handling the volume, maybe they are Afraid of getting Rich.
They are from a Socialist country."
and thus the reason they get these great gas mileage cars. capitalism is all about greed, how can i payout the least but bring in the most. to many people will lose a lot of money by going to higher MPG cars here, why do you think they're dragging their feet so much, what like ethanol is the future ha ha. offer a car company a few billion and I'm sure 100+mpg cars will pop out of nowhere.
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L1G 6:13PM (7/01/2007)
Yeah great BMW ! I really appreciate the BMW involvement in the green way, but not to the detriment of my comfort!
I have tried the BMW 1 Series with the Star/Stop function, and I find it really not comfortable! It is very noisy at each re-cranking (as loud as the first start), moreover the function is few available and to finish very slow to restart (almost 1 second). So that I can do it alone with my switch key!!! I definitively prefer the Citroën C3 in spite of its bad semi-automatic transmission, but definitively not available in the US :-(
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Val 8:18AM (7/02/2007)
Currently the chancellor of germany is from CDU, which is the opposite of a socialist party. And even when the socialists were ruling, germany still produced cars like the CLS 55AMG, A8, M5 and a few others with big engines. However, unlike in america, the cost of ownership of a V8 engined car is really high, because in europe cars are taxed for engine displacement, and with fuel twice as expensive, the only logical choice is to build and buy small economy cars, unless you are really loaded with money and can afford the high initial costs, insurance and taxes, not to mention maintenance. Your irony is a bit wasted here, because last time i checked, 10 years ago it was MN that bought Chrysler, not the other way round, no matter how many times they say it was a merger of equals. And BMW and VW, not to mention porsche, have huge profits. How would they make more money if they have to price the 1-series at a few dollars above its manufacturing costs? It seems that americans are more than willing to pay $15,000 above the price for a loaded F-150 (if autoblog can be trusted), but nobody will pay a premium for a small car. So by not offering cars that would compete against mazda3 and civic, BMW is actually saving money. Same i thik goes for many other companies. And thats not surprising, considering that many people on this site think that because a prius has the same internal volume as the A4 or 3-series, then the germans should price their cars in the low $20k...
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Guenther 9:31AM (7/02/2007)
Germans can't sell cars cheap here (except for Mexican built VW's) because of the unfavorable exchange rates and similar high labor costs. Size also doesn't matter that much. I would buy a 123d in a second, as long as it was a scoche under 30 grand.
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big L 3:56PM (7/02/2007)
9val- Parphrasing-most autoblog readers feel that the Prius is the same volume and that MBz and bmvay should sell their small cars in the low $20Ks...
/wel...Yeah, What's wron with that...that'd be great...I thinkthe 1 series will have ADP on it and be over 30K...too bad...I can get the F-150XLT for 23K about...
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CaptainOFace 3:13PM (7/02/2007)
@ ronpaul08
Europe has better MPG b/c they have less restrictions on Diesel emmisions. It is a trade-off clean air or save money at the pump. Smog Vs Carbon - pick your poison.
Also- I love Ron Paul but why are YOU supporting him? It sounds like you hate capitalisim and are suggesting the goverment pay a car company to produce high MPG cars. You must not know anything about Ron Paul, he is a Libertarian so your thoughts are contrary to almost everything he stands for.
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ed sullivan 10:36PM (8/16/2007)
I was excited about the 123d when I was reading about and was all set to buy one this spring. I was disappointed to learn that it will not be available in the us. I guess I will just continue t
o drive my 92 crown until I can find a diesel.
ed
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