prodigy1387

the front is okay, except i don't like how the lines from the hood go all the way down to the bumper and around the front license plate.

the rear is hideous, as is the new standard with BMW cars - the 5, 6, 7, and z4 all have disgusting rear ends. if I-drive is standard, then that's *******g retarded because i believe it's a horrible system. so in general: i'd never buy it. i prefer the current e46 3 series to it. maybe the coupe will look better though?

let's hope MB stays on track with making their new model cars hot, and doesn't screw up the design of the new c-class.

Incendiary

The front lines make it look like an Audi-wannabe. The rear is okay to me, except the taillights are so curvy and shapeless in comparison to the sharp angles and lines of the rest of the car. Makes it look really out of place. iDrive is optional, as it is on the 1-series.

I wish they'd bring the 1er to the US. I'd definitely buy a 125i or a 120d.

prodigy1387

but at the same time:

http://prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/storie...2004,+01:40+PM

BMW Group Reports Monthly and Year-to-Date Sales; BMW Group Sales Increase 3.4 Percent in First Seven Months




WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Aug. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The BMW Group (BMW and MINI
brands combined) reported July sales of 24,086 vehicles compared to 25,189
vehicles in the same month in 2003, down 4.4 percent. The BMW Group also
reported year-to-date sales of 167,732 vehicles, an increase of 3.4 percent
from 162,287 sold in the first seven months of 2003.

BMW Brand Reports Sales
BMW of North America, LLC reported its sales of 21,479 automobiles and
Sports Activity Vehicles, down 3 percent compared to the 22,105 vehicles
reported last July.
Sales of BMW brand vehicles were up 4 percent in the first seven months,
with sales of 147,313 vehicles compared to 141,673 vehicles sold in the first
seven months of 2003.

BMW Automobile Sales
BMW's automobile sales dipped 25 percent in July, to 13,974 versus 18,559
in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, sales were down 7.7 percent, to
111,580 automobiles compared to 120,912 in the same period in 2003.

BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Sales
Sales of BMW's Sports Activity Vehicles continued to be exceptionally
strong in July. Total June SAV sales jumped to 7,505, compared to 3,546
vehicles sold in July 2003, a jump of 112 percent. Year-to-date, sales of
BMW's SAV models were up 72 percent, to 35,733 vehicles compared to 20,761 for
the same period in 2003.

Certified Pre-owned
BMW also reported sales of 6,550 Certified Pre-owned vehicles compared to
5,834 vehicles sold in July 2003, a 12 percent increase. For the first seven
months of 2004, BMW CPO sales were up 7.6 percent to 42,405 vehicles over
39,396 in the same period a year ago.

MINI Brand

MINI Automobiles
MINI USA reported continued demand for MINI automobiles, resulting in
extremely low inventories. Sales of MINI automobiles in July were 2,607, down
15.5 percent from the 3,084 sold in July of 2003. Year-to-date, sales of
MINI automobiles were down slightly, with 20,419 cars compared to 20,614 sold
a year ago, a dip of 1 percent.

BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since
1975. ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.
The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and
financial service organizations for the BMW brand, the MINI brand, and the
ROLLS-ROYCE brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in
California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations
throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part
of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing
plant for all Z4 Roadster and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales
organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 340 BMW passenger
car centers, 327 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 148 BMW motorcycle
retailers, 76 MINI passenger car dealers, and 25 ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Car
dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for
North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

if you click on the link, it has a chart with the numbers of vehicles sold.

I think the SAV sales were so good because they did just introduce a new SAV, the X3, and the X5 is a pretty good looking SUV, i'd buy it. bangle hasn't screwed that one up...yet...