[nirmalkrishnan]

Is the M sport front bumper standard on the sport plus variant or is it just on that launch car?

[vb-saan]

Interesting to see Mercedes and BMW having an entirely different strategy in the entry-level hatchback space. The A-Class have a fully loaded petrol and a relatively basic diesel. With BMW, it looks like the base petrol is just to attract buyers with the tag line "Starting price of 20.xx lakhs". I feel the 118d Sport is quite well priced in comparison with the A180 CDI. For a premium of around 2 lakhs, the BMW have better comfort features like Climate Control, sun roof etc., more power, and RWD.

[androdev]

BMW wants to sell this car to the go-kart industry? I can probably understand their problem. They take their expensive drivetrain (2L diesel, RWD and 8sp ZF AT) and try to build an entry level luxury car. Fat chance. If your drivetrain alone costs a bomb, you have very little budget to work with to build the rest of the car.

I find the approach taken by Mercedes so much better. Cheaper drivetrain but fabulous car inside out. Overall a much more desirable car and at a better price to those who don't need a fast car.

They made it so much easier to decide between 1-series and A-class

[suhaas307]

^^

It may be an expensive drivetrain, but it's a drivetrain that some of us are already familiar with. The 1 and the 3 share the same transmission and engine, although the engine has been detuned.

In essence, the 1 series is a 3 without the boot. When you approach it like that, it does make some sense. Another 5 lakhs might fetch you a more powerful engine and a larger boot. But what if you don't want the boot? Who am I kidding.. Everybody loves a boot.

The 1 is a good car. The only problem I have with it is the way the base variants have been spec'ced. I understand the missing iDrive, sports seats and the smaller 16" wheels. But no USB / Bluetooth, no driver's arm-rest and AC controls from the '90s? BMW, what gives?

[ramie2400]

Sheer waste in a 30L category hatchback,anyday the Mercedes A/B-Class takes the cake,with the amount you get a pathetic sounding car audio which i feel runs only on clipping frequencies,el-cheapo plastic interiors like the tata indica which rattles even in their 3-series,looks also pathetic,from the rear resembles like a VW Polo,no wonder why the BMW's are not selling much these days.

[DrPriyankT]

I feel that the Mercedes A class is definitely going to give the BMW 1 series a tough fight in the Indian Market. The Merc has IMHO better looks, better interior features and a good competitive price tag. The BMW for it has better handling and dynamics, slightly more powerful engine 50:50 weight distribution and RWD compared to the Merc's FWD.
A large majority of the Indian buyer will not care one bit about driving dynamics or whether the vehicle is RWD or FWD. He will be more charmed by the features and value offered by a car where the Mercedes wins hands down when it comes to the base and mid variants. BMW has a nicely loaded top end but it is a bit too overpriced. The fight here in the long term belongs to the Merc A class in the long term. The Audi A1 and A 2 will add more colour to the mix when they are launched in India.
I so hope Fiat launches the Punto Abarth for less than 15 lakhs, and I pray to all the Gods in the universe that they market and service it well for it to be a hit. A well priced Abarth has everything in its favour provided Fiat does not goof up as always. It has all it takes to blow the socks of a 1 series and a Merc A class.

[Vid6639]

Just to let everyone be aware. Mercedes has increased the prices of the A class by 4% which is a hike of more than Rs.80,000.

Also, the A class and now the 118d are the cheapest automatic diesel hatchbacks now. No diesel hatch below these 2.

[KINI]

This top end sports plus model makes sense at 28L OTR, nothing more than that!! I'm willing to bet this car will be sold with huge discounts early next year ala 3 series. People tempted by this car, please hold on!!

[9thsphinx]

I find this extremely annoying how these luxury car companies are taking us all for a ride. Not in the literal sense, but figuratively. Sure, India has got big money and takers for every car that costs from a mere lakh to a crore and more, but the pricing of the 1 can be best termed as highway robbery. For a BMW, they've gone ahead and done the Honda act. Charge more and give less. Unfortunately, the 1 doesn't even look the part. The top end 30L priced fully loaded Sportline Plus should have been priced in the 20-22L bracket and the base petrol 116i shouldn't be priced more than 15L!

Suddenly, the A-class in comparison feels so much more sophisticated, well-eqipped and a VFM luxury hatchback. Even with the recent price hike!

[Parm]

Originally Posted by JayPrashanth

Link to News Section

The car's petrol engine is a 1.6 liter turbo petrol motor, the likes of which is also used on the Mini range.

The Engine used by Mini is a Peugeot 1.6 EP6 engine.

Is it the same engine used by BMW?

[JayPrashanth]

Originally Posted by Parm

The Engine used by Mini is a Peugeot 1.6 EP6 engine.

Is it the same engine used by BMW?

From 2011, BMW started using modified, Peugeot-derived 1.6 EP6 engines under the Prince family. These engines are used by the Cooper S and 1-Series, and are called N18 and N13 respectively.

Cheers,

Jay

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by Parm

The Engine used by Mini is a Peugeot 1.6 EP6 engine.

Is it the same engine used by BMW?

BMW and Peugeot (PSA) jointly developed the EP6 motor. Since last decade or so (2004 IIRC), they are jointly developing petrol engine and the main motors are 1.4 and 1.6. Initially, the 170+ HP turbo 1.6 was only reserved for BMW, but now the latest Peugeots are having access to higher powered 1.6 turbo units.

For BMW, the codes are in line with usual BMW nomenclature and hence having N13 and B18 for application in BMW group cars.

[Nuract123]

Hmmm, so the choice is between the ugly performer 1-series or the handsome under - performer A class! That's not really a choice, is it? Hope the after market tuners start their work on the A class ( the stock car's 110 odd bhp from a 2.2l is ridiculous)
The face of 1 series looks weird and the rear (dead rear view) is reminescent of a (bashed up) Polo rear. Even the alloys on the Sport + are quite similar to the popular after-market PLATI 509 alloys (pics attached) - and that's not what you call exclusive!

[bIte tHe bulLet]

This is a handsome car indeed. Will not be to a lot of people's tastes I fear, but handsome nonetheless.

However, BMW seems to be missing the bus with regards to what is good packaging. The base variant is just a terribly packaged car and the A class will run rings around it, if for nothing else but the fact that it just *feels* and looks premium at the price point. And given some of the horror stories that are coming out of dealer attitudes at BMW with regards to new sales, SKODA seems to have competition on that front!!!

Badge matters to most people (I admit, it does to me too... ) but ultimately it also needs to pull at your emotional heart strings.

This just doesn't do anything for mine...

[PlatzdaTurbo]

< My only feeling after looking at the pricing.
Had been waiting for this car for sometime now as the next prospective buy...replacement for a flawless but aging Honda Civic (gota luv 'em)
At first i thought the Sport+ is quite pointless...almost 5 lakh more (roundbout 3 series money? ) over the Sport for fancy alloys ,keyless go and a sunroof. Thought id be pretty satisfied with a slightly uglier but monetarily more practical sportline vis a vis the sport +
.....and then i saw the pictures,
Unless my eyes are completely deceiving me what i see are drum-setup HALOGENS on the sportline variant !!! So basically, here is a car that costs as much as a Superb (a car with S class like space and supreme comfort ,not to mention one of the best drive-trains around) & a Passat (a car that parks itself and cools my fanny) and yet has the headlamp set up right out of a wagonR...no wait...EVEN THE WAGON R HAS PROJECTORS NOW ! Mann, the choicest of adjectives come to mind right now but being banned for a year would mean i wont be able to criticize them (the teutons) when they take such stupid steps in future....and they will !
Not the best looks, a great drive-train but extremely unfortunate pricing IMO. Even a potential deal breaker dare i say.