[sidindica]

• BMW has again ignited the executive entry luxury sedan price wars.
• Quietly it has launched the 320i sedan as a stripped down CE version at Rs. 23,95,000 ex showroom, Delhi recently.
• Available now onwards, most of the features like sunroof, I-drive, USB port, CD changer, high grade leather seats and wood trim are missing.

[rohanjf]

So, what is the difference between ex-showroom prices of 320i and 320d CEs?

[anujmishra]

Originally Posted by sidindica

• Available now onwards, most of the features like sunroof, I-drive, USB port, CD changer, high grade leather seats and wood trim are missing.

So even in 23,95000/- BMW is not able to provide USB port and CD changer. Good! What a value for money

[raghav.carfreak]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but the 320i is the petrol version right?

[Sn1p3r]

Cant understand why will they do not drop it further. They are after all selling a 3 that will soon be history.

Can someone decipher this, please?

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by Sn1p3r

Cant understand why will they do not drop it further. They are after all selling a 3 that will soon be history.

Can someone decipher this, please?

>>>
Snip3r,

Look at it from the manufacturer's perspective.

1. BMW has a certain appeal based on its brand image and nowhere is it an inexpensive product; it is an aspirational brand everywhere, Indian petrolheads and yuppies included

2. So, they have to maintain a distance, price wise between the D segment of the Japs and Yanks

3. AFAIK, the new 3 (F30) will be introduced in the Geneva Auto Show in 2012; so there is some life yet in the E90- why should they devalue it?

In fact among the teutonic three, BMW has been most proactive in reducing prices to 'realistic' levels and forced the other two to review their prices. Merc has modified prices for its C.

There is no limit to the Indian buyers' ability to haggle

Regards, drive safe

[svsantosh]

Superb comes around 22.5L Ex.sh, of course fully loaded (real VFM), wonder how many such (non Merc/BMW/Audi) customers will switch over for the 'name' sake.

[.anshuman]

Good move by BMW. Still 320d CE is still the car to buy at this price, It's faster, more efficient and has better resale value.

@AUDI: Time for a lower priced A4 variant, with the 1.8FSi engine.

[khoj]

Originally Posted by sidindica

• BMW has again ignited the executive entry luxury sedan price wars.
• Quietly it has launched the 320i sedan as a stripped down CE version at Rs. 23,95,000 ex showroom, Delhi recently.
• Available now onwards, most of the features like sunroof, I-drive, USB port, CD changer, high grade leather seats and wood trim are missing.

That is great news sid, at least for those who understand that it is the super smooth engines, the dynamics of the chassis and the handling that make the BMW a BMW and not the cheap frills like cd changers, Aux/ipod ports, leather, sunroofs etc etc

Originally Posted by invidious

Err - right. So now it is the SX4 with a BMW sticker. What a waste.

Originally Posted by anujmishra

So even in 23,95000/- BMW is not able to provide USB port and CD changer. Good! What a value for money

EDIT @raghav.carfreak

Yes it is petrol.

[raghav.carfreak]

Here's a question I would want to ask the forum and get a petrolhead's opinion
As we all know, BMW is known for its driving dynamics and 3 is a driver oriented car as compared to the 5 which is more luxurious, Now that the 320d and the 320i are priced within almost a lakh of each other, For pure driving pleasure, minus the gadgets, which should one buy? the petrol or the diesel? I'm sure it has a lot of if's and buts like usage for one, so lets assume an average running of lets say 1000-1200kms a month which includes city and highway drives, self driven!

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by raghav.carfreak

Here's a question I would want to ask the forum and get a petrolhead's opinion
As we all know, BMW is known for its driving dynamics and 3 is a driver oriented car as compared to the 5 which is more luxurious, Now that the 320d and the 320i are priced within almost a lakh of each other, For pure driving pleasure, minus the gadgets, which should one buy? the petrol or the diesel? I'm sure it has a lot of if's and buts like usage for one, so lets assume an average running of lets say 1000-1200kms a month which includes city and highway drives, self driven!

>>>

raghav.carfreak,

Let me provide my choice and the reasons, with the reasons first.

Q 1. Why should I consider a Bimmer?
Ans. For its sporting dynamics (handling, especially on curves and its {hydraulic}steering feedback, its balance - front engine, rear wheel drive) and also for the killer reason - its outstanding in line sixes

Q2. Why a 3 Series?
Ans.Affordable (wrt 5), entry into the Bimmer club, apart from the reasons above

Now, between a 320i CE and a 320d CE ,whereas the i has a high revving and a relatively smoother engine, the d will have greater torque, will run on plain diesel ( the i will require atleast 95 RON) and will have greater re-sale value. Also both have the inline fours, so no comparative advantage there.

The 320d CE for me- if I have the cash

QED.

Rider - these were my reasons alone.

Regards, drive safe

[khoj]

The 4 pot in the 320i is no slouch either and while I agree with the logic that issigonis puts in his post, what do you do when you want to hear the engine scream away to the red line and then jump off the edge only to upshift and do the same thing all over again. The Cedia can do this in the second and the third I am wondering if the Beemer 3 can do it in all the gears from 1 through 6

If there is a S mode on the 3's AT box that holds the up shift as close to the red line as possible or a pseudo manual mode with the paddles(does it have paddles?) or even with the stick that allows you to actually control the upshift then it is the 320i for me, if I can sell the Cedia that is

[RakishRam]

While any price cut (with or without gadget cuts) is good for us customers, I am not sure how much this 320i CE will help in BMW sales. Fleet owners/Hotels - No, they will prefer the diesel sibling, so will the major part of general buyers.
Petrol heads - nothing too enticing compared to 320D. Maybe BMW should try a manual tranny and bring 320i at more affordable rate - I think they can easily knock-off a lakh by doing so.

[Yeldo]

There appears to be a rejig in the 3 Series lineup. Two petrols: 320i & 330i Sport and two Diesels: 320d and the 320d Exclusive. So the "Highline" and "CE" monikers seems to have been discarded. New paint shades, including a Vermillion Red (similar to the red on X6) and "Clearwater", some sort of whitish light green/ sky blue (earlier offered briefly on the 3) seems to be included. The alloy designs seems to be changed too, but the base 360 design 16 inchers are left unchanged. No regular 320i anymore, it seems.

Anyway, nice price point for a BMW. Yes, there are better equipped and larger vehicles, but you could also buy a customised Tempo (oops- Force) Traveller for the money, couldn't you?

Better still, less gadgets and toys to go wrong, so when selling after 5 years, no embarrassing ad- lines like "all electronics except this and that working".
Wish they deleted the electric motor for the rear curtain and the auto rain & light sensors too.

[Ash_vtec]

The BMW 3 series is a compact sporting luxury sedan. Entry level executive so to speak.
This means that it must either be fast, luxurious or sporty.

I can digest the 320d CE as it provides an affordable Bimmer experience, it goes fast and is built well. USP is affordable performance.

I cannot understand who in their right mind would by the weakest 3 series in the market. You cannot be driven in it, its not fun to drive as it barely qualifies as fast and all the bells and whistles are missing. It handles *full stop*

23+ lakhs for that ?? I'd rather buy a fiesta S and soup it up for a fraction of the cost.

IMHO this just dilutes the brand and gives the yuppies a pose mobile. Sad.

BMW stop dissolving your brand value with these cheap volume pushing tactics and bring out the 335i and 330d.