Report: BMW working on entry-level M sedan based on the 1 Series
Earlier this week, Mercedes-Benz dropped the first ‘official spy shots’ of the upcoming CLA compact sedan and its upcoming high-performance version, the Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG. The model is scheduled to debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show next month.
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It seems like BMW is also working on plans for a hot entry-level M model based on the sedan version of the next-generation 1-Series. The model would compete with the Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG and Audi S3 sedan and will be powered by a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbo engine making more than 300-hp.
“We are actively considering it,” said a BMW insider in an interview with AutoCar. “Do we think there is a potential market? Yes, and it is likely to grow rapidly. If we had the capacity, we would already be well down the road [to production] by now.”
While BMW’s expensive M models – the M3 and the M5 – have been quite successful, the company thinks its time to target the affordable performance segment.
“There has been a wholesale shift in the market,” said an insider. “Our traditional M models — the M3 and M5 — have become a good deal larger, a lot more powerful, better equipped and naturally more expensive over the years. They still sell in solid numbers, but it is time to concentrate on the more affordable end of the performance range.”
Whatever BMW is planning – it is said that we won’t see anything solid until 2015.
– By: Omar Rana
Source: AutoCar