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BMW may keep next 1 Series out of the US

As BMW prepares to introduce the all-new 2 Series coupe and convertible, the 1 Series name definitely won't be going away. We know new sedan and hatchback models are in the works; including the GT shown above. According to Car and Driver, though, the future of the 1 Series nameplate in the US could be dependent on rival premium small cars like the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class and Audi A3.
In an interview with C/D, BMW's North American head of product planning and strategy, Paul Ferraiolo, said that pricing might be the biggest deterrent to offering the third-gen 1 Series in the US. As he points out, BMW currently prices the 1 not too far from the 3 Series, but Mercedes-Benz and Audi will have their new small cars priced well below the $30,000 mark. BMW's Mini brand will also factor into the consideration since the 1 GT will share its underpinnings with the next-gen Cooper lineup.

2014 BMW 4 Series drops its top, priced from $48,750*

BMW will debut its new 2014 4 Series Convertible at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, and after seeing plenty of spy shots and, most recently, some leaked images, we now have all the official details. To no one's surprise, the 4 Series convertible is, essentially, a topless version of BMW's new-for-2014 4 Series coupe, and will be offered in the United States in the same 428i and 435i guises.
On the base end, that means the 428i Convertible arrives with the company's 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, good for 240 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque, and available with either rear- or all-wheel drive. BMW says the 428i will sprint to 60 miles per hour in a respectable 6.2 seconds. For folks in need of more thrust, BMW will happily sell you a 435i Convertible, available only with rear-wheel drive, powered by a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged inline-six that produces 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of twist. Hitting 60 mph in the 435i will take roughly five and a half seconds with the standard eight-speed auto. Curiously, BMW did not mention anything about a six-speed manual transmission for either model, so looks like this droptop might be an auto-only affair. We've contacted BMW for confirmation, so we'll keep you posted.
Like the 3 Series Convertible it replaces, the 4 Series uses a three-piece folding hardtop configuration, and BMW says that added sound deadening reduces audible wind noise by about two decibels. Folding the automatic roof takes just 20 seconds, and can be done at speeds up to roughly 11 mph. For chilly, top-down driving (something we're big fans of), there are now three-temperature neck warmers for the front seats - just like what Mercedes-Benz offers with its AirScarf system.

2014 BMW M235i is your Diet M4

Alongside its big brothers, the M3 and M4, the new M235i was rolled out by BMW at the Detroit Auto Show today as the sportiest member of the 2 Series range. The sharp two-door is the replacement for the current 1 Series, meaning the M235i is more or less the equivalent of the old 135is. Underhood sits BMW's venerable 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, complete with 322 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. Power is, naturally, sent to the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic, allowing the M235i to hit 62 miles per hour in 4.8 seconds when optioned with the automatic. Prices start at $43,100, meaning the M235i should give the $47,450 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG a real challenge in terms of cluck for the buck, provided a second set of doors isn't needed. We've got a full gallery of live images from the floor of the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, along with the stock gallery and BMW's press release from our original post on the 2 Series. Scroll up for the former and down for the latter. The All-New BMW 2 Series Coupe A new dimension for The Ultimate Driving Machine Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – October 24, 2013 – 6:00pm EDT/3:00pm PDT. . . BMW today announced the introduction of an entirely new model series with the introduction of the all-new BMW 2 Series Coupe. This new take on The Ultimate Driving MachineTM will arrive in the US in the first quarter of 2014 as the 228i and the M235i. The BMW M235i, the first M Performance Automobile offered in the US, includes an impressive list of performance enhancing features. This successor to the successful 1 Series Coupe will continue the decades-long tradition of premium sub-compact coupes with impeccable driving dynamics when it makes its world debut at the North American International Auto Show in January 2014. The 2014 BMW 2 Series Coupe will be offered at a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of $33,025 for the 228i and $44,025 for the M235i, including $925 destination and handling.