BMW will introduce the 1 Series in 2004, to be "slotted between the MINI and 3 Series in the lineup" according to Motor Trend. Production of the 1 Series will apparently be sufficient to allow all 300+ BMW dealers in the USA to sell them (without having to re-franchise), which is not the case for the MINI. This would make the 1 the true "entry level BMW", leaving the MINI an unassigned role in BMW's marketing strategy.
Given this scenario, it's intriguing to speculate whether BMW plans to boost MINI production sufficiently to increase the number of franchises beyond the 70 announced. |