Lexus developing BMW 1-Series rival
Premium hatchback entry will be based on the U.S. market-only Lexus HS250h hybrid
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Comments (36)
N20_Purge
Seems good. Surely it cannot be hard for the Lexus to be better than the 1 series.
July 24, 2009 2:29 pm
Edison
Seems to excite only if you're a Lexus fan. If taken objectively, it will have to be pretty damn good to beat the 1-series coupe, particularly in 135i guise. So far, from what I read it seems like a long shot. Front wheel drive with heavy hybrid powertrain, is not a good start for one, considering that even Lexus' conventional rear wheel drive cars don't match their BMW contemporaries dynamics-wise. I have my doubts. I think Lexus is just trying to make money on this one (that is why they are in business), even though hybrids aren't particularly popular in Europe, but I will reserve judgement until the actual car surfaces.
July 24, 2009 2:55 pm
Renegade
All the car companies want to make money, thank you very much Captain Obvious.
July 24, 2009 3:27 pm
Edison
First-mate, I think you are missing my point. Yes, the desire to make money is obvious as even I want to make as much money as possible. However, making a half-baked product just to fill a gap in the market or milking a platform to the max reeks of bean-counter decision making rather than attempting to making a compelling car. BMW could just as well use a FWD Mini platform to mine the production synergies with MINI/PSA, but they haven't and doesn't look like they will. However, I will be the first to point at BMW examples of stretching the use of a platform (sometimes beyond good taste). I just don't see the BS competing head-to-head with the 1-series. A3 and others, definitely.
July 24, 2009 4:23 pm
9TNine
My money would be on the BMW!
http://www.autozeitung.de/node/380871/2?destination=node/380871
http://www.autozeitung.de/node/380871/3?destination=node/380871
July 24, 2009 7:34 pm
jandrews90
K so a front wheel drive, hybrid Lexus based off the HS250H is soposed to compete with the one series???
July 24, 2009 2:31 pm
sub39h
Why is that so hard to believe? The A3 is front drive, based on a Golf and it decimates the 1-Series in Europe. I don't think this article is fairly named. The car would be an A3 rival first and foremost if it was released outside of the US
July 24, 2009 4:34 pm
sub39h
I can't believe you bought into Merc's marketing spiel. have you ever driven a CLC? it's completely outclassed by both the A3 and the 1-Series. I'd much sooner buy a Golf or Focus than i would a CLC.
July 25, 2009 7:55 am
X6M
I'd like to see that, BMW 135i is beautiful car, it's proved to be better than the Porsche Cayman, and some Lexus want to develop rival to BMW??? - They all want that, but who can?
July 24, 2009 3:04 pm
MAB
They're "developing"? This car has been on the Lexus.com site under Future Cars for a LONG time. Its a Prius. Perhaps I'm missing something, ...or did WCF?
July 24, 2009 3:11 pm
vilivo
Will this be a hatch version of the IS (corolla lux edition...), or will this be an actual luxury version of the Auris, or is it as MAB said- a luxury Prius.I don get the lexus story: "Have a full hose toyota (insert model here), and we will change the badges for only 4X the price!!!)
July 24, 2009 3:45 pm
akbars600
they wil again pull up something which they dont sell in USDM and modify it to the L-Finnese design.. and here we go.. 1 series rivall... lol
July 24, 2009 4:06 pm
scratchy996
so basically they re-badge the Prius to make more money. do they think Europeans don't know Lexus is Toyota ?
they will sell a few Hybrids to some celebrities who want a green image (a TV celebrity in my town owns a Prius but she only drives her Cayenne Turbo S and 911 Turbo).
good luck competing with the 1 series with a heavy FWD hybrid, especially in Diesel Land aka Europe.
July 24, 2009 5:04 pm
GRAVE
at least the GS, ES, IS and LS are better looking than the 3, 5 and even the 7 series BMW and even most of the German cars, be honest. and not even better looking but in terms of comport and reliability Lexus is way better also. I'm not a BMW hater but i think they can do it.
July 24, 2009 8:37 pm
Moko
@grave
you argument is too plain and vague, you rather have a beauty of a car than a beast under the hood ewwwww and i think bmw has the most reliable luxury brand in the past 3 years....good luck lexus , we will wait and see but im afraid it'll all anything but a re-badged yaris
July 24, 2009 9:27 pm
Edison
Actually, excellent reliability is something that Lexus strives hard for and are the best in. That's not to say the others are unreliable though. Looks, however, are a matter of opinion.
July 24, 2009 10:01 pm
Aesthetics
no way they are going call it a BS series. front wheel drive defeats the purpose of rivalling the 1 series when bmw made the 1 series from the lack of RWD cars in that segment, lexus marketing is not fooling many with the hype annoucement....i guess maybe they should call it a BS
July 25, 2009 12:59 am
Sammy_R-Gti
why do i have the feeling its gonna be a Toyota yaris with a Lexus badge? lol
July 25, 2009 6:05 am
Get_real
"What does Lexus have planned? Other than outright plagiarizing BMW's design?" [taken from article]
Who wrote that? WCF? If so, shame on you. Every reader can have their own opinion/preconception. But a (wannabe) journalist should leave this kind of comment out of the article! Don't drop to the journalistic level of Clarkson!
July 25, 2009 6:58 am
sub39h
and i'd like to point out as well that Audi invented the premium C segment with the A3 so it's really Audi they'll be copying, not BMW
July 25, 2009 8:00 am
scratchy996
BMW invented it with the 3 series compact.
http://www.bmw-freunde-forchheim.de/gallery/Treffen%2010.%20Feb.%2008/img0796ey6.jpg
July 25, 2009 12:41 pm
sub39h
I suppose you could look at it this way, but it was a 3 Series variant so not really C segment, and the numbers sold meant it was pretty much irrelevant.
It wasn't until after the A3 that the 1-Series, A-Class and C30 came along.
July 26, 2009 10:05 pm
Aesthetics
i agree, lexus don tlook like bmws....however new jaguars do look like lexus....probably reported by an anti japanese journo
July 27, 2009 12:39 am
dom6698
In it's day the 3-Series Compact was too big for C segment. The original premium hatches were the Alfasud, 33, 145 and 146. The Delta also predates the Germans.
July 25, 2009 1:48 pm
Razz
Well .. to make some competition to the 1Series you must make : 1st - RWD and 2nd - a great handling hatch. The rest are details, and without being rude to Lexus .. they will always make good quality cars, but they'll never reach the spirit of driving a BMW !
July 25, 2009 1:53 pm
E92-TORONTO
LEXUS=PURSUIT THE CRAP
This car is not even in 1 serier's class more likely = Mini.
July 25, 2009 8:12 pm
I'm a MB fan and repeat buyer of the 3Pointed Star...but the B-Class is a piece of sh!t and it is in no way a competitor to the 1 Series.
The 1 Series is one BMW I would actually buy and am contemplating on buying in the moment right now.
To me the 135i with the M Sports Pack IS the spiritual successor to the E30 M3!
It is the best BMW out there in the market today...go out and test drive one!!!
July 26, 2009 3:48 pm
