Americans often times don’t understand the value of a good car, simply because it doesn’t have a “V8 Motor” or have seating for forty. We’re getting better, as small cars are becoming quite common and people are more interested in diesels and alternative fuel choices than ever. However, mention the idea of a three-cylinder car to the average American and they’ll cough their hotdog right into your face as they laugh at it.
Continue Reading Below
BMW is currently making the 318i version of the LCI F30 3 Series. The 318i is powered by a 1.5 liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine, the very same engine used in the MINI Cooper and BMW i8. Though it’s obviously tuned quite a bit for i8 duty, it’s still essentially the same engine. The United States market won’t be getting the 318i, only the 320i, which uses a 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder.
Now, the 320i makes 184 hp and the 318i makes 136 hp. That’s quite a big difference, admittedly. But the difference in fuel economy is also massive. BMW’s 1.5 liter three-pot is one of the most efficient engines on the market and, despite how low the horsepower figure might look, isn’t that slow either. The 318i can move. It’s not as fast as the 320i, but it’s not too far off. Plus it makes a killer noise, seriously, and gets absolutely superb fuel economy. The cost of the 318i would also be less than the 320i, so it would make an excellent entry level 3 Series. It’s also considerably lighter than the 2.0 liter engine, making the nose lighter which in turn makes the steering and turn-in better and more nimble. So a 3er with a three-banger under the hood would actually be fun to drive as well.
Related: Best BMW for $35,000
Now, if BMW were to sell the 318i here, it could cause some issues. Firstly, it would be a tough sell. Americans are famous for not liking the entry level model of anything, we always go for the middle-class model if we can’t afford the top shelf model. This is simply so we don’t look cheap. That’s why there are more 328is roaming the streets than 320is, despite the 320i being considerably cheaper. So if the 318i went on sale, the 320i would probably start so sell more, but the 318i would just rot on dealer lots. So to bolster 318i sales, BMW would probably have to stop selling the 320i here.
Also, Americans don’t like small engines. It’s taken a few years for people to get used to the idea of four-cylinder performance cars. For us ‘Mercians, there’s usually no replacement for displacement. So for a premium company like BMW to offer an engine that doesn’t even displace the same amount as a common carton of milk would seem ludicrous to the American market. The 318i would most certainly be a tough sell in the ‘States, but if BMW could pull it off, it would be worth it.
We need cars like the 318i in America. Plucky, small, fuel efficient cars that are fun to drive are offered everywhere else in the world, but are seldom brought here. We need a bit of a car revolution in the U.S., a change in perspective, and I think that the 318i, with its exceptional little three-cylinder, is just the car to do it.
I’d rather get an i3. Or some next-gen all-electric small BMW. Even though it will cost more.
(But only *after* I get an M2 next spring…)
I have the same thinking. I have an i3 and 1M, but I want an M2.
A 218i would make more sense to me.
Spot on.
Or bring in a hatchback 118i to the States.
Agreed. RWD 6MT no frills just a fun to drive super lightweight version of the 2 series would be fantastic
I don’t know why people like to argue that the base trim BMW’s aren’t “real” BMW’s. Now that BMW has moved to forced induction, it makes even more sense to purchase a 320i or 328i and a tune. Benefits? You save a quite a bit of money and you don’t have to deal with all the bells and whistles people like to complain about because they add weight. The result, you get a decently powered BMW with less weight that cosst you around $40k.
People cry that BMW’s gain weight yet these are the same people who are buying the 335i’s that come standard with a lot of equipment leading to the weight gain.
I’m pretty sure that also here in Europe if you say that you own a BMW 318i with 3 cylinder, a lot of people will laugh at you, not only because it has got a small 3 cylinder engine but also because they’ll think you want to show that you own a BMW but you don’t have enough money to buy a “real” one.
Nevertheless if you don’t care about what other people say, 3-cylinder cars like the 318i/d or the 116i/d are intelligent choices since they offer good handling and performance with a very small fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
318i and 318d/320d are already very common already in “Europe” (big place, that!), so the only laughing will come from snobs with no social skills. The 320d is by far the biggest seller. Also since there are very few BMWs with six-cylinder engines these days, the attempt by snobs to call out four-pot BMWs as not being “real” sound that much more desperate now. But whatever makes them happy, alone!
Would love a 320d in the US. That car is great!