MINI will debut this futuristic concept car, a two-door hatchback, all of 11′ 3″ long, at the Geneva Auto Show (March 3-13 2011). Of course, this car won’t be produced, but as with most concept cars, some styling cues may be incorporated into future MINI models.
MINI Rocketman Concept
MINI Rocketman Concept
MINI Rocketman Concept
You may have to click through to watch the video on YouTube.
For more on the MINI Rocketman, check out our friends at MotoringFile.com.
The BMW 335d sedan has been around for three years now, and it finally has advertising support from BMW – during the 2011 Super Bowl, no less.
2011 BMW 335d Sedan
The 335d is powered by BMW’s outstanding 3.0 liter common-rail diesel engine with twin turbos rated at 265 hp with an intoxicating 425 lb-ft of torque smoking the rear wheels. It’s BMW’s most powerful and least fuel-efficient six-cylinder diesel engine, but it still manages an EPA rating of 23/36 mpg. It’s considered a clean diesel because it uses a urea-based exhaust scrubber that makes it a 50-state legal engine, which is no small feat in California. Diesel-powered vehicles in California must meet the same low emissions standards as their gasoline-powered siblings.
As regular readers know, I’m a big fan of diesel power and fuel efficiency. I have a 1995 Mercedes E300 Diesel that just turned over 100,000 miles (today) and is still solid as a rock, returning average fuel economy in the 30 mpg range. I would have loved the 335d, however, I choked at BMW’s egregious price. It starts at $44,150, but by the time you add all the features that should be standard, it’s pushing $60,000. That’s M3 territory or you could move up the food chain to an entry-level 528i sedan, which starts at $45,050 and gets 32 mpg on the highway.
A sighting of the 335d is rare, not just because it looks nearly identical to its 328i and 335i gasoline-powered siblings but because BMW sells so few of them. Hint to BMW, the diesel premium is so high it will take a decade to pay it back with savings at the fuel pump. It would also help if BMW had a cheap lease deal on the 335d like they have on the 328i and 335i cars. No such luck.
So why the marketing muscle now? At $3 million for 30 seconds, that probably wiped out any profit BMW made on the 335d for the entire time it’s been on the market in the U.S. As a standard 3-series sedan, it’s hardly aspirational or sensationally sporty. Go with an M3 or the Z4 sDrive35is or the all-new 6-series to play that game.
Is the 335d some sort of green-tinged halo car? I don’t think so, but no one is buying the X6 ActiveHybrid either. The Active Hybrid X6 starts at a mind-numbing $88,900 and returns a completely unimpressive 19 mpg highway.
2011 BMW X6 ActiveHybrid
Oh well, even if I can’t figure out the economics or perplexing “why now” for the promotion, I loved the ad and here it is:
Todd Bianco's ACarIsNotARefrigerator.com Blog 