Quote:
Originally Posted by Viffermike
Ummm, what?
"Hot hatches" do not sell well here. Never have. That's why we've never seen the 1 Series on these shores.
That's also why VW no longer offers the GTi in a 2-door. That's also why Subaru killed the 5-door WRX/STi. That's also why Mazda killed the 5-door Mazda3 AND the Mazdaspeed3. That's also why we don't get the Audi A1/S1 here, among several other 3-door or 5-door models. Shall I go on? 'Cause I can.
See my previous post. BMW exporting this car here would be the same heresy as M-B exporting the X-Class -- worse, IMHO.
Build it in Europe or the U.S.? Maybe. Build it in China or (in the case of the M-B) Argentina? Hay-ell nawww.
|
Small hatches are gaining a mini renaissance it seems recently. The Golf/GTI/R do pretty well. Mazda3 5 door is still a thing (though they lopped off the D pillar so it's basically just the sedan with a liftback trunk). Fiesta ST, Focus ST, Focus RS, Civic Si, Civic Type R, Fiat 500/Abarth...
Honestly I felt like I saw more 5 door WRX/STi of the last gen than the sedan version, so I don't know why they killed it off for the current gen.