If you're in the market for a BMW, it'll save you a little cash to run out and buy one before the New Year. Starting Jan. 1, BMW will raise its list prices by an average of 0.7 percent. Automotive News reports, "The rise comes despite the fact that the brand, like the rest of the industry, saw its U.S. new-vehicle sales slip by just over 12% to 231,053 units in the first 11 months of 2008 vs. a year ago."
According to Motor Trend, the 2009 7-Series sedan (which goes on sale this spring) will see the biggest price increase: "[T]he 2009 750i price increases $3,500 (now $80,300) while the 750Li rises $4,300 (now $84,200)." Though BMW's overall sales are down, Edmunds Inside Line reports that "sales of the 2008 7 Series rose 15.3 percent in November compared with November 2007."
Automotive News concludes that the price hike probably won't have much impact on the typical BMW buyer. They write: "The average price of a new BMW is roughly $35,000, said Todd Turner, president of consultant CarConcepts. However, Turner believes the primarily upscale consumers for BMW's products won't be dissuaded by the price hike. He added that he's not surprised by the move, since the U.S. dollar recently took a record week-to-week dive against the euro."
Want to get your hands on a hot BMW before the price hike? Check out the 7-Series and other BMW models with U.S. News Rankings and Reviews.
