"I think its a bad idea. Its just going to degrade the BMW brand. ...
<etc>
i.e. if they release the 1-series I may no longer be interested in getting the 3-series convertible.
I bet you were one of those people who said "If Bush wins this election, I am moving to Canada." too."
Actually, anybody who is worried about this car "degrading the brand" may well have voted for the man, even in 2004, when it was completely inexcusable.
As far as the car's design goes, I agree with the recent frowny-face for C. Bangle... I loathe the "flame" look with a passion. Like most recent BMW designs, it is hideous from the sides and front, though I will admit (in this case), mildly okay from the rear.
Still, I hope this does well. Some people forget that 318s and the like are or were completely legitimate BMWs. In Europe, especially, it's not all about the power, it's also about an enjoyable motoring experience, even at fairly low-end levels of equipment.
Folks here, in the U.S., often aren't aware that BMW makes plenty of cars like 316s and 518s with cloth or vinyl interiors and minimal equipment levels for the rest of the world. Yet these cars are still "BMWs." In fact, most of the BMW purists I know are more intrigued by the 1-series than by, say, a "6" or a "7."