This text was not translated, because it is originally in English BMW's North American chief says new electric will carry price close to 3 Series. Long one of the favorite brands of petrolheads for its mellifluous inline-six engines, satisfying manual gearboxes, and soul-stirring M-series models, BMW is making an image shift to that of a more technologically, environmentally-oriented company. For the time being, the company still has plenty of appealing hardware for enthusiasts, but is growing its model lineup with its new i3 and i8 electric-drive models. Preliminary pricing for BMW's new compact electric was announced in July, at $42,275 before incentives and credits, and comments made to Bloomberg from Ludwig Willisch, head of BMW North America, reinforce BMW's strategy to make the new vehicle attractive by pricing it close to the brand's best-selling 3-series sedan.