Our contact at BMW SA says that the final interior specification for the 316i, which goes on sale in May, is still being finalised and that an official announcement for the model will be made later in the week.
Lies. It's been on the bmw website configurator for weeks. What it doesn't have in comparison to the 320i is a rain/light sensor, auto dimming interior mirror, climate control and leather seats. It has imitation black leather instead, most people probably can't tell the difference.
If you add all of this to a 316i it equates to R20 700. So following through with that logic the saving from the smaller engine is R13 000+-.
Audi sells a detuned entry level A4 1.8T with 88kw and 230NM and the mercedes its C180 with 115/250, making the C200 the more direct competitor to the 320i actually... so bmw are really just joining the entry level variants.