BMW Mercedes News Flash
 

Hey guys,

I read this in the Wall Street Journal this morning.

Apparently, BMW and Mercedes are going to do away with Rear Wheel Drive
and go with Front Wheel Drive instead because it is "economical" and "safer"

I don't think this will apply to all models, however the fact still remains: BMW is going over to the "other side" in instituting FWD.

Anyways....

BMW already has AWD.
Mini is FWD.

I just don't see it happening for a long time.

Maybe manufactures just invest on driver training rather than dumming down cars?

It's not April 1, is it?
 

Just think what this will do to the prices for pre-fwd bimmers :-)

Also, just wondering what the torque steer is going to be like for an M5...

Everyone is going crazy about this on all the BMW forums. There's no indication that this will be in 3, 5, 6 or 7 series vehicles. BMW has stated that this is for the "smaller vehicle classes". Most likely this new class of BMW will be slotted under the 1 series. Possibly the 1 series itself.

Personally I try to take some logical perspective on it. It's just a car for christ sake. I'll reserve my emotions for things in life that actually matter. "Oh no, they are 'tarnishing' the BMW brand, what a travesty" It's right up there with cancer, terrorism and famine if you ask me :rolleyes: That's truely how serious people are taking it on bimmerforums and other boards.

People do get worked up.
I remember when BMW announced the X5.
People got over it.

yea, but you cant put fwd and sports car in the same sentence. if you do you end up at the honda dealership.. but i wouldnt mind it on the 1ers.. i dont ever plan on owning one :P

hahaha....it is not that we are "worked up" about this. Just thought I would post this because it seemed interesting. BMW has always been known as a RWD car manufacturer [I am excluding AWD].

Anyways, I, like others, don't think it will be in the "performance" BMW's. Probably in a BMW sedan made for people who don't know how to drive, treat cars as if they were an object to get from point A to point B and are all hyped about this "green movement."

My opinion: Go plant a tree and then burn as much rubber as you can on the track :D Every set of tires you go through plant another tree. lol

Mercedes already has FWD don't they? I think the A-class is and I've heard that car is terrible, kinda cheapens the brand when you see them

http://trucksaleszambia.com/yahoo_si...952141_std.jpg
Brendan please tell me this isnt what you are talking about!

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Who in all of creation designed that thing?


No offense....

Also, BMW mentioned one of the top reasons for making it is to have a shared platform. It's getting harder and harder to compete with companies like the VW group. They can share platforms between VW, Skoda, SEAT and such. The more cars you make under the same platform, the cheaper they are to produce and the more you profit. That means more money for other vehicles in their lines, giving them an edge. For example, they could add more features to the A4 than BMW could to the 3 series while selling it for a similar (or less) price. That helps Audi sales.

If you can make future MINIs on the same platform with a FWD BMW, the cheaper it is to manufacture. There has been news of MINI sharing platforms with Peugeot Citroën, and this is probably it. Some future MINI will be the same platform as this new FWD BMW which will also be the same as some Peugeot Citroën model. The cost to make all three will go down.

BMW's not doing it to piss people off. They need to do it to stay competive with Audi (VW Group), Mercedes (Daimler), Cadillac (GM), etc...

Obviously designed by someone who spends too much time here:

www.cuteoverload.com

Goodness, that Mercedes is hideous.

thats what im trying to say.

http://www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHI...67-396x249.jpg