BMW to release front drive econo cars

The Volvo acquisition idea would have been better...as proven by their execution of the Mini brand.

 

 

 

http://www.luxist.com/2010/10/07/bmw-to-se...ars-in-the-u-s/

 

German automaker BMW will sell a family of small front-drive cars in the U.S., likely launching them in 2012. The report, first published in trade publication Automotive News, was confirmed to Luxist by company officials.

 

That the Bavarian car company was developing small front-drive cars was not a secret. But it was an open question as to whether the cars, to be built in Europe, would come to the U.S. BMW has long championed rear-drive cars for its BMW brand, leaving front-drive cars to its MINI brand. But BMW's desire for global sales growth, combined with the need to sell more smaller, fuel efficient cars to meet toughening fuel economy standards, forced the company's hand.

 

BMW has studied the problem for years. At one time, it considered buying Swedish car company Volvo, the vehicles of which are front-drive. But BMW, stung by a disastrous and costly acquisition of the British automaker Rover MG in the 1990s, was gun-shy about acquiring another company.

 

Pricing of the cars in the U.S. would be expected to be around $28,000 and up.

 

Initial sales projections of the front-drive small cars, which will be powered by four cylinder engines, is about 100,000 worldwide. But that number will surely grow once BMW gets comfortable selling the line in different markets.

 

BMW already has a 1-Series lineup that is built on its smallest rear-drive chassis. The name of the small front-wheel-drive lineup has not been divulged and may not have even been decided yet.

So they are moving away form exclusive to mainstream. They'll become basically another vw?

fcuk-that sucks.

 

Plus who would want to spend $28,000 on a front wheel drive 4 banger when they can already do that with SO many other companies-VW, Toyota,Honda, etc, etc, and get these cars better equipped for less.

 

I think this is a losing proposition, but will hold final judgement until o see photos of what they are considering doing.

According to this month's CAR Magazine (which doesn't spread rumour idly, they had a render a couple of years ago that was within a gnat's whisker of the MP4-12C's final design), BMW have a rather insane plan for a premium city car - rear-engined with a CF body and alloy chassis, the underpinnings of which will go on to form an M100 £150k supercar (based on that whacky Vision concept car) in a couple of years. I think they also said it's going to be a hybrid with a 3-cylinder diesel...

There's some strange thinking going on in that company. Or maybe CAR caught a very late April Fools' memo.

Stupid idea, they have Mini for that... When will these car companies learn they can't be all things to all people.

According to this month's CAR Magazine (which doesn't spread rumour idly, they had a render a couple of years ago that was within a gnat's whisker of the MP4-12C's final design), BMW have a rather insane plan for a premium city car - rear-engined with a CF body and alloy chassis, the underpinnings of which will go on to form an M100 £150k supercar (based on that whacky Vision concept car) in a couple of years. I think they also said it's going to be a hybrid with a 3-cylinder diesel...

There's some strange thinking going on in that company. Or maybe CAR caught a very late April Fools' memo.

 

I saw that, the concept CF and alloy chassis was pretty cool, looks like my mom will finally be able to get herself a supercar built out of exotic materials

Stupid idea, they have Mini for that... When will these car companies learn they can't be all things to all people.

 

they will pull it off because it's BMW, there are plenty of customers out there that want a bimmer but it was always out of their price range, now if they stretch a touch more over a Toyota they can have one, BMW is tapping into another section

 

of the market, they want volume, they will sell you the badge, they will sell you a car that will be a fashion accessory, cars now have to match the girl's purse and shoes, it's all in the marketing.

 

 

 

 

Its really not that shocking. BMW changed years ago and they needed to (new regulations, profitability, market share, etc etc). They produce SUV's, throw M badges on trucks, use turbochargers across the model range. 5-7 years ago they said they were strictly a NA company that would never produce a FWD car and years before then stated trucks is not in the BMW DNA.

 

But whats most interesting, a story came out I think last year that stated 80% of BMW drivers didnt know there car was RWD. So in the end, does going FWD really matter?

I tell you what I really feel: this utterly stupid CO-emission-shit needs to stop! It is fcuking up all the great marques!