Report: BMW planning a FWD small car for 2010

DON'T.


PLEASE.

Just make a new small car brand...do anything but make a FWD BMW.

I agree with you Rupert. FWD is an abomination and the cause of higher repair bills. BMW will definitely water down its image if it identifies itself with cheapmobiles that use FWD. I can see a company in some financial difficulty adopting cheaper manufacturing processes, but BMW? Surely BMW sees no financial problems on the horizon, does it?

probably has nothing to do with that. More along the lines of a FWD car is more space efficient in a small platform car.

But that does slap back at the Assie BMW CEO slamming Audi for making FWD platforms.

You are right 009, and for years they strugled making a good rwd, with all the hard stuff to come by. FWD it's just easier/cheaper to make, easier to drive even without all the "Pentium 9" cpus in the cars to keep them driving straight in the wet.

lol.

The middle market is actually the hardest market to make a profit in. It's easier to make a profit in the premium and budget sectors.

Can anyone says Mercedes Benz A-Klass?

Hahaha don't believe a word of it!

I've heard this before, It'll never happen. It would have to be cheaper than the 1 series and that would be priced in Mini territory. Why would they compete against themselves?

maybe is for the people who just want to have the BMW badge on the front of their hood.

I veto that car. BMW has got to stop moving down market

Well-Its quite obvious that BMW like other car makers are facing increasingly more stringent emmissions and fuel economy standards. FWD allows more room in a samller package. Smaller packaging usually means less weight to better tackle emmissions and fuel economy. So since they have the Mini platform already it's a natural for them to stretch it a bit. This will solve the problem they were having at the Oxford plant of increasing production. It also signals now that they intend NOT to by Volvo.

Why would the bmw build something to compete with mini? i say this is crap media

BMW and FWD don't mix. Is BMW so stupid?

BMW shouldn't venture that far down market, could hurt the companies image & prestige.

How would it hurt their image or prestige? Only in America is BMW vaunted into this rich/yuppie image. BMWs in Europe have small 4 bangers and wheel covers for steel wheels. BMWs image is fun to drive nice sports sedans and coupes.... if they have a smaller car that is entry level that handles well I don't see how that would hurt this "prestige" if it lives up to its pedigree. But I do think making a BMW from MINI underpinnings could be a shot in the foot, unless BMW is trying to reinvent its Isetta.... that may be a possibility if the cards are played right.

atomicbri, while you are right about BMWs here in Europe having steel wheels etc, BMW making a FWD car would ruin their image, as they have long been proud of their RWD heritage. Even the Isetta was RWD.
A FWD BMW would cause a huge shock in the industry, and BMW could be humiliated.

Isn't that a bit cannibalistic? Mini is basically the same size and is also FWD. I also agree with MunichRob that it would sacrifice their prestige.

I have a question: Did Mercedes Benz and Audi hurt their image by building FWD cars? (MB A class, B class - AUDI A3 A4 A6 FWD...)Why can´t BMW do the same with its entry level cars? When MB started building the A class It was a shock, but today it is accepted. I think it´s a good idea to increase sales...

Audi has always made FWD vehicles though, the difference is that BMW is very proud of it always using RWD...using FWD would be a shot in the foot...like if Toyota made the next Prius a diesel.

This is totally not true.
Some Lexus orcs released it, i'm sure.

Ah, this website is exactly how I left it.

I've been gone on various family/business trips and such, and will be posting for the next two days, but won't be back again until early August. I know I will be back permanently in mid-August, for sure.

This is obviously a rumor; it just doesn't seem like BMW to produce a FWD car at all. It's not necessarily a bad thing, as my favorite brand does it. But BMW should maintain its image. Leave the FWD cars to Mini.