BMW Breaks Down And Copies Audi With AWD For New Models From The Start

COPIES AUDI????? NO

you're so smart! the massive use of turbos and four-cylinder engines across makers of late has nothing to do with what audi is doing. are you familiar with CAFE standards? they are being raising dramatically in the next couple of years in the US and luxury manufacturers have NO CHOICE but to use smaller engines in order to meet the new fleetwide standards if they want to sell cars in the US.

but i'm sure you're right and that's not the reason, everyone is just copying audi.

"BMW of North America executives admitted that the fiasco heavily affected its 2012 sales, since almost half of all 3-series sedans sold in the US have awd. Shelly said that the awd fiasco "created a lot of pressure," to boost sales in the fourth quarter of 2012, Shelly said, adding that it was the main reason why BMW piled on incentives, especially in December. Shelly remarked that BMW invested a lot to make sure that 2012 was successful. He remarked that BMW’s 14-percent increase in US sales at 281,460 vehicles boosted dealer profitability in 2012."

"Shelly assured that BMW would not implement major brick-and-mortar changes, but will call for more technology to better display and sell vehicles. According to Shelly, the changes will include the use of overhead screens, iPads and other tablets."

So, because BMW failed to launch its new 3-series sedan with AWD, even though it knew almost 50% of new 3-series sedans were AWD models it had to increase incentives to move volume, thereby reducing profitability and cutting into the bottom-line. That is EXTREMELY POOR management on BMW's part.

Audi already has a virtual showroom that has been a huge sales success:

http://autospies.com/news/Audi-Plans-More-Digital-Showrooms-Remarkable-Success-of-First-Digital-Store-in-London-Spurs-Large-Expansion-74412/

So launching a car with AWD is copying Audi? They invented AWD then, did they? I guess everyone is copying Mercedes every time they come out with a car, period, then.

Anyway, moving past the stupidity of this title of this thread, yes, BMW screwed up by not offering the AWD models from the start on the 3-Series. Not because of anything to do with Audi, but simply because it makes good business sense to offer the configuration that makes up 50% of your volume. Conversely, if they'd brought the car out as all-wheel drive only at first it would've been equally wrong, since they'd still have been ignoring 50% of the buyers.

Actually it wasn't too long ago that BMW routinely made fun of AWD and Turbocharging. Now they are embracing these technologies.

No doubt that a BMW is very quick around the track (pretty much a given). But most BMW buyers never go to the track, everyday competence overrules track performance.

Yes, copying Audi....also is better to do that, cause if not, by the end of 2015 or 16 AUDI could be selling more than BMW if they do not copy the Audi strategy ....

Also MB is copying and that does not hurt them, is not about who INVENT AWD or Turbos....is about to survive in the car business...

It is a good move. AWD is great.

Or….BMW copied Subaru, pre-BRZ. Or was it Audi that copied Subaru first? Who cares. Manufacturers copy each other all the time, whether design or technology or marketing strategy.

copies audi? or anybody? didn't realize 4-wheel drive was a new innovation.

oh that's SUCH a difference. 3,5,7,all the Xs have offered all wheel drive for years. but adding a couple models is a RADICAL shift in strategy. this whole post is dumb.

again, all the volume models in the BMW line up (3,5,7,x3,x5) have had all wheel drive for years. and now the niche models do too! wow. radical. and you're wrong, the 6-series cabrio already has all wheel drive and the 3-series cabrio has offered it in other markets before.

I like AWD and RWD, let's see more of it in BMW product, including MINI (AWD), in the future

BMW is just adapting to new demands of the market, I don't see this as copying AUDI. But props to AUDI for coming up with four-bangers turbo and AWD first.

you're bizarre. it's called responding to market demand.

ClevelandSteamer, you're one of a few that makes any sense on here. Kudos to you.

Call it copying or adapting to changing market conditions but Audi was the first luxury car manufacturer to offer AWD throughout its entire lineup, use 4-cylinder engines and turbos.

BMW, on the other hand, didn't believe in using 4-cylinder engines and thought turbos were an easy way to achieve performance.

Now, BMW is offering AWD throughout its entire lineup, using 4-cylinder engines, and turbos.

Audi obviously predicted market trends much better than BMW when it comes to the mass use of AWD, 4-cylinder engines and turbos.

Out of the big 3 German car companies, whichever accurately predicts the use of drive setup, engine size and other performance technologies along with the geographic shift in demand (Mercedes-Benz missed the latter) will be the world's largest premium auto manufacturer.

Audi, in that case should be feeling very, very strongly about its ability to dethrone BMW as the world's largest premium auto manufacturer by 2018 at the latest.

Did BMW's main-stream models (3,5,6 and 7-Series) ever LAUNCH with BOTH AWD and RWD available from the start up until this year? NO

Did Audi offer its main-stream models (A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8) with AWD and/or FWD from the day sales started? YES

BMW NEVER used 4-cylinder engines mainly because it thought a proper luxury car should have no less than 6 cylinders. Starting in 2013 BMW starting offering the 320i, a 4-cylinder 3-series.

Did Audi offer 4-cylinder engines in its A4 before BMW offered it in its 3-series? YES, Audi has offered a 4-cylinder A4 for AT LEAST the past 10 years.

Did BMW use turbos in its 3-series? For a long-time that answer was NO mainly because BMW thought turbos were the "easy" way to achieve performance. BMW's 335i is now powered with a turbo 6-cylinder engine.

Did Audi use turbos in its A4 and A6 before BMW did in its 3-series and 5-series? YES, Audi used turbos in its A4 and A6 models since AT LEAST 2003.

BMW should be exremely worried that Audi has correctly predicted these hugely important shifts in product along with the equally important huge increase in demand coming from China before it did.

BMW used turbo engines long before Audi lol. Ever hear of the BMW 2002ti....one of the most popular BMW ever? Well it used a turbo 4 cylinder; also BMW was the first car maker to used turbo engines across its full lineup....Turbo 4,6,8, and 12 cylinders.

BMW did not use turbo motors in the US during the late 80's and in the 90's because of gas was A LOT cheaper, and NA engines were a lot more reliable than turbo engines at the time, so turbos were not necessary. Also luxury buyers in the 90's did not want a little 4 cylinder engines in there luxury car b/c of reasons stated above. Also Audi's turbo 4 cylinder engines in the 90's had HORRIBLE reliability. Audi had to use little turbo motors because that is what VW used in many of its economy cars at the time, just the result of parts sharing with an economy car brand. When gas prices rises in the 2000's BMW was able to quickly adapt and offer powerful, and efficient turbo motors. BMW was and has been able to adapt better to changes. Audi hasn't predicted anything, they have the same boring designs, and VW based engines/parts strategy they have used for over 20 year...which is the opposite of change, or adapting, or "predicting"...it’s called being stagnate. One of the disadvantages of being part of another car brand. Yes, the rise in gas has made the market swing in favor of efficient turbo motors which played into Audi's hand since many of its models are closely related to VW economy cars in many areas. But it was definitely coincidental more so then strategic.

I would've said copies Subaru. Audi still has a few FWD cars.

Except Subaru is not considered a luxury brand like BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi are.

You assume I read the article. Now that I have, the title implies BMW will engineer their cars to be AWD and that Audi is AWD across the board, while the article actually just says BMW will make AWD an option when a car is available instead of delaying it.

As if it matters anyways, most of the morons who buy AWD in the north don't even put winters on.