BMW Set To Release A Raft Of FWD Models - How Is This Going To Sit With The Traditional BMW Buyer?

The ultimate under steer driving machine

A: Audi

just fine as long as the BMW badge is on it

no different than their compeitiors as Audi has a Slew of FWD models available currently and Mercedes has the CLA, GLA, A & B models

Neither Audi nor Benz refer to themselves as The Ultimate Driving Machine though.

But hey,like its competitors this will add more revenue

The "traditional BMW buyer," being a self-absorbed prick who knows nothing about automobiles, will not even notice. How about that? :3

Stupid generalization.

No dip stick.
No spare.
No Beautiful in-line six.
No rear wheel drive.
No decent tires.
What's not to like?
3 - 4 cylinders with turbos
Front wheel drive
Just like everyone else.

Its called the future. Welcome to it. Or you can just live in the past and be a whiney baby forever.
If everyone else has this, then isnt it a good thing? They will bring in more people in to the showroom and capture a larger market and generate more sales. Its common sense.

the best 4 cylinder turbo in the industry, available manual transmissions, RWD is still an option & a monster V8 turbo that is an industry leader as well as some of the best fuel economy & more space and a greater variety of vehicles ....

Awesome as it bodes well for the future sustainability of BMW. I am a traditionalist , yet understand that technology and performance have to evolve and expand to become better.

don't care…bring it on!!!

if I need a minivan, I can get a decent handling one from BMW now.
mini ute, they make one of the better handling ones
large ute, one of the better handling ones
active touring, one of the better handling ones
sedan, they have lots of good ones
coupé, some of the best

tradition and prestige mean nothing. Build me a high quality, great handling, strong engine (2/3/4/5/6/8 cylinder) car and I'd consider it. Build it with a 6MT and I'll definitely consider it when I need that form factor

RWD/FWD/AWD doesn't matter.

I am the traditional BMW buyer, and I left the building a number of years ago. Today it is about the brand snout with sparkly lights and "I don't know the value of things, but I know their price".

BMW has no choice. If it is going to remain a stand-alone company, it has to expand its capacity. The problem is that BMW's inexperience with FWD shows too readily in the Mini Cooper. A Cooper S is darty and has torque steer that the GTI simply does not have. They should have inked a co-development agreement with Honda or Hyundai-Kia.

its not for the traditionalist. They are bringing in more clientel to their dealers. honda, toyota and hyundai drivers will consider them more than before.

54% of all new car sales last year were front wheel drive, only 12% rear wheel drive. FWD offers best packaging in compact classes where size matters. If you have driven a Mini you know FWD can be fun if done properly.

They didn't even have a model we could try sitting in at the autoshow.
Nice on the outside, Mini on the inside so I'd rather just buy a Mini and save myself some money, or get an actual BMW.

I'm getting dizzy from all of the spin on this forum. For years the anti-Audi brigade has harped on ad nauseum about them being FWD nose heavy pigs cheating with 4-banger turbos and AWD just to compete with BMW. Yet now BMW themselves resort to these very tactics, and suddenly it's "good" for the industry, HAHAHAHA!!!!

Valid point.

I think any Bimmerphile of yore would be quick to say that they're incredibly disappointed with the latest products being presented.

Essentially the only desirable products are the Ms. The rest are mass market vehicles just trying to gain more market share.

I agree with nytimes. Some people think BMW can do no wrong ever. I really don't care if they build FWD cars since there are people who will buy them and keep the company afloat. The world survives son Capitalism & free market and that's a good thing. It just won't be me they sell them to. Life is way to short to drive a FWD car. I've had too many of them and hope to never own another. There are so many good FWD cars out there if that's what one likes that I can't imagine paying BMW prices to own one.

Front wheel drive models may be the long term plan with the Toyota partnership. It wouldn't be a big surprise to see BMW turn production and some engineering over to Toyota for some of these. Variants can be Scion models. It is well known the most reliable GM model was the Vibe.