BMW FANS: BMW will share platforms.

It's not atall a bad move.Infact it will boost the image of BMW.Sounds good.

JUGNU

Lol.. I hope they they change the name from "Phantom" to "9-series"

Not a bad thing at all. This can only help BMW's image.

It's funny how distorted the commentary on this site is, thanks to BMW drivers convincing everyone that black is white and up is down. BMW drivers have created a reality on Autospies where platform sharing is bad (until BMW does it), Japanese horsepower doesn't matter (until the 335 comes out), Audi turbo is a cheat (ditto), Japanese reliability is unimportant (until CR puts the 3-series on their reco list). BMW is a small slice of the pie in the grand scheme of the auto world. Only on this site have they convinced nearly everyone that BMW leads the way.

It is all a matter of perspective.

Truth (and this even hurts me... I love the CL): Mercedes-Benz reliability has NOT changed. I remember another poster had said in another blog that another poster should not buy a new S-Class because it would break down on them and that they should buy an LS instead. Well on my drive home from university today, you know what was holding traffic up? A silver 2006 S 550 parked in the middle of the 4-lane blvd. This really hurts me to say, because as much as I want to love MB because of their rich heritage, breathtaking new styling, and luxurious and classy interiors, I am afraid to ever put my money down on one because I have that wretched feeling inside me that I am going to be attached, at least for some period of time, to a car I cannot say is very dependable. It is like owning a timebomb. There is not going to be that feeling of security like you feel in a Lexus, because odds are, I will never see an LS in the middle of the road with the hood up refusing to drive with the owner on the cell phone with a depressed look on their face.

Plus,
turbos suck, until BMW gets one
all wheel drive is useless, until its an option on every other BMW
SUV's are for fat lazy Americans, until BMW relies on them for their sales gains

Wonderful analysis, crackity. It's exactly like that- and I, for one, am sick of it.

When the Conti GT got a W12 from the Phaeton/A8 (albeit it was twin-turbocharged) and was on their platform, everyone scoffed. But now that the baby Roller is on a 7 Series platform, it's perfectly fine, of course.

Same with all the other points. Some of the people on this website are such hipocrites!

Ouch.

...but, it could also hurt Rolls Royce's image.

VERY nicely put Crackityjones! what happened to automotive enthusiasts having respect for other car makers...not just one. BMW is not, and will not be the final authority of the automotive world.

Personally, i'm a Honda/Acura fan, but i have respect for Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Lotus, and a plethora of other brands....but i don't crap on the brands that aren't on that list. ...it's called being realistic and polite.

i love it, just one more bit of BMW fans' hypocrisy. i love it. did i say that already? i love it

MDalle you are right most people who buy these cars don't care about platform sharing. I don't care about platform sharing. But some BMW fans, if not most, are always flying high on the BMW independence and BMW not sharing platforms. Maybe people haven't realized this, but BMW can't share any platforms because they don't have anyone to share with, until now with RR.

i dont see what the fuss is about, its not like the 3 series platform will be shared with RR, perhaps the 7.

It's because everyone made fun of the Bentley Continental cars being based off of the A8/Phaeton.

Kart1,

BMW has been involved with RR since the mid 90's and took ownership in 2000, so until now does not quiet fit.

Sharing with the top Luxury brand is different then Infiniti/Nissan/Renult. Acura/Honda, Chevy/GMC/Cadilliac, MB/chrysler. BMW is doing luxury to luxury. I leave out Toyota/Lexus because both are excellent products, they engineer a good base product from the start and most if not all pieces you see or touch are different or upgraded.

"Sharing with the top Luxury brand is different then Infiniti/Nissan/Renult. Acura/Honda, Chevy/GMC/Cadilliac, MB/chrysler. BMW is doing luxury to luxury."

Couldnt have said it better.


G

Yes, and people accuse Audi of "sharing up", as in VW giving Audi parts, but it's actually the other way around. Audi develops most of VAG's widely used engines, specifically every engine with FSI in the entire VW Group, as well as the W12 engine and DSG.

And, although BMW fans made fun of Bentley, how is the A8/Phaeton giving the Conti GT a platform NOT sharing luxury to luxury?

people like kart 1, chewy, germannut try so hard to make brands like audi and lexus on the same level as BMW and Benz. Platform sharing there is nothing wrong with platform sharing, it just that audi is based off of cheap ass VW. BMW is a premium brand, Rolls is super premium. BMW is the owner of their company they own rolls and mini. VW owns their company audi is one their brands like seat, skoda, bentley, etc. Much like Ford and GM. The VW golf comes in Audi A3 TT, VW beetle, seat and Skoda versons.

Who gives a damn about platform sharing? The average auto buyer sure doesn't.

If the new Audi A8 shared a platform with a VW Beetle that wouldn't stop me from getting the Audi.

What does matter is that end product is a good one. This is only bad news if you care what some people on autospies.com think.

BMW fans care. Or at least they used to. this is just too good. i love it. i love it, and in case you missed my point, i love it!!

"people like kart 1, chewy, germannut try so hard to make brands like audi and lexus on the same level as BMW and Benz. Platform sharing there is nothing wrong with platform sharing, it just that audi is based off of cheap ass VW. BMW is a premium brand, Rolls is super premium. BMW is the owner of their company they own rolls and mini. VW owns their company audi is one their brands like seat, skoda, bentley, etc. Much like Ford and GM. The VW golf comes in Audi A3 TT, VW beetle, seat and Skoda versons."

This whole comment is wrong, wrong, wrong.

You state that there is nothing wrong with platform sharing, and mention the "cheap ass VW". Gee, I wonder why VW is the most powerful brand in Europe? Oh, that's right, it's because they're a leading company. They are more times than not the technology leaders (Audi actually develops most of the cooler tech they have). VWs are the most premium of entry level brands, by quite a margin. Look at a loaded Passat next to a loaded Mazda6 and you'll see what I mean.

Audi owns Lamborghini and SEAT, which are very similar to RR and Mini, except Lamborghini sells more, and I believe SEAT does, too.

What's wrong with the Golf? Do you think I care that you think I'm driving a 344hp Jetta? Okay... I have to take my $65K 344hp Jetta cabrio to work now... excuse me.

vw is most definitely the most premium volume manufacturer in europe.
will the upper middle classes wouldn't been seen dead in a toyota/renault/honda etc, a vw golf is the perfect city car. thats why the a3, 1 series and a class sell, premium small cars are in demand for urbanites.

Larry, thanks to BMW, Rolls-Royce the once heralded and untouchable brand is now shared with a BMW 7-series.

That makes me sick.

Yes, Larry, the RR is now just going to be "another" car. Doesn't that make you sick? It SHOULD make you sick if you play by your own rules! There is NOTHING unique about that - playing by your own rules.

You people have way too many double standards. When other manufacuterers do it then it completley sucks, but when BMW does exactly the same thing then the issue is completley fine. I have seen some of you make so many bad comments about platform sharing with Toyota/Lexus and Audi/VW, what happened now??? A8 is the same platform as Bentley CGT - is that not Luxury

See basically, Larry, what you are saying is that it is okay for BMW and MB to do certain things, but when Lexus and Audi do it then it is a bad thing. Come on - how do you justify that??? Just because MB and BMW have been around longer they get excused from all of your rules regarding a true premium brand??? Your bias knows no limit.

"Just because MB and BMW have been around longer they get excused from all of your rules regarding a true premium brand??"

The rest of your comment was very good, but actually, both Horch and Audi were formed before BMW.

Thank you BMW for taking perhaps the world's most recognized and prestigous mark with Rolls-Royce and turning it into a brand that shares parts with a car in the sub $100K category.

Awesome, BMW is tarnishing its image for ruining the image of Rolls-Royce and turning it into a car for mere those who are faux rich, instead of keeping Rolls-Royce as an exclusive mark above the $300K mark.

Thank you BMW for taking perhaps the world's most recognized and prestigous mark with Rolls-Royce and turning it into a brand that shares parts with a car in the sub $100K category.

Awesome, BMW is tarnishing its image for ruining the image of Rolls-Royce and turning it into a car for mere those who are faux rich, instead of keeping Rolls-Royce as an exclusive mark above the $300K mark.

Logical, but BMW is sharing parts though. No more of your independent nonsense.

At least Volkswagen has not ruined a prestigious brand the way BMW is going to with Rolls-Royce.

Congratulations BMW on totally screwing up your half of the Rolls-Royce & Bentley split!

A Rolls-Royce for under $300K???????

What the hell is BMW thinking???

Now it's middle managers, rap wannabees and not even millionaires who will drive the affordable Rolls-Royce.

BMW, why in the hell did you have to make the Rolls-Royce affordable???

You have just ruined the credibility of the world's most exclusive brand.

Actually the sweetspot right now is the $100k to $200k range. It is pretty wild to pull into a retail parking lot and see three Bentleys in a row. They are selling alot cars in this price range now.

I respect bentley, I would love to have the new bentley GTC , I know it shares many vw parts just like Bugatti and Lamborghi, and i know most auto makers share parts, but you audi and lexus fans want to put on par with BMW, BMW makes better products than Audi, BMW makes better products than Lexus, BMW has more prestige and reputation that sometimes rivals Mercedes.

pure opinion, and does not change the fact. BMW will be platform sharing, and until a few hours ago, that was one of the last things a BMW fanatic could cling to (that and something about a magical feel, like some kind of hallucinogenic PCP trip or some such nonsense)

Exactly, toyotamarc... Larry, that's very, very opinionated.

It is in no way fact that BMW and MBZ are better than Audi and Lexus. There are a few people who can attest to that.

Of course Logical. Volkswagen parts are god awful, Check the thread on the Bugatti. If you don't have respect for that car, you are the worst car enthusiast ever.

After all, the Bugatti is the fastest mass-produced car in the world with a price tag much higher than anything Rolls-Royce can mass-produce.

BMW rivaling Mercedes?

Larry, get off of Uranus (literally).

Two drastically different philosophies.

Logical when I drive a BMW I will continue to support both brands that will make you feel like a real winner then...

Well, Logical has mentioned many times he is not an enthusiast. He is stuck on several factors Reliability and soft ride and pseudo- luxury feel are what he is looking for in a car. He could care less how his car responds at speeds outside a school zone.

Nothing wrong with that, but to approach him with an enthusiast mindset will be doomed the argument to failure. He simple will not entertain any views other than his own.

BMW does not rival MB in prestige.

Not a problem. The under chassis of a 1995 525i model is still solid and you don't feel as if its loose or what as compared to other cars that age. This platform sharing will either start a new trend for BMW or will be the last if it doesn't live up to expectations.

could be good for BMW's image. But honestly i don't see the reason why to pay 2 or 3 times more for a Rolls. The Engine is BMW and now also the platform!
Just becasue of the name!!!!!!!!?

Hmmm...I tought it would be platform modules that they would share.

MDalle, you have no idea do you! Apart from the special strengthened 7 speed DSG gearbox that VW have Ricardo make for the Veyron, the rest of the development, including that for the W16 engine (a motor ONLY made by VAG) and the car's design and engineering, was done by the Volkswagen subsidery Bugatti Engineering GmbH at the VW headquarters at Wolfsburg.

It is true that it doesn't share anything specifically with other VW brands, but would you want to see anything other than bespoke stuff in an 800,000E vehicle???

Except.....what MDalle? Oh yeah that's right. Which company owns the fastest car in the world? I thought so and you all thought Rolls-Royce with its $350,000 price tag was something to get happy about.

Logical, please there is no need for you to publicize your desire to own a grand fleet of BMWs the way we do.

Again, stop dreaming of owning a current up to date flagship of a certain series (3, 5, X or 7).

Seriously, your adoration for my collection of BMWs is getting a bit out-of-hand here.

Don't be jealous of those who are above and beyond your economic status. Instead look up to us and say t yourself, "I'm willing to do what it takes to get there."

I know you look up to me, but I ask that you keep your adoration of my vehicles to yourself.

Don't look now, GermanNut is making himself into a jackass again. Ah, Octoberfest!!!

Could we all please stop discussing what cars posters here may or may not have? We need to spend more time discussing how the various Euro brands suck and how Lexus has no prestige.

Thanks.

ah again with the prestige. Some Euro brands suck. Isn't platform sharing and part sharing the reason why people here said that VW/Audi suck??? Also Lexus has been around for less than 20 years - thats why it sucks??? Is that all you have left. I am really happy that BMW doesn't have people like you in their executive office, otherwise they'd be bankrupt.

It was a joke.

I will not allow another poster to think that I drive a tricycle, simple as that. If he stops with the tricycle comments, I will stop with mine.

Hey kart1, don't you know sarcasm? I am a fan of cars in general. I like various Audis, BMWs, etc. I own a couple of Lexus models and find the "prestige" arguement to be a silly one.

Are you desperate to debate, or are you just that stupid? I'm making fun of the incessant arguing over which automaker is best and all the dumb justifications people use.

Remember when autospies.com was about car news?

Well I'm a BMW fan, I am pretty sure I've never had a go about platform sharing.

I'm not too bothered about this at all.

What you people fail to realise is the quantity built affects the price of a car alot more than qaulity.

Take for example a simple interior part, a plastic switch or button - just the plastic bit. To injection-mould that bit of plastic requires a tool that probably costs £20,000. That cost for that one part is apportioned over a certain number of vehicles... if that's 200,000 cars thats £0.10 per car. If that tool is used to make a switch for a car where they'll only produce 1000, then thats £20.00 per car. Now, thats just a little plastic switch.... imagine how many components there are on a car, and multiply it up....

... yet the "quality of material" used is probably the same.

This is why sharing parts is sooo desirable, and doesn't actually affect quality (assuming it wasn't crap in the first place) - all it does is give a perceived lower value, and less uniqueness.

Now, I'm not a plastic moulder by the way - I do buy from, and sell to them though.

It's also worth mentioning that different car manufacturers have different standards - but again this is not always representative of the quality of materials or design involved. I've had some manufacturers refuse to take parts because they are in the wrong shaped boxes before - so we buy new boxes especially for these parts - and thats EVEN more cost that's loaded onto the part cost.

These are just to examples, there are hundreds. I'm not going to say who's who, but in the last ten years I have supplied/worked with/done work for... Bentley (and RR&B MC), MG/Rover, Jaguar, Land Rover, Triumph, Kia, Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Dae-woo, Mercedes, Mclaren Mercedes (I've even personally hand made bits for the SLR when the machine went down)... and a long list of other OEM's

Anyway.. end of rant... please bare stuff like this in mind..

the button thing, i think thats why bmw went i drive.
the cost of all those buttons must have been more than the screen and controller.

Why does BMW have to basically bring down the most heralded mark in all of the auto-world into a car that can be reached by mere faux rich people?

The current BMW X5 shares its platform with a Land Rover platform they borrowed and called X drive. they never tell the world that secret so that we can think that they are independent.

The current BMW X5 shares its platform with a Land Rover platform they borrowed and called X drive. they never tell the world that secret so that we can think that they are independent.

The current BMW X5 shares its platform with a Land Rover platform they borrowed and called X drive. they never tell the world that secret so that we can think that they are independent.

ok, sry. I guess I got caught up in the moment.

sorry!

KeyserSoze wrote :

The current BMW X5 shares its platform with a Land Rover platform they borrowed and called X drive. they never tell the world that secret so that we can think that they are independent.
---------------------------------------------------


WRONG.

The E53 X5 used the E39 5 series platform.
The E70 X5 of today is based on the E60 5 series platform.

Also about the RR pricing.
The 150 000 to 200 000 USD are is to be covered either
by BMW or Aston Martin, if they'll buy it.

adoptgreyhounds- bmw is not actually doing luxury to luxury. rr is considered an ultra-luxury brand.

answer-the average auto buyer isn't going to buy a rr, more likely to buy a bmw and then, if they knew about platform sharing they would be pleased beacuse they paid for a car closely related to a rr yet nowhere near the price of one.

the reason why many bmw fans have criticised toyota/lexus is that when you pay the extra money for a lex and you still get "toyota quality" the point of buying a luxury car has gone. the lex badge has little prestige (but that will increase in the future) and bmw fans think that buying a toyota is the same as buying a lexus. criticisim of vw/audi/bentley is probably a quality issue. in one of Hammond's books he says something along the lines of, "scratch any piece of furniture in a stately home and you will find more wood underneath. scratch a bentley continental GT and you will find a vw lurking close to the surface". in essence, you are paying for a vw. a rr phantom has been built completely from scratch and doesnt share many bmw parts whereas a new maybach is just a heap of merc s-class parts.

that is just what i think anyway.i could be wrong...


let the criticism from s4,1940toyotamarc and the other bmw haters now flow like a river.

You know it's funny. I look at all of these childish postings from BMW backers that blast certain technologies until BMW implements them. Then all of the sudden, not only is it great, they try to convince us all that BMW came up with them!

Well i drive a current a BMW 750Li and i mean its got one of the finest chassis out there, it drives like any car should drive and superbly alive during the drive as well communitcating its every move and in corners its flat and in complete control... you never have to guess where things are going or what will happen cause the chassis just communicates every lil move with you ur in complete controland every driving aid u culd possibly need is meticously and precisely helping maintain this control of a car over 2 tons!!!! The steering is quite amazing there no real different from going from my oldmans M5 to my 7 series (well cept for the incredicle speed difference and jetlike take off) and as ive stated in a previous post i drove the RS4 yesterday and the only thing i didnt like was its steering... When a BIG long wheel base sedan can feel more secure and communicative there something wrong... but no im gonna go the otherway.... the AUDI has fine steering its just im use to the aliveness and complete dependability of the 7 series... the fact that i parralel park one of these everytime i go to work across a very busy street just proves my complete belief in the car.... SO what im saying is the next generation 7 is on nearly all account going to better then the one ive got now..... I don't see the problem with Rolls Royce sharing this platform??? It's only the mother all automakers names onto a great chassis!!!!

Platform sharing is not a problem, what is a problem is when cars that share platforms are 85% aesthetically identical a la audi-vw's, lexus-toyotas, maybach-benz, honda-acura, etc. This is what IMO reduces the personality of the cars, it's like having a less expensive version or a stripped down version of the original or if looking at it vice verca, it's like having a more expensive version of a cheaper car. When Bentley shares a platform with the Phaeton, it is not the same case as a Phaeton and A8 looking quite identical. The new RR will look nothing like a BMW, inside and out and will maintain it's image, prestige and individuality.
Also remember BMW is a business, money comes first in all businesses, sometimes maintaining heritage and individuality must be sacrificed to bring the bacon home. Businesses always look for ways to expand their markets and get richer, increasing their market base via lowering prices is just a method out of many.

Well the only vehicles that Toyota shares a platform now is the Avalon/ES350 and Landcruise/LX470.
They don't share the IS/GS/SC or LS because Toyota no longer make rwd cars in the U.S...

I think the platform merge with BMW and Rolls will hurt Rolls in the long run...

Avalon is not shared with any Lexus. The ES 350 shares with the Camry.

In Japan, there were IS, GS, ES, SC, LS, RX, GX, LX models as Toyotas (just a different badge, really). IS was Altezza, LS was Celsior, ES was Windom, etc.. Now, the IS, LS, GS, LS are all exclusive to Lexus. SC is also the Soarer, but that changes when the new model is released. Same goes for RX (Harrier, I believe), GX, and LX.

A "Smaller" Phantom that costs as much as the larger Phantom? That Makes sense.

Nope, it will be 100k to 150k cheaper

i hate mercs with a fuming passion!!! Mercedice Benz sucks. i really dont knoe why i just hate them so much.

I Love BMW.
M power forever!!!!