	omarrana I hooked up my accelerator to my brake lights. I hit the gas, people behind me stop, and I'm gone.
	View My AgentPage

Report: BMW planning a FWD small car for 2010

omarrana submitted on 07/18/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 1:31 PM
from: www.egmcartech.com

[28] user comments | category: New Cars

Print this Page |

Digg It |

del.icio.us

Tags: BMW, Mini

Tag Links: BMW, Mini

Report: BMW planning a FWD small car for 2010

Who would’ve thought we’d see the day when BMW produces a front-wheel-drive car; well that day may come in 2010. According to a report by Automobilwoche, BMW is planning a small front-wheel-drive car that will be a direct rival to the Audi A1.

The car is expected to measure 3.75 meters, sharing the basis of the MINI Cooper. CO2 emissionsis are to remain well under 100 g/km... Read Article

Comments:

Images hosted in your AgentSpace can now be posted in the comments section using the following syntax (case matters):
[img]IMAGE URL[/img]
Example: [img]http://agent004.myautospies.com/users/150/Sample-Gallery/sample1.JPG[/img]

Rupert - 7/18/2007 1:44:02 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

DON'T.

PLEASE.

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

reply to this comment

EnnNorak - 7/19/2007 10:25:50 AM

0 Boost

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?

Agent009 - 7/18/2007 1:51:40 PMView My AgentSpace

+5 Boost

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.

reply to this comment

rg12345 - 7/18/2007 2:22:20 PM

+1 Boost

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.

reply to this comment

Will_ - 7/18/2007 5:13:59 PM

+3 Boost

lol.

reply to this comment

Kinger - 7/19/2007 5:50:30 AM

+1 Boost

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.

reply to this comment

cckw - 7/18/2007 2:06:45 PM

+3 Boost

Can anyone says Mercedes Benz A-Klass?

reply to this comment

SevorbeupstryIsBack - 7/18/2007 2:23:43 PM

0 Boost

Hahaha don't believe a word of it!

reply to this comment

daytonaviolet - 7/18/2007 2:28:44 PM

-1 Boost

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?

reply to this comment

07mcs - 7/18/2007 3:32:29 PM

+1 Boost

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

Larry - 7/18/2007 3:46:21 PM

-1 Boost

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

reply to this comment

mini22 - 7/18/2007 4:02:05 PM

+1 Boost

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.

reply to this comment

ashramboy - 7/18/2007 8:19:30 PM

+1 Boost

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

reply to this comment

david989 - 7/18/2007 8:50:30 PM

+1 Boost

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

reply to this comment

MunichRob - 7/18/2007 9:10:00 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

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

reply to this comment

atomicbri - 7/18/2007 11:24:50 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

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.

Rupert - 7/19/2007 8:47:07 AMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

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.

dwatson - 7/18/2007 10:46:20 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

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.

reply to this comment

4wheelsnme - 7/19/2007 2:18:24 PM

+2 Boost

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...

reply to this comment

Rupert - 7/19/2007 5:07:52 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

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.

MrGunFun - 7/19/2007 2:36:08 PMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

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

reply to this comment

S4cabriofoxone - 7/19/2007 10:00:23 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

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.

reply to this comment

To post a comment for this story, you must first Login.

If you do not have an account, you will need to Register (It's Free!).

Most Recent Stories

GM Says It Will Sacrific SAAB, Saturn, Hummer, And Hobble Pontiac For Federal Funds Nissan Sales Sour By 44.4% In November: Infiniti Drops 28.0% UPDATED: Audi Sales Ends The Free Ride By Skidding 25.4% In November DETROIT AUTO SHOW: Audi Flexes It's Muscle And Is Set To Debut V10 R8 Sports-Car Honda Civic sales down nearly 30%, Toyota Highlander sales up nearly 50%Chrysler Outpaces GM To The Bottom Of The Heap: November Sales Fall 47%Ford Asks Congress For $9 Billion In Stand By Credit But Has No Plans To Use It GM Sales Out Does Them All In A Bad Way: Sales Implode 41.3% In November 2010 Nissan GT-R Spec V Reportedly Will Cost $160,000 but Not Get More hp Jaguar and Land Rover in Big Trouble as Tata on the Bubble Mercedes Benz Sales Crumble 38.2% In November Mazda Sales Tank 31.3% For November Hyundai Makes Everyone Else Look Good In November By Falling 40%Porsche and BMW to Halt Production Honda Sales Falter 30.6% In November: Acura Freefalls 38.9%The World Bids Farewell to the Yugo BMW Sales Plummet 36.1% Mini Sales Explode 43.1% In November GM Ceases All Corporate Jet Flights: To Sell Remaining Jets Toyota Sales Spiral In November Down 33.9%: Lexus Basement Bound Down 34.7%FOMOCO Sales Continue To Flatline: Down 30.6% In November Volkswagen Finally Fumbles In 2008: November Sales Drop 19.2%Japanese and South Korean Car Sales Plummet in November Comparison Test: 2008 BMW M5 vs. 2009 Cadillac CTS-V vs. 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63 The Big Three Bailout According to SNL Nissan 370Z goes from 0 to 60 in the same time as the BMW M3 Mulally chooses Escape Hybrid for D.C. road trip Fisker to unveil production Karma Hybrid in Detroit Toyota Halts Production And Cuts Management Bonuses To Maintain Positive Cashflow Chrysler says 2011 Charger and 300 will pass fuel-economy standards 2009 GMC Yukon XL Denali FORD CEO Alan Mulally Will Drive to Washington D.C. To BEG For Money - But What Car Will He Drive To D.C.? His Lexus, OR Perhaps Maybe a Ford Product?Industry Sales Likely To Be Down 28% In November GM May Fare Worse Lotus Evora order list includes 007 and Top Gear hosts Everyone Is On A Budget, But Are These 5 Your Choice To Keep Living Large?Could The Detroit Recovery Plan Really As Simple As Merging In To One?Fiat Abarth 500 receives Top Gear’s “Best Hot Hatch” award Detroit Tells UAW They Can No Longer Pay For Idled Workers To Play Checkers 2010 Porsche Panamera auto show debut delayed Swedish Government Confirms Discussions With Volvo and SAAB BMW not putting MINI E into mass-production Top Gear Car of the Year 2008 award goes to VW Scirocco New Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X FQ-400: Limited Edition with 405HP 2009 Nissan 370Z Driven in Japan 2010 Jaguar XF-R spotted nearly finished UAW wants limits on carmakers' executive pay Does It Hurt The BMW Brand Image When They Are Being Sold At Costco?2008 Essen Motor Show: Vw unveils Touareg North Sails Edition Carlsson releases limited edition automatic watch Video: 2009 Mini Cooper Cabrio in action Porsche Museum to open its gates on 31 January 2009

More Recently Added News

Join AutoSpies

Photo Galleries

AutoSpies presents the best Auto Show Photos, Automotive Videos, Car Reviews and Hot Rides.

Latest Galleries

Cars

Auto Shows

More Galleries