[pawan_pullarwar]

BMW is testing their first front wheel drive car, it will be positioned below BMW 1 series.

Below images/link are copied from Deutsche yahoo page.

Erstmals fotografiert: BMW mit Frontantrieb - Yahoo! Autos

[issigonis]

>>>

This is worse than sacrilege Sir.

First, the bowing out of hydraulic steering.
Second, the downsizing of engines, with morbid thoughts of the passing away of the legendary in line sixes from Bimmer's stable.

And now this.

What is the world coming to? Should we expect a downgraded M3 next?

I suspect a foreign hand - the hand of the two fastest growing (but not necessarily petrolhead) economies in this.

BMW, et tu brute?

The world will be a lot more mundane, more dull and a lesser place, if all these three things happen.

Regards, drive safe

[FlyingSpur]

Eh? Below the 1 Series?

I echo issigonis' sentiments here. BMWs with FWD, 3-cylinder engines, and over-assisted steering? Soon, the world will be full of the BMW 0.5 16d, and it will become their best seller. Tragic.

[MaserQ]

That is the future i-series from BMW. The 'i' series denotes all upcoming hybrid, electric and alternative fuel vehicles from the BMW stable.

http://www.bmw-i-usa.com/en_us/concept/

[GTO]

Originally Posted by FlyingSpur

FWD, 3-cylinder engines, and over-assisted steering

Sounds more like a WagonR or an Alto to me. I hope BMW leaves whatever they've been smoking soon; a brand with that kind of positioning does not need to be everything to everyone (leave it to Toyota). Such experiments will terribly dilute the marque value.

[rxpaul]

Dear BMW,
I am shocked ! Please, please don't do this. As GTO said, please leave FWD to the Japs. Don't get into this. What would you really gain out of this.This is suicidal. I hope and pray your fwd concept never sells.

[AlphaKilo]

BMW is working on a FWD. So now the Mercs front wheel architecture has some competition then. But the car looks to be a modified BMW 1.

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by rxpaul

Dear BMW,
I am shocked ! Please, please don't do this. As GTO said, please leave FWD to the Japs. Don't get into this. What would you really gain out of this.This is suicidal. I hope and pray your fwd concept never sells.

Ahem, they may have popularised it, but don't put the FWD badge on Japs, put them on the Euros,they made it.
Coming to the matter, i lost all faith when Merc said that an all-new FWD platform was made to replace the failed sandwich one.
And at the back of that came the BMW news of a FWD platform. All those days i was cursing the Recession and all for taking away still-born RWD platforms but didn't even in my wildest dreams think that BMW would do a FWD.
Then came the news that the new 5-er had gone E class with diluted character while the latter was trying to become the former.
Then the 3 pot engines. But consoled that it was only in the FWD family.
Then the biggest blasphemy of all, after the FWD introduction, came that the evergreen M3 was going to have an V6 heart.
All this when Toyota is going to revive the AE-86 legacy and FWD only Hyundai tasting success with the Genesis family and rival Audi going to launch a RWD coupe(though it's mid engined)
Sorry for the long post, couldn't control. (sob)

[vb-saan]

Albeit a sad case, this looks like the future.

In the next few years, we may see those legendary in-line 6 engines a fond memory, M3 / M5 with 4 cylinder engines, and regular BMWs running on 3-pot motors – and many of that could be a FWD.

I am not getting why BMW is departing from its essential DNA. And they may change the tagline to “Joy is a compromise”

[pawan_pullarwar]

Today I had a talk with my German colleague who has very good knowledge on auto mobiles, and he says that BMW is going to use Prince engine (Prince is the code name of the engine which are jointly developed by BMW and PSA Peugeot Citron). These engines are completely developed by Peugeot Citron in their France facility.

So he says he would prefer buying Peugeot car because for the same price he will get more features, may be more powerful engine.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by pawan_pullarwar

Today I had a talk with my German colleague who has very good knowledge on auto mobiles, and he says that BMW is going to use Prince engine (Prince is the code name of the engine which are jointly developed by BMW and PSA Peugeot Citron). These engines are completely developed by Peugeot Citron in their France facility.

So he says he would prefer buying Peugeot car because for the same price he will get more features, may be more powerful engine.

Quite possible. This is the engine which powers a host of cars like the Mini, Citroen C4, Peugeot 3008 etc. In future I can foresee BMW doing a VW group – same cars sold in different brand names.

And I agree with your friend. If BMW goes by that path, buying a Peugeot makes much more sense.

[lucifer1881]

Somehow FWD layout makes me feel shortchanged, cheated even. When the Premier Padmini could come in a RWD layout at an affordable price, I do not understand why a Fiesta or a Manza should come in the FWD layout. I can still live with cars priced below 10 lacs coming with the FWD layout but I think it is unpardonable if cars priced north of 10 lacs do not have RWD.

If they price this FWD Beamer below 10 lacs then I suppose it is okay for it to have a FWD layout. Otherwise, it is pure sacrilege.

PS: FWD generation, you have absolutely no idea what you are missing. Get hold of a Padmini in good condition and you will know what I mean.

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by lucifer1881

Somehow FWD layout makes me feel shortchanged, cheated even. When the Premier Padmini could come in a RWD layout at an affordable price, I do not understand why a Fiesta or a Manza should come in the FWD layout. I can still live with cars priced below 10 lacs coming with the FWD layout but I think it is unpardonable if cars priced north of 10 lacs do not have RWD.

If they price this FWD Beamer below 10 lacs then I suppose it is okay for it to have a FWD layout. Otherwise, it is pure sacrilege.

PS: FWD generation, you have absolutely no idea what you are missing. Get hold of a Padmini in good condition and you will know what I mean.

but absolutely
Other than the long term maintenance cost and driving comfort, this is one factor that makes me hate FWD, some what like the company is making use of us. me stupid!!! Especially the VWs and Audis. Come on these are premium cars and whats the use of a longitudinal engine with FWD???

[MaserQ]

Originally Posted by rxpaul

I am shocked ! Please, please don't do this. As GTO said, please leave FWD to the Japs. Don't get into this. What would you really gain out of this.This is suicidal. I hope and pray your fwd concept never sells.

What would be suicidal for BMW and other auto companies is if they fail to invest in vehicles that run on anything but combustion engines. FWD or not, it had to happen sometime.

Its not as if the 5 & 7-series and the M badge are all going FWD. The i-series is positioned below the 1-series and hence a FWD configuration is better suited for interior space utilization in smaller cars. One possible benefit would be that future i-series beemers might have a bit more (leg)room in the rear with compact transmission tunnels, minus the drive shafts.

[pawan_pullarwar]

Originally Posted by MaserQ

That is the future i-series from BMW. The 'i' series denotes all upcoming hybrid, electric and alternative fuel vehicles from the BMW stable.

BMW i Concept - BMW i. Born Electric.

Originally Posted by MaserQ

What would be suicidal for BMW and other auto companies is if they fail to invest in vehicles that run on anything but combustion engines. FWD or not, it had to happen sometime.

Its not as if the 5 & 7-series and the M badge are all going FWD. The i-series is positioned below the 1-series and hence a FWD configuration is better suited for interior space utilization in smaller cars. One possible benefit would be that future i-series beemers might have a bit more (leg)room in the rear with compact transmission tunnels, minus the drive shafts.

i-series is totally different than what we are discussing in this thread. The i-series has electric motor.

This front wheel drive will have 3 or 4 pot diesel/petrol engine from Peugeot-Citron.