When will BMW import 4WD 3/5 series?

[mikeh501]

Those who have been to north America can't have missed the fact you see numerous "X" designation 3 and 5 series saloons and estates, which are 4wd models. Now obviously we don't have as much adverse weather as some parts of the US but given the last two winters you'd have thought BMW UK would be thinking seriously about it.

So would you buy a 4WD non-suv BMW? You think they will ever distribute them? Or should BMW leave that niche to audi? Seems to me they fill every other niche so why not this one?

 

[mikeh501]

No, i would not want a 4WD BMW. They are slower than the RWD versions, less economical, and I don't need a 4WD vehicle.

Fai enuff, but I'm sure others would. Any insight on why BMW haven't previously brought them in?

 

[mikeh501]

I think the demand would be more than zero though fox, and also likely to cannibalise sales of x3/x5 etc, and some incremental sales from the likes of audi and subaru maybe.

Seems to me that BMW build a car for nearly every possible niche and some you don't even think are niches until BMW create them, like the 5GT, so why not offer the 4wd 3/5 series I wonder. Patently they have the money so why not just offer them. I assume they are good?

 

[mikeh501]

Problem with many modern 4WD cars is that they fit wide high performance tyres which actually makes 4WD cars not a great choice for winter. Also there is the loss of MPG to consider. if people want 4WD, might as well go all out and buy one of the increasing X range (X1, X3, X5, X6)

IMO, RWD + winter tyres should handle anything our climate throws at it. 4WD + wide high performance tyres may give some peope a fall sense of security (oh, it's 4WD and it's snowing, we can drive normally).

A RWD car fitted with winter tyres will cope with snow better than a sporty 4WD fitted with performance summer tyres and will be miles better under braking! So comparing BMW models, a BMW 3 series fitted with winters will cope better than an X5 on OEM tyres.

Yeah but people are lazy so only the tiniest minority is going to stick winter tyres on. Also think your wrong on the 4wd front, it makes a huge huge difference summer tyres or not. It's made a difference between being snowed in or getting to work on numerous occasions the last 2 years for me.

 

[mikeh501]

Look at Audi. Most people buy the Quattro variant only when its the only choice.

There are more FWD A6's than Quattro ones..

Id guess your correct but it could be other factors, like the cheaper models all being Fwd, and those sell proportionally more than the more expensive models which are predominantly 4wd. Hard to pick apart the buyers choice by sales alone I think.

 

[mikeh501]

The compromise isn't just from a driving dynamics point of view. What about the fact it saps the performance of the car, it chews through additional fuel and it wears it's tyres quicker?

I think it depends on the car, but i'd rather have the quattro system on my A6 than have a FWD variant (even if you could have the same engine). I find it makes the car far more sure footed in the wet/dry and makes winter a complete doddle. I dont find it suffers much on the traffic light "GP" either, with the ability to just select S mode and plant the throttle; but maybe thats as much to do with the auto box as being 4wd.

Wear tyres quicker? my personal experience says otherwise (currently at 24k on my first set of tyres with 4mm to go) but its also counterintuitive, no?