BMW to go all wheel drive route

[sigma]

Has anybody on here ever driven a 4WD BMW?

X5 and X3

I meant one that isn't currently available in 4WD over here at the moment.

 

[Billy 2 Sips]

The RS4 is 40:60 F:R split I believe, it does feel more RWD than FWD when pushing on, well until the nose starts to push wide like all Audi's!

Have you done any mods to try and counter the understeer Housey?

I have the H&R antil roll bars and it helps a lot with understeer, will be getting the KWv3 soon to hopefully get rid of it for good.

 

[Firestar_3x]

Who posted in the other thread that BMW will never sell an AWD 3 & 5 series in the UK again since its not worth the effort?

 

[PMKeates]

Who posted in the other thread that BMW will never sell an AWD 3 & 5 series in the UK again since its not worth the effort?

Me, and I stand by it. I haven't seen any proof yet

There's also little value in debating what kind of AWD it will be. They are already building them!

 

[Firestar_3x]

I felt the urge to stir the pot

 

[[TW]Fox]

Who posted in the other thread that BMW will never sell an AWD 3 & 5 series in the UK again since its not worth the effort?

To be fair...

citation needed imho.

 

[Howard]

Vauxhall Frontera, normally RWD. Can't use 4wd on grippy surfaces (non icy tarmac) though because there's no centre diff which causes the front axle to wind up and break.

Same with a Suzuki Jimny. And other softroaders/small offroaders as well I believe

 

[Billy 2 Sips]

Tbh I think it's the sensible thing to do considering most of my friends with RWD cars have had the most trouble these last 2-3 weeks.

Also they might even be able to keep up with the Audi's in the wet in the future aswell

 

[Firestar_3x]

Perhaps, let hope BMW can build an AWD system with some steering feel.

 

[antijoke]

To be fair...

citation needed imho.

Do you not think it will happen?

Or are you of the opinion that they will offer it as an option but very few people will actually choose the AWD option?

 

[sigma]

Perhaps, let hope BMW can build an AWD system with some steering feel.

That's pretty much what I was trying to ask (although I didn't really ask it heh).

 

[PMKeates]

A post of mine from a previous related thread:

Let me put it this way. In the last 5 years BMW have sold about 1,000,000 5 series globally. The UK accounts for 90,000 of those. Let's say that AWD 5 Series would be as popular here as they are in Sweden (obviously they wouldn't be), and that as much as a third of the people who want an executive car didn't buy a BMW because of RWD, and therefore buying an AWD BMW wouldn't cannibalise RWD sales. Do you know how many extra sales that makes? About 4,000. Not even half a percent, and on the basis that our climate suddenly turns Nordic, and on the basis that companies stop buying cars. Sure, if an AWD 5 Series works out in the UK, do it - but it's not worth putting any real investment in.

An AWD 3 or 5 Series would sell in virtually nil quantity to fleets, which make up a very large proportion of both models sales. Add to that the fact that even in Nordic countries the AWD versions sell far fewer than their RWD equivalents, and that most people will buy a RWD BMW rather than leaving BMW as a brand (and thus an AWD version just cannibalizes RWD sales), it's not a very convincing business case IMO.

 

[Firestar_3x]

Also given that AWD will put up emission and hence should increase your company car tax contributions i can't see them being sold in volume, but mind saying that it might be BMW responding to a small customer base in a hope to increase future sales?

 

[PMKeates]

Also given that AWD will put up emission and hence should increase your company car tax contributions i can't see them being sold in volume, but mind saying that it might be BMW responding to a small customer base in a hope to increase future sales?

Yup, there's going to be a 3-4% BIK difference on top of the additional ~£2000 purchase price.

It could be them responding to a niche consumer demand, but there's little value even in that. When they build an M3 or M5 to be sold in negligible numbers, they are generating a halo effect over the entire range. They keep a legendary series of cars going and they make the magazine headlines and television reviews. xDrive 5 Series? It's probably going to get reviewed and called rubbish compared to the RWD model. It's an investment for very little potential return or positive effect.

 

[antijoke]

It's an investment for very little potential return or positive effect.

Why would it be an investment for no return? Surely the AWD units that would be ordered here are exactly the same as the ones already sold all over the world?

 

[PMKeates]

Why would it be an investment for no return? Surely the AWD units that would be ordered here are exactly the same as the ones already sold all over the world?

Other than the RHD/LHD difference, yeah, they would be.

 

[Lum]

You know how 4x4 have 2wd (front) and 4wd, couldn't someone do the reverse? So RWD and AWD selectable?

If you have an electronically controlled centre diff then this is just a software or wiring issue. I doubt BMW would go for a big clunky mechanical 2H/4H lever like in an offroader.

FWIW my 1993 Cefiro is selectable between RWD and AWD simply by removing a fuse, as are the AWD Skylines. Some owners fit a switch to make this easier, since it's safe to change it while driving. It's not a new feature.

I guess BMW need to add a 4WD option since the snow is allegedly going to get worse over the next 10 years and lets be honest, the typical buyer of a new BMW (Fox et. al. are not typical BMW drivers) don't have the slightest clue how to drive an RWD car even in the dry.

 

[PMKeates]

Other than the RHD/LHD difference, yeah, they would be.

To further emphasise how difficult it may be, in Japan you can buy a 325i xDrive. Japan is a right-hand-drive market. The xDrive is imported as left-hand-drive.

 

[Clarkey]

Practically all European prestige imports to Japan are LHD, that's because it's seen as a status symbol though.

 

[PMKeates]

Practically all European prestige imports to Japan are LHD, that's because it's seen as a status symbol though.

Only the upper parts of the ranges. Most of the other BMW 3 models are right-hand-drive except for the 335i, and the xDrive on the 325i is definitely not a status symbol.