World To End: BMW Working on FWD Car

  • Thread starter Joey D
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I have no problem with the platform sharing, just with the names :)

12 years ago, a E430 really had a 4,3l engine and a BMW 530 3.0l engine.

Now they just crunch up the numbers because people think a E350 CDI sounds more impressive then E300 CDI Sport or so.
 
It's not really to make it "sound more impressive", it's to imply differences in outputs when most engines are based on the same unit.

BMW sells the same 2.0-litre diesel engine as a "...16d", a "...18d", a "...20d", a "...23d" and I think even a "...25d". If they were all called "320d" or "120d" simply based on capacity it'd confuse the heck out of customers.
 
So, the "2 series Active Tourer" production version, caught in the wild. This is the real face of the BMW brands entry to the world FWD vehicles.

2022258145431570761.jpg

10149083071067440039.jpg



It's alright, but I think BMW is wrong to go with the 2 series badge for this, instead of the expected 1 series badge.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/113121667536/2014-bmw-2-series-active-tourer-caught-undisguised-during/
 
The SUV~ish departement of BMW just doesn't know how to design them.

The sedans and coupes are finally becoming good looking again and then this shows up.
 
They've given it the wrong name, further confusing the many people who don't seem to understand BMW's sort-of new naming system.

Apart from that, it's... not great. Disturbingly similar to that FR-V above, and a front end that looks like someone pulled the front of the F10 back and called it a day. But hey, 'diversification' is everything to the big German manufacturers, so who cares if they churn out tonnes of models with confusing names!
 
Adding chrome trim to the side windows doesn't hide the fact they look like they came straight off the FR-V. While the whole car looks far too similar to the B-Class, as HFS said.

Rear looks identical to the Merc's but at least it doesn't look out of place, unlike the front.
 
I actually quite like the GT's, although admittedly their tails are a little visually challenging, but then I'm not really a fan of estates/tourers/wagons either.. but this.. it looks like a big car, with a really high roof, and a really low nose. I appreciate the reasons why, but it's uneven proportions do detract from what otherwise wouldn't be a bad looking car - even if it does look a bit too much like the FR/V / B-Klasse. I think it will look much better in the flesh (.. I hope).
 
MatskiMonk
I actually quite like the GT's, although admittedly their tails are a little visually challenging, but then I'm not really a fan of estates/tourers/wagons either.. but this.. it looks like a big car, with a really high roof, and a really low nose. I appreciate the reasons why, but it's uneven proportions do detract from what otherwise wouldn't be a bad looking car - even if it does look a bit too much like the FR/V / B-Klasse. I think it will look much better in the flesh (.. I hope).
Click to expand...
Don't get me wrong, I like the GTs, but the tails on them are just... blech.
 
It looks like it had it had a front end swap, the front doen' t even go with the rear of it and makes it look weird. :yuck:
 
MatskiMonk
So, the "2 series Active Tourer" production version, caught in the wild. This is the real face of the BMW brands entry to the world FWD vehicles.

2022258145431570761.jpg

10149083071067440039.jpg



It's alright, but I think BMW is wrong to go with the 2 series badge for this, instead of the expected 1 series badge.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/113121667536/2014-bmw-2-series-active-tourer-caught-undisguised-during/
Click to expand...
So what you're telling me is that BMW's brand new Series scheme makes sense - odd numbers for sedans/wagons/frankensteins and even numbers for coupes/coupishes/convertibles - except this one, which shares little if anything with the new 2 series (a coupe), isn't a sedan (which would make it a 1-series), isn't even based on a sedan with which it would share a Series, is more like an SUV/crossover which are (should) all be X-numbers, and does not fit into BMW's brand new naming scheme which was being developed at exactly the same time as this equally new ameobous wheeled contraption.

What. The. ****. This car has potential to be an X1 if they offer an AWD version (or not, at this point I really don't care) but don't they already have a proper X1 in development? BMW. STAWP.
 
A front wheel drive car with a BMW badge on it. A B...M...W badge. Unless they can pull it off I can't see that working. Also what is it going to be called? The sedans go like this: 3 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series in ascending order. Coupes like this: 2 Series, 4 Series, 6 Series, 8 Series. The 1 Series is the smallest in that sense and is the smallest car in the BMW range, being a hatchback (and in the knowledge that the i3 is actually the smallest but for the segement I haven't mentioned it). What is it going to be called, the 0.5 Series?
 
That's not a Merc?

As for the name, they were not going to go with "the new 0.5 series" wouldn't they :P
 
sems4arsenal
As for the name, they were not going to go with "the new 0.5 series" wouldn't they :P
Click to expand...

It should have been called the '1 Series Active Tourer' though. The even-numbers should be set aside for the swoopier, sportier models, not... this.
 
MatskiMonk
So, the "2 series Active Tourer" production version, caught in the wild. This is the real face of the BMW brands entry to the world FWD vehicles.

2022258145431570761.jpg

10149083071067440039.jpg



It's alright, but I think BMW is wrong to go with the 2 series badge for this, instead of the expected 1 series badge.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/113121667536/2014-bmw-2-series-active-tourer-caught-undisguised-during/
Click to expand...

It's certainly not what you'd call, "good looking". I'd rather eat beans for the rest of my life than drive that.
 
So the even numbers mean the sporty coupe and converitble versions of BMW cars, except for when they use them on sedans, SUVs and Kias with the serial numbers filed off.
 
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I recall reading of this a while back. Even though it's happening, I just do not want to see FWD in a BMW. Makes it lose the fun appeal.. to me atleast.
 
What will be embarrassing is if it doesn't drive as well as the Kia. Which happens to drive very nicely for a front-wheel drive seven-seater despite Kia's "Flex-steer" electric power steering assist not really delivering the goods when in "Sport" mode.
 
niky
What will be embarrassing is if it doesn't drive as well as the Kia. Which happens to drive very nicely for a front-wheel drive seven-seater despite Kia's "Flex-steer" electric power steering assist not really delivering the goods when in "Sport" mode.
Click to expand...

This is my main concern. I hate FWD hatchbacks, but if BMW is going to make one, it better be suitably better than the majority when it comes to driving dynamics - this seems to be becoming an issue for the company even with it's core products, so I'm not so confident they will pull this off.
 

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