Mini based FWD BMW Confirmed for USA
12-04-09, 11:51 AM
#46
Lexus Test Driver
And after that sudden acceleration law suit Audi had that coil pack problem that was leaving owners stranded on the side of road in the early 1990s. Some people today still associate Audi with those 2 infamous problem and still will not consider buying an Audi. I guess a good reputation is gold in the car industry because so many buyers just do not do their homework. automotive industrial giants.
03-09-10, 01:35 PM
#48
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Going back to last year, it was rumored that BMW is developing a FWD entry-level model (0-series ?) based on Mini architecture. This has now been confirmed by BMW chairman Norter Reithofe at the Geneva motor show! Speaking to Autocar, the chairman officially acknowledged plans to produce an Audi A1 rival under the BMW marquee.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=359986
The new model is being developed as part of plans to help increase parts sharing and bolster the potential for production savings between the BMW and Mini brands, thus bringing an end to the era of rear and four-wheel drive-only BMW models.
Speaking to Autocar at the last week's Geneva motor show, Reithofer said internal BMW studies revealed that, despite the downturn in the world’s economy, there is continued demand for what he described as "premium vehicles" in the small car class.
He then officially acknowledged plans that will see BMW producing a rival to the recently unveiled Audi A1 and a new Smart Forfour presently under development at rival Mercedes-Benz.
"We will be extending the BMW and Mini brands into the small car segment with new models and variants," said Reithofer.
Being careful to separate the new price-leading front-wheel-drive model from BMW's upcoming city car - a totally different project as part of its Mega City Vehicle electric car initiative - Reithofer added, "For these new vehicles [the new BMW and Mini] we are developing a common architecture for both front and four-wheel drive."
While exact details remain shrouded in secrecy, Autocar can confirm the new entry-level BMW has been conceived to run the same front-wheel-drive underpinnings as the next-generation Mini Cooper.
The new Mini Cooper is not due out until 2014, but the small BMW could be on UK roads as early as 2013 as part of a major thrust by the company to become the undisputed sales leader in the premium small car class.
Plans to base the new entry-level BMW on the same platform as the Mini Cooper also raise the question of where the new car would be built. Although BMW is being vague, Autocar understands the new car could be built alongside the Mini Cooper in Oxford, using a new generation of petrol and diesel engines sourced from BMW's engine plant in Hams Hall.
Studies are also under way that could result in the new platform structure referred to by Reithofer being used for future generations of the 1-series - although BMW is still undecided on whether the third-generation model, due in 2018, will be front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive.
"We are looking at alternatives," a Munich insider told Autocar. "With the new platform set to support four-wheel drive, it wouldn't be that hard to use the transmission tunnel for a rear-wheel-drive application."
10-07-10, 05:45 AM
#49
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http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...#ixzz11LHGy5t1
BMW to market new small car line in U.S.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...#ixzz11fuzqA24
PARIS – BMW AG's new front-wheel-drive family of cars will be sold in the United States, as the German automaker is convinced luxury buyers are ready to accept vehicles smaller than the 1-series coupe.
The new class is being called UKL -- an abbreviation for lower compact class cars sold in Germany.
“It will be a relatively big segment because we have several body styles,” Ian Robertson, BMW AG's board member for sales and marketing, said in an interview today at the Paris auto show.
He didn't disclose what body styles BMW is developing but confirmed the vehicles will have a four-cylinder engine in the United States at launch. The new family of small cars is expected to be introduced in the next few years – before the launch of BMW's megacity electric car due 2013, he said.
According to media reports, BMW is planning at least three variants.
Robertson expects significant volume from the small car lineup, with sales of 100,000 vehicles worldwide a year, he said.
Robertson is convinced BMW can continue to command premium pricing on the front-wheel drive vehicles.
“No one has said to me the Mini isn't great to drive,” Robertson said, referring to the BMW-owned British brand which is also front-wheel drive.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...#ixzz11fubaNsq
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...#ixzz11fuzqA24
PARIS – BMW AG's new front-wheel-drive family of cars will be sold in the United States, as the German automaker is convinced luxury buyers are ready to accept vehicles smaller than the 1-series coupe.
The new class is being called UKL -- an abbreviation for lower compact class cars sold in Germany.
“It will be a relatively big segment because we have several body styles,” Ian Robertson, BMW AG's board member for sales and marketing, said in an interview today at the Paris auto show.
He didn't disclose what body styles BMW is developing but confirmed the vehicles will have a four-cylinder engine in the United States at launch. The new family of small cars is expected to be introduced in the next few years – before the launch of BMW's megacity electric car due 2013, he said.
According to media reports, BMW is planning at least three variants.
Robertson expects significant volume from the small car lineup, with sales of 100,000 vehicles worldwide a year, he said.
Robertson is convinced BMW can continue to command premium pricing on the front-wheel drive vehicles.
“No one has said to me the Mini isn't great to drive,” Robertson said, referring to the BMW-owned British brand which is also front-wheel drive.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...#ixzz11fubaNsq
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