[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

Report: At Least Five BMW Badged FWD Models Planned

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According to Autocar, BMW reportedly has plans for a model portfolio of 30 rear wheel drive and 15 front wheel drive cars. The 15 FWD cars include Mini models, but at least five will be purportedly wear a BMW badge.

The first of these (and only one committed to production thus far) is the 2 Series Active Tourer (now revealed). A seven seat model is expected to arrive later in the year.

BMW's 3-cylinder turbocharged engine is expected to power most of the Active Tourer models, with a more powerful 4-cylinder 235i Active Tourer model also speculated to come later.

While Europe is expected to take the bulk of orders for the 2-series Active Tourer, interest in the model is also reportedly strong in Asia and the US.Diess also revealed that BMW was shifting to a twin-architecture future, in which the company will use single, very flexible rear-drive components set alongside the UKL1 front-drive platform. The majority of the future engine line-up is also based on the same layout of 500cc per cylinder.

[Chihuahua]

So incredibly lame.

[teaston]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[bimmerJP]

Fire whoever is in charge please. This is BMW, not other cheap company. BMW group already has mini for fwd vehicles.

[Calv]

Nooooooooo

[nicebraces]

WTF??? :

[NYAWE60]

I am slowly losing my enthusiasm and level of loyalty for this brand. A 4 cylinder 235i WTF!!! What the hell is that supposed to mean?? They're going to sell 235i's with 4 cylinder motors and not inline 6 N55 engines while every other 35 series model continues to use I-6 turbos?? Fuck that, I'm sorry.

[Jadar]

Awesome news. ///MFWD

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by bimmerJP

Fire whoever is in charge please. This is BMW, not other cheap company. BMW group already has mini for fwd vehicles.

That would be this guy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norbert_Reithofer

[Jadar]

Originally Posted by NYAWE60

I am slowly losing my enthusiasm and level of loyalty for this brand. A 4 cylinder 235i WTF!!! What the hell is that supposed to mean?? They're going to sell 235i's with 4 cylinder motors and not inline 6 N55 engines. Fuck that, I'm sorry.

Did I miss something? The m235 is a n55 variant vehicle.

[NYAWE60]

Originally Posted by dd1981

Did I miss something? The m235 is a n55 variant vehicle.

Not the M235i, but this:

"BMW's 3-cylinder turbocharged engine is expected to power most of the Active Tourer models, with a more powerful 4-cylinder 235i model speculated."

This is increasingly frustrating since we get the lackluster 328d with 180 hp which is actually Europe's 320d. WTF is going on??

[WWM3]

Originally Posted by NYAWE60

I am slowly losing my enthusiasm and level of loyalty for this brand. A 4 cylinder 235i WTF!!! What the hell is that supposed to mean?? They're going to sell 235i's with 4 cylinder motors and not inline 6 N55 engines. Fuck that, I'm sorry.

I'm under the impression he means more powerful than the M235i. This would jive with what Scott had said - M2 powered by a 4 cylinder.

Edit - missed he didn't say M235i

[imserious]

Are these still going to be called "Ultimate Driving Machines"?

[Beck]

Originally Posted by NYAWE60

Not the M235i, but this:

"BMW's 3-cylinder turbocharged engine is expected to power most of the Active Tourer models, with a more powerful 4-cylinder 235i model speculated."

Yea they mean a 235i Active Tourer model with a 4 cyl.

[WWM3]

Never mind.

[NYAWE60]

Originally Posted by Beck

Yea they mean a 235i Active Tourer model with a 4 cyl.

Yup, in other words a 35 series designated vehicle which is known for having an I-6 turbo will be sold as a 4 cylinder and marketed at a 6. Wonderful, I can see their head honchos laughing all the way to the bank already.

[mhanism]

It is, what it is folks...

BMW is at heart, a profit driven, growth seeking enterprise. I see the expansion as evolving and the staying competitive in an increasingly crowded market.

While the fwd BMW variants may be troublesome to loyal enthusiasts, it's BMWs way of broadening up their customer base, and opening doors for their traditionally, larger, RWD, more powerful models.

As long as they continue to evolve their engine technologies, ///M, and overall driving dynamics, I'm okay with the expansion.

[boofi]

Goodness you guys are a bunch of goddamn babies. If you don't want the FWD, don't buy the FWD. They aren't going to make FWD 3 series.

Besides, look at the Fiesta ST and GTI. Both are FWD, and both are getting RAVE reviews as far as driving dynamics. A little diveristy never hurt anyone. Low end FWD models can fund your RWD fun to drive models. Just look at what Porsche did with the Cayenne and Macan.

[davidwarren]

Originally Posted by dd1981

Did I miss something? The m235 is a n55 variant vehicle.

I'm hoping there is a typo somewhere in that sentence.

edit- I mean the four pot in a _35, not your post. Just FYI.

[NYAWE60]

Originally Posted by boofi

Goodness you guys are a bunch of goddamn babies. If you don't want the FWD, don't buy the FWD. They aren't going to make FWD 3 series.

Besides, look at the Fiesta ST and GTI. Both are FWD, and both are getting RAVE reviews as far as driving dynamics. A little diveristy never hurt anyone.

Dont get me wrong, I'm ok with the FWD thing. In fact, i like the tourer so much I may end up getting my wife one. I am however not ok with the deceiving marketing method of selling a 4 cylinder vehicle with a "35" designation.

[Jadar]

Ok I got ya the active tourer. See I'm already f-ing confused! You say 235 I just assume m235.

I don't like having the same name plate on the minivan. They need to call it x2 or something else.

[BimmerMat135]

As the M2 will go 4cyl, I'm kind of scared that this 4cyl engine will also end up in the M235i as well.