Front wheel drive 1-series beginning of downfall for BMW?

BMW has just greenlighted a front Wheel drive 1 Series
[url="http://jalopnik.com/bmw-greenlights-fwd-1-series-sedan-in-sure-sign-of-apoc-1410691274"]BMW Greenlights FWD 1-Series Sedan In Sure Sign Of Apocalypse[/url]

Hopefully it won't sell and BMW will forget about FWD for a long time.

If they don't, Will they continue with FWD in the 3 series and so on?
Will this be the decline?

Could it be feasible to use a transverse engine between the rear wheels, thus a mid rear design.
After all the same front Wheel drive engine/transmission could be used.
About the only drawbacks I can think of would be routing coolant hoses to the front radiator and preventing the engine from moving into the rear seats in a head on collision.

If somebody wants a small front Wheel drive BMW they should buy a Mini

I just watched a rerun of Top Gear introducing the Toyota 86. Part of the intro included the claim that rear wheel drive was for enthusiasts but due to the complexity of manufacture these rear wheel drive cars were all expensive al la BMW and Mercedes. In Oz however rear wheel drive cars are expensive al la Commodore and Falcon. Unfortunately no one cares and there are not enough “motoring enthusiasts” obviously to keep them in production. No surprise BMW are going down this track really.

BMW hasn't [I]just green lighted[/I] front wheel drive in the 1er. It's been known for some time that BMW will switch to front wheel drive for the next generation of entry-level BMW-badged vehicles.

In any case, they've already ruined the handling of the current, rear wheel drive, 1er maybe so that the transition won't be so steep and radical.

I would say this isn't the start of some decline for BMW. They know what they want in terms of handling and all that, but the 1 was losing ground to other (FWD) cars in terms of space. Ground it wasn't making back due to handling.
I think other BMWs will be RWD for a long time yet. And if only the sporty ones remain RWD, is that such a big deal?

It's all a bit sensationalist. BMW make their first FWD car - [I]it's the beginning of the end![/I]

You guys could have said BMW went off the deep end when they made the X6 and then followed up on it with the X5M and the X6M.

I'm not sure why BMW wants to step on the toes of Mini though. BMW has been making FWD cars for a long time now...

This being greenlit doesn't change much; BMW has already "compromised" the brand with their ridiculous sporty SUVs, crossovers, and endless variants of the Mini. Sure, some of the cars they make are still an attractive prospoect for an enthusiast, but I sometimes get the impression tha they make those cars not because they want to, but because they are stuck in the rut of their own success and cannot make anything else.

Maybe they're just [i]too good[/i], and Ferrer has infected me with his suspicion of good cars. Or maybe I just spend too much time around monomaniacal BMW fanboys who are souring my opinion of the ol' Motor Works. Their styling certainly doesn't help; the whole range resembles a herd of mildly-discontent and mildly-pleased cattle to me.

I am not afraid anymore.

- Porsche released an SUV
- Jaguar produces diesel estates
- Aston Martin has a rebadged Toyota Aygo
- Ferrari released a 4WD supercar
etc ... etc ...

So I guess we are already at a point of no return for a while now. It is just about selling cars and survival and I have a feeling that real car enthusiasts do not matter [I]that[/I] much from that perspective.

[quote=Man of Steel;1001051]I am not afraid anymore.

- Porsche released an SUV
- Jaguar produces diesel estates
- Aston Martin has a rebadged Toyota Aygo
- Ferrari released a 4WD supercar
etc ... etc ...
[/quote]
Let's not forget a RWD Alfa Romeo!

It's madness, I tell you.

Let's get one thing straight, there are plenty of front wheel drive cars that handle well and there are also rear wheel drive cars that can't go round corners properly (like the previously mentioned current 1er).

For me the greatest loss will be no longer having the most affordable rear wheel drive four-seater anymore; other than that bearing in mind the Mini I doubt the new front wheel drive Bimmer will be bad handling car.
[quote=Revo;1001053]Let's not forget a RWD Alfa Romeo!

It's madness, I tell you.[/quote]
You must be kidding.

It's the end of the world as we know it!

don't forget renaming the 3 series into 4 series..

[quote=Revo;1001053]Let's not forget a RWD Alfa Romeo!

It's madness, I tell you.[/quote]

Could not agree any more!

Hopefully they will release it within the next decade ;)

By the way, we must also add to this list of seemingly non-logic automobile manufacturer's choices that a Lancia today is a rebadged Chrysler.

Well now [I]that[/I] is an example of destroying a brand...

[quote=Man of Steel;1001059]Could not agree any more!

Hopefully they will release it within the next decade ;)

By the way, we must also add to this list of seemingly non-logic automobile manufacturer's choices that a Lancia today is a rebadged Chrysler.

Well now [I]that[/I] is an example of destroying a brand...[/quote]
More like the next century probably...

Anyway.

One of the greatest ironies of the modern car building business is that, thanks to Fisler, Lancia actually ended getting a proper production rear wheel drive car before Alfa Romeo has.

Sp: Fysler.

Many of the current owners of 1 (and even 3) series cars think they are FWD.

They will not have any issues with getting what they think they already have

[quote=clutch-monkey;1001058]don't forget renaming the 3 series into 4 series..[/quote]

That's quite annoying too. When you think of the heritage behind the M3 badge, it's hard to switch it over to the M4. If I were a new owner of a M4 I'd probably just debadge it and stick an M3 badge on it.

It's kind of like a store you've been to for years goes away and you still refer the new store using the old name.

[quote=Cyco;1001079]Many of the current owners of 1 (and even 3) series cars think they are FWD.

They will not have any issues with getting what they think they already have[/quote]

No, they do care, or else Acura wouldn't be in such a rut right now.