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      09-14-2012, 09:08 AM   #51
SCOTT26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Diver View Post
I think it would take very little to tweak this design into an SUV for the US market. It might even get built in Spartanburg. Just a bit more ground clearance, and voila.

Regulatory considerations make this sort of vehicle necessary. Whether it makes sense economically in the US with $3.60 petrol is another story and right now the answer is probably no.

There are a lot of unanswered questions regarding plug in cars. As production ramps up shortages of lithium and other rare earths could offset savings from mass production. Nobody knows what to do with spent lithium batteries. What is the value of a 10 year old vehicle facing an imminent battery replacement at a cost of $15,000?
There is an intelligent crossover-MPV-SAV-Tourer coming called the F.amily A.ctivity S.ports T.ourer which will be available as both FWD and AWD.
But the FWD cars starting with the Active Tourer are FWD on BMW's terms. this is the exciting image of a FWD BMW in order to make it stand out in more ways than one against the competition by re-intepreting existing concepts for more appeal.
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The M850i is evidence that BMW have got their mojo back when it comes to dynamic sports cars...
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