[emil111]

What do you guys think of this change? From my point of view this makes the next generation 1 series totally undesirable for me......i hoped that atleast the sedan version would be rwd (which would have been great because that would have been my next car) but sadly no no .....bmw will make it fwd....
Whats with all this FWD bull****?
Would any of you buy a fwd bmw?
Would any of you buy a fwd 1 series? (I personally wouldnt buy any fwd bmw....so 3 or 4 series as mext car for me.....)

[The Voice of Reason]

Seems like the end of an era, if true.

They would take away the very thing that makes these appealing - all in favor of more efficient packaging and cost saving.

I guess MB did it with the AMG A-class (all wheel drive, but very much front biased), but many of us wouldn't want one for specifically that reason.

So it may not impact sales all that much, from a bean-counter's perspective - and that is who seems to have the most influence in car design these days.

[WAY]

I read somewhere that they may stick with RWD. Not sure how true that is. And yes, it's the end of 1 series for me if true. Hopefully there will still be another RWD M2 for me to replace my upcoming M2 with.

[No one]

Originally Posted by WAY

I read somewhere that they may stick with RWD.

It could be here: Final decision pending front or rear wheel drive.

[ttimbo]

There's a FWD 1 series confirmed in the pipeline for China, and I've also read the BMW Board is yet to sign off on a FWD 1 series for the RoW. FWD makes sense from an efficiency and packaging perspective, but why doesn't BMW just nominate the MINI brand for this role?

[WAY]

Originally Posted by ttimbo

There's a FWD 1 series confirmed in the pipeline for China, and I've also read the BMW Board is yet to sign off on a FWD 1 series for the RoW. FWD makes sense from an efficiency and packaging perspective, but why doesn't BMW just nominate the MINI brand for this role?

That was the original strategy, and they have a golf size hatch back in the MINI Clubman. So why mess the the 1 series!

[dishy]

Isn't the FWD 1 series basically a BMW Mini?

China already make fake BMW Mini's or imitation mini's.

FWD BMW is most definitely not for me. I wouldnt have a 1 series right now if they were FWD.

[ovekvam]

The FWD 1-series is based on the same platform as the Mini, but that does not make it basically the same car. Both the exterior and the interior and the chassis setup will be rather different.

[AusF20/F48]

The dilemma is what would BMW call a FWD model
Given that BMW could then compete with other main stream manufacturers and make saving by using the same platform as the mini (it would generate greater sales)
It therefore seems unlikely that the 1er will stay RWD for long.
Perhaps they will adopt a letter to denote the FWD and Keep the current 1er set up.
The success of the new F48 X1 is showing that people will move across to another platform if it is good enough.

[ovekvam]

But it has been said by BMW people here on this site that the Mini platform (UKL) is compatible with both FWD and RWD.

[WAY]

Originally Posted by ovekvam

But it has been said by BMW people here on this site that the Mini platform (UKL) is compatible with both FWD and RWD.

Oh really? Never read that before. Interesting!

[dishy]

Originally Posted by AusF20/F48

The success of the new F48 X1 is showing that people will move across to another platform if it is good enough.

No, it just shows people will blindly buy things they don't know anything about.

[ttimbo]

Originally Posted by ovekvam

But it has been said by BMW people here on this site that the Mini platform (UKL) is compatible with both FWD and RWD.

Is that right? But RWD means, presumably, longitudinal engine layout and I would not have thought the MINI platform capable of supporting this. Or are they referring to the AWD incorporated in the MINI platform?

[ovekvam]

Originally Posted by ttimbo

Is that right? But RWD means, presumably, longitudinal engine layout and I would not have thought the MINI platform capable of supporting this. Or are they referring to the AWD incorporated in the MINI platform?

No, they said rear wheel drive. I guess with longitudinal engine. The chassis is probably rather versatile.

They had already decided about the UKL platform, but because of a new boss, they considered reversing the decision about front wheel drive, and make the next 1 series hatch RWD as well. The sedan will have FWD.

[ttimbo]

Thanks for that. It will be interesting to see what emerges.

[vladberca]

1 series FWD sedan for China is ok. In that traffic you can't have fun in any car!
For the other markets it would be great to keep it RWD!

[M1fortyeye]

http://www.bmwblog.com/2016/01/07/ru...ew-bodystyles/

This means no to rwd hatch?

[AusF20/F48]

Unfortunately, the 1er is the company's base line product at present.
Whilst we all love this premium RWD hatchback, it cannot compete with the other FWD hatches on offer in terms of usable space or price.
BMW now has a platform to build a FWD entry level car, so something has to change.
If BMW can build a hot hatch (mini platform) FWD, it would then allow them to build a super hot AWD (rear bias) and possibly a 3er RWD 3 or 5 door Hatch.
The downside for us is a RWD would be at a higher price. Time will tell.

[ovekvam]

Originally Posted by AusF20/F48

The downside for us is a RWD would be at a higher price. Time will tell.

The problem for me is that the one series hatch is about as big and heavy as I am willing to go. If it gets bigger, I'm out. So the issue is that there will be NO RWD option in the future.

If you look at the car sales in Europe, all the most sold cars are the size of the F20 or smaller. In my opinion, BMW are missing out on a lot of sales simply because their cars are way too large. They should make a smaller car than the F20, which could be FWD, and keep the RWD on the successor for the F20. Audi A1 needs competition.

[WAY]

Originally Posted by ovekvam

The problem for me is that the one series hatch is about as big and heavy as I am willing to go. If it gets bigger, I'm out. So the issue is that there will be NO RWD option in the future.

If you look at the car sales in Europe, all the most sold cars are the size of the F20 or smaller. In my opinion, BMW are missing out on a lot of sales simply because their cars are way too large. They should make a smaller car than the F20, which could be FWD, and keep the RWD on the successor for the F20. Audi A1 needs competition.

Audi A1 competitor is MINI Cooper. So BMW does have a car in that segment.

[ovekvam]

Originally Posted by WAY

Audi A1 competitor is MINI Cooper. So BMW does have a car in that segment.

I don't agree. The Mini is not a BMW, just like the Audi A1 is not a VW Polo or Seat or Skoda. The Mini is more about style and fashion, and the interior is form over function. The car handles well, but I don't feel comfortable in the driver seat. The A1 is better for me.

[jabugui]

I think that bmw is not right to switch to fwd, except for the X series and the AT, both of them are topsellers cars. The bmw hatch I think cannot be a topseller anyway, but just an entry level rwd just like it is, and like it is known for...a true bmw in a compact package. Fwd is not a true bmw, but just like the others only design and badges