BMW: 80% of 1-series Owners Don't Know They Have Rear-Wheel-Drive Cars

[markseven]

ROFL?

http://rumors.automobilemag.com/6656826/news/bmw-80-of-1-series-owners-dont-know-they-have-rear-wheel-drive-cars/index.html

[bimma360]

Man... just goes to show who buys these cars I guess. Although, I cant expect everyone to be an enthusiast too.

[GOOBER]

doesn't shock me in the slightest.

[YAN-3]

....:( BMW has been on a downward sloap for a long time now. stinks because I thought that i would own nothing but BMWs for my entire life, guess thats gonna change soon.

[Jand3rson]

Shocking, but at the same time, really not at all.

[recall]

I cant expect everyone to be an enthusiast too.

No, but it'd be nice if the enthusiasts at least totaled a substantial part of the consumers. 80% not knowing their car is RWD doesn't leave a lot of room for enthusiasts.

It's sad because it inherently changes who BMW builds cars for. Since the consumer no longer demands handling or performance, those are only driven by racing and BMW heritage. Consumers might "feel" something different about how BMW's drive without knowing what that difference is, but I doubt this is enough to ultimately decide who they give their money to, especially when features, class, and image are more important.

The game has changed so much since the E30, I don't think we'll see another car from BMW that embodies what enthusiasts like about it. I'll be glad if I'm wrong on that one, though...

[Moberg12]

Wait... BMWs are rear wheel drive??

[cobraken]

It’s sad to say that to most normal people they want it because its a status symbol or looks cute. My peers at work think that I am an elitist because I love BMWs.

[browntown]

HELLS YEAH, V6 POWAH! Don't you read craigslist? Does this surprise anyone? My girlfriend has never lifted the hood on the honda, and she's had it for five years.

[Nic01101011]

You shouldn't even need to be an enthusiast to know that sort of thing. People are just plain dumb.

[BeirBrennerE30]

welp I knew mine was rwd... so there are liek 3 other people with a 135 that know too. I never see them on the road.

[Mike325]

Don't people do any research on a car before they buy it. How did the term RWD not even show up at all between thinking of buying the 1 and actually owning it?

Like mentioned before, most people just buy the car for the status and symbol, not the performance. I wonder of the 80% of the people, how many bought the 128. I would think the people buying the 135 would know that the car is RWD because they are buying a performance version so they have an idea about the car's drive platform.

[Kerrath]

Sucks about that statistic on 1-series owners, but the fact that BMW is intending to make FWD cars in the near future makes me more sad than that. So much for BMW and Mercedez being competitors, since they don't seem to be pandering/decaying so much. :(

[87e30]

OH NO!!! BMW is making an entry level FWD car? They will never make a RWD car well again?! The world is ending.

I'd rather they make FWD cars than shrink up and disappear.

[raafhimself]

1) the 1er is the most economical bmw.
2) most consumers (those purchasing a bmw) merely want to purchase the brand and can give a crap about the heritage (tangent, 4 door 3er's piss me off...you need 4 doors, get a 5er).
3) so bmw slots a more economical ride (i'ma call it the .5er) to sell more roundels
.....and thats how we have 80% of ppl not knowing they're layout

<rant>
now this trend i feel is occuring with all automakers. as parts move from mechanical to electrical to reduce costs, we sacrifice the soul of the automobile-- that connection the we feel with our cars is going to be harder to replicate. i feel as e30 enthusiasts, our only recourse is to stay with these older vehicles where a connection is better felt....which can further bring us back to the main point, where we're ultimately discussing consumerism here but thats another rant.
</rant>