[OSK77]

Just read this news piece yesterday. Frightening to say the least. Also, read on to find out about future M models going AWD - I'm speechless.

BMW Canada counting on all-wheel-drive models

Auto maker plans to phase out rear-wheel-drive performance vehicles

Michael Bettencourt
Globe and Mail Update
Published on Wednesday, Sep. 15, 2010 1:09PM EDT

The days of rear-wheel-drive BMWs in Canada may be numbered, BMW Canada president and CEO Franz Jung says, because Canadian buyers – even performance-minded BMW customers – simply see rear-drive as too much of a negative in the winter.

“Our aim is not to bring any rear-wheel-drive cars to Canada any more,” Jung said last week at briefing at BMW’s new Canadian LEED-certified headquarters in Richmond Hill, Ont., provoking gasps of shock among the journalists present, most of whom were enthusiast drivers that have long associated fine handling with RWD BMWs.

“Most of the cars we sell are all wheel-drive, all over the world actually,” said Jung. “We sell more AWD product around the world than our colleagues from Ingolstadt [Audi] – even though nobody knows that.”

Early next year, there will be a seeming tidal wave of all-new AWD crossovers from the company, Jung confirmed. There will be the striking new BMW X3, promising to be the first vehicle to offer Blackberry users e-mail to speech technology; the smaller X1, which is already proving popular in Europe, that will slot in just below the X3, and the Mini Countryman will also appear, in either front or AWD versions, for the most family-oriented Mini ever.


There will be news on the car side, although nowhere near as radical. The 5-Series sedan that BMW Canada can’t get quick enough from Germany will see an AWD version arrive in early October, followed by a diesel version to counter that of main rival Mercedes-Benz’s E-Class; there will also be a hybrid version (possibly in 2012). All of these will drive major traffic to BMW and Mini dealers, Jung predicted, and help the company surpass its record sales of 2008.

Seemingly contradicting Jung’s anti-RWD stance, Canadian buyers are especially passionate about BMW’s M-branded and rear-drive-only hot performance cars, purchasing the highest number of M products per capita, especially the M3 and M5. Jung acknowledged that an M version of the 1-Series Coupe will be joining the sub-brand, but also threw out the possibility that an M vehicle may not be synonymous with RWD for much longer.

“We will have the first AWD M products in the future,” he declared, not counting (or momentarily forgetting) that current M versions of the all-wheel-drive X5 and X6 SAVs are already on the market.

So will BMW Canada’s aim to phase out rear-wheel-drive mean the end of lurid tail slides on track days or in deserted wet or snowed-over parking lots? Not at all, Jung asserts.

“BMW DNA is practically only about performance,” he said. “If we have all-wheel-drive cars, they will still perform like BMWs.”

Last updated on Wednesday, Sep. 15, 2010 1:35PM EDT
Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...rticle1708525/

[machine]

... and stop telling us what we want. I guess more cross border shopping lol!

[BRAISKI]

Can't wait for the M3 AWD! They will need to have the same or similar technology as Audi to have a better AWD system.

I would get one!

[scooby9]

Shouldn't this announcement come out on April 1st... ?

[cfabluenose]

No more BMW's for me then. May as well get an Audi.

[samchoi604]

Originally Posted by BRAISKI

Can't wait for the M3 AWD! They will need to have the same or similar technology as Audi to have a better AWD system.

I would get one!

No offense but M3 AWD????


If this becomes reality, I will boycott BMW and buy the 370Z.

[schnell325]

Originally Posted by scooby9

Shouldn't this announcement come out on April 1st... ?

[johnsonz1122]

bwm has changed. form n/a +rwd to turbo + awd. um. that sounds like they become an audi wanna be ? and does awd mean that the 50/50 weight distribution no longer exist?? tho i drive a xi now. but was planning to get a rwd in the future. had enough of awd.

[schnell325]

|Buy your M3 now and be happy..................I hope....

[OSK77]

My first BMW was a 07' 335i, my next one will be a 2010 M3 Sedan - nominated by Car and Driver as the world's best car.

Screw AWD.

BTW: The majority of Audi's sold in the US are Front wheel drive not AWD.

[Irishace]

This is absurd, wtf are BMW Canada thinking.

[islandbimmer]

these are the same idiots that came up with the 500$ tarriff on importing BMW"s from the US something Audi doesn't impose. They are worried about Audi ' no question. Their 500$ recall letter BS defines there lack of vision. they have peeved me off so much my next car will be an Audi. Wake upyou eggheads let the customer have choices wether it be RWD or AWD or a US car.

[Steven L]

Oh!!!NOOOOOOOOOOOOO~~~~~~~~~~

[///M3Lover]

Originally Posted by islandbimmer

these are the same idiots that came up with the 500$ tarriff on importing BMW"s from the US something Audi doesn't impose. They are worried about Audi ' no question. Their 500$ recall letter BS defines there lack of vision. they have peeved me off so much my next car will be an Audi. Wake upyou eggheads let the customer have choices wether it be RWD or AWD or a US car.

Agreed +1.

I would want a E90 M3 AWD tho if they didn't discontinue the E90 M3 version. I am only wanting an AWD bcuz of the snow.

[peanuboy]

might as well change your logo to 4 rings, nice one BMW
my next car: 2014 S4

[beeema_girl]

NO WAAAYYY!

[335BBS]

Originally Posted by samchoi604

No offense but M3 AWD????


If this becomes reality, I will boycott BMW and buy the 370Z.

R8, Lambo, Veyron 911 Turbo.............those arent bad cars. Buying a 370 Z makes a lot of sense.......................

[335BBS]

Originally Posted by johnsonz1122

bwm has changed. form n/a +rwd to turbo + awd. um. that sounds like they become an audi wanna be ? and does awd mean that the 50/50 weight distribution no longer exist?? tho i drive a xi now. but was planning to get a rwd in the future. had enough of awd.

If you tried Audis quattro with sport suspension you might change your mind . BMW awd is brutal by comparison.

[Rossland]

I love my AWD, But has BMWCA never heard of giving the customer a choice? Then they will be complaining about all the Canadians buying cars in the US.

[Bimmer Al]

Originally Posted by Rossland

I love my AWD, But has BMWCA never heard of giving the customer a choice? Then they will be complaining about all the Canadians buying cars in the US.

[BRAISKI]

Unfair advantage...

[hubble bubble]

I read this post, an e-mailed BMW to complain. The response I got back claimed Mr Jung has misspoken. BMW Canada's "official" version is that they will soon cease impoting RWD ONLY cars, but will continue to import RWD versions of cars that come either RWD or AWD. They gave a specific example of the 3 series being availabe in either AWD or RWD for the forseeable future.

That sounds better than the article. Maybe my current 335i isn't my last BMW.