Stop the press? Well, not exactly as we all know that in most cases, the larger a company grows in size and revenue, the further away it moves from its original concept.
In BMW's case, the Bavarian maker has made a name for itself with its sporty, rear-wheel drive coupes and sedans. Having already ventured in SUV-land with the X1, X3, X5 and X6 tall crossovers, BMW is now getting ready to break another taboo, that of a small, front wheel drive model positioned and priced right under the current 1-Series.
And mind you, this is no rumor but an official announcement that was made today at the Annual Accounts Press Conference by Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG.
"In the future, we will generate growth both in the large model segments and in the compact and sub-compact model segments. We will launch more MINI and BMW models and variants – also in the small car segment. This segment is expected to grow further.
And we will take advantage of this opportunity. We are exploring the possibility of developing a joint architecture for the front and four-wheel drive systems of these cars.
In other words: There will be front-wheel drive BMWs in the smaller vehicle classes in the future. We all know that the cost structure in the small car segment is different from that of the larger model classes. We intend to grow profitably in this segment as well."
In his speech, Reithofer was careful to separate the small FWD bimmer from the upcoming 'Megacity Vehicle' project, which will feature exotic materials such as carbon fiber with power coming from an electric drivetrain.
No more details were released on the small FWD BMW (wonder what it'll be called - the 0-Series?), but it will obviously share the same platform and mechanics with the group's future MINI cars that were supposed to cover the German automaker's needs in the small car segment. Apparently not.
