[Gatriel]

Hey All;

So when I am not too busy replacing worn out bushings or Vanos seals I do eventually play around on the internet a bit. I just discovered today that BMW is planning on a 2er GC, thanks to 2addicts.

My current 325i is pushing 11 years old with 170k on the clock, and I had been saving for a 1er sedan, but not being a fan of a native FWD car with an AWD option -- after seeing the 2erGC today, or the mere thought thereof, my plans have changed.

Anyone else here as excted for a e46 sized F2X sedan as I am?

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by Gatriel

Hey All;

So when I am not too busy replacing worn out bushings or Vanos seals I do eventually play around on the internet a bit. I just discovered today that BMW is planning on a 2er GC, thanks to 2addicts.

My current 325i is pushing 11 years old with 170k on the clock, and I had been saving for a 1er sedan, but not being a fan of a native FWD car with an AWD option -- after seeing the 2erGC today, or the mere thought thereof, my plans have changed.

Anyone else here as excted for a e46 sized F2X sedan as I am?

You may be reading older information. The 2 GC concept has been dispelled by industry sources, including Automotive News. The next BMW sedan of this size will be the UKL platform-based (shared with MINI) 1 Series, and it will be FWD. I would have wanted a 2GC as well, but life without rear doors is working out OK for me, as I don't ever need to carry more than one passenger.

[Gatriel]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

You may be reading older information. The 2 GC concept has been dispelled by industry sources, including Automotive News. The next BMW sedan of this size will be the UKL platform-based (shared with MINI) 1 Series, and it will be FWD. I would have wanted a 2GC as well, but life without rear doors is working out OK for me, as I don't ever need to carry more than one passenger.

Apparently I am reading old information.

Wow, that really sucks. Why in Gods name do they make a FWD Golf competitor, but fail to make a RWD sports sedan?

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by Gatriel

Apparently I am reading old information.

Wow, that really sucks. Why in Gods name do they make a FWD Golf competitor, but fail to make a RWD sports sedan?

One needs to consider internal business case issues, and not product desirability to understand this move. The plant is apparently full with 2 series and i3. Downward substitution from the 3 series to a hypothetical lower margin 2 series GC would risk the 3 series plants operating at lower than full capacity, and that is their volume product. There is no sound business case to justify the investment, nor apparently open capacity looking for a rwd product to fill it. Further, based on fuel economy requirements (not sure of other markets, but Corporate Average Fuel Economy - CAFE - in the U.S.), they need increasing fuel economy products, so deriving small sedan sales from the UKL platform 2 years later helps them there, and the FWD/RWD difference helps keep 3 series folks loyal. The 1 series sedans are likely assumed to have high incrementality, thereby increasing overall corporate volume and profitability. They really only need to be better than the facing competitors of CLA and A3, which they are likely confident they can achieve, now that they have seen them. Once they get a new plant for the 1 series, it can be more efficiently facilitized as only a fwd plant with one UKL platform to produce sedans, coupes, suvs.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Hello and welcome to the forum