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Originally Posted by 宝马.e90
They're probably thinking that but how much more of an identity could you possibly achieve by taking out the "x" and having an actual xDrive badge? It's not like people didn't know about xDrive or the previous nomenclature was confusing. BMW is just following Audi (Quattro) and Mercedes (4-Matic) which I don't think is necessary. If BMW want's to push something, how about pushing out availability of Diesel engines here in the US and Canada?
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A bit late there on that observation, bud. The xDrive nameplate has been around for almost a decade since the 2003 debut of the X3. But it wasn't until a series of LCI refreshes to a number of models in 2007 that BMW decided to start badging the xDrive equipped cars with the nameplate in place of the simple "x." It was instituted not just for marketing purposes (not to say that BMW wasn't thinking about it), but because it was all-new for BMW; a performance-oriented, rear-biased, torque vectoring all-wheel drive system. They felt the new innovation required a new nameplate, because while people did know BMW offered AWD, they didn't know there was a new technology.
And what's wrong with going the way Audi and Mercedes are going in terms of naming a drivetrain system? 4-Matic is a name as absurd as a Benz buyer is well polished and gaudy--but at least it's clear the car has AWD. Audi's Quattro has been around since the 80s. While it does mean "four" in spanish, it's a bit silly. Still, the little nameplate is so absolutely tiny that you only ever look for the little silver bar, not even bothering to read it on the grille and below the car's engine designation badge. Regardless, BMW is certainly not following anybody.