[pocoyo_3]

Is anyone aware if / when BMW will bring the F31 wagon to the US with rear drive as opposed to all wheel drive? I'm not a big fan of all wheel drive (cost, complexity, and lack of sports suspension).

[Falafel Combo]

Based on the latest leaked information, the RWD f31 will no longer be sold in the US. No one can confirm this yet.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by ///M235i

Based on the latest leaked information, the RWD f31 will no longer be sold in the US. No one can confirm this yet.

Here is the link:

http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=901686

[Jamesons Viggen]

BMW would only expand if the f31 was a sales success. The small numbers indicate that such as expansion to a RWD offering is highly unlikely.

[BavarianFanatic]

The touring discrimination continues in the US.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by Jamesons Viggen

BMW would only expand if the f31 was a sales success. The small numbers indicate that such as expansion to a RWD offering is highly unlikely.

this

[manicottiK]

Originally Posted by BavarianFanatic

The touring discrimination continues in the US.

In that US customers discriminate against "wagons" and "hatches" in car form while buying them in large numbers in SUV form!

I can't blame any of manufacturers for recognizing what the market here wants. I can blame my fellow consumers for wanting the wrong thing, but that's not going to work, I'm fairly sure.

[BavarianFanatic]

The great majority of vehicles are bought off the lot. If they're not there no one will buy them.

They built and sold plenty of RWD and manual E91 tourings. With F31 we get 328 AWD auto only. Hell, they're even offering X series SAVs in RWD now. I would have bought a RWD 335iT if it was available here.

[OC40]

Originally Posted by manicottiK

In that US customers discriminate against "wagons" and "hatches" in car form while buying them in large numbers in SUV form!

I can't blame any of manufacturers for recognizing what the market here wants. I can blame my fellow consumers for wanting the wrong thing, but that's not going to work, I'm fairly sure.

SUVs

My cousins drive them and do not utilize the "U" in SUV.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by manicottiK

In that US customers discriminate against "wagons" and "hatches" in car form while buying them in large numbers in SUV form!

I can't blame any of manufacturers for recognizing what the market here wants. I can blame my fellow consumers for wanting the wrong thing, but that's not going to work, I'm fairly sure.

That's kind of like me saying "I blame you for wanting a 328 and 6MT. You should want a 335 and Auto". Silly.


Wagons = overrated. Although I understand why they appeal to people, I would not go as far to say that those folks "want the wrong body style". Very few people in the US market agree with your taste and choice of vehicle body style. It can get lonely at times. Here's an e-hug for you.


If it is of any solace to you, hatches have been gaining a lot of popularity lately. Maybe wagons will be the next big thing in the US?

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by BavarianFanatic

The great majority of vehicles are bought off the lot. If they're not there no one will buy them.

They built and sold plenty of RWD and manual E91 tourings. With F31 we get 328 AWD auto only. Hell, they're even offering X series SAVs in RWD now. I would have bought a RWD 335iT if it was available here.

Care to share some figures or sources?

[pocoyo_3]

Can someone explain why it's possible to buy an X1 (and in future an X3) with rear drive but the F31 is xDrive only in the US?

[BMWbill]

Originally Posted by my325i

Can someone explain why it's possible to buy an X1 (and in future an X3) with rear drive but the F31 is xDrive only in the US?

Well people did explain this above in this thread. The reason is that wagons are not in demand in the USA and despite what someone said above, as a niche car here, it only makes sense to sell the F31 in the most popular configuration. If they also brought rear wheel drive wagons here they would sit on lots and not get sold. Surprisingly, in my mind, the much more awkward looking hatchback GT version is selling better than the wagon so that one gets more available configurations.

[jkoertge]

Yea. I wouldn't bet on it. The US market doesn't provide much demand for wagons.

When you have little demand for a product, you simplify the offering to cover the broadest possible pool of demand.

As I understand it, you can get these any which way you desire in a variety of countries around the world - but the Americans generally scoff at them.

An old German chumming it up with me when I picked up mine last week joked, "they should just call them a crossover and they'd sell a ton of them. "

Lol

[snowghost]

Why would it matter since BMWs are manufactured to special order anyway. F30 or F31, it's basically the same car for maintenance purposes.

[BavarianFanatic]

Originally Posted by snowghost

Why would it matter since BMWs are manufactured to special order anyway. F30 or F31, it's basically the same car for maintenance purposes.

Federalization. They need to certify each configuration individually. It's not about building them since they're produced for the rest of the world. RWD 335iT 6 speed anyone? Yes, they DO exist. Just not here...

[BMWbill]

Originally Posted by snowghost

Why would it matter since BMWs are manufactured to special order anyway. F30 or F31, it's basically the same car for maintenance purposes.

While a lot of forum members special order their 3 series cars, the actual percentage of Americans that does this must be a tiny percentage. There are not many consumers willing to wait 2 or 3 months for a new car. If the dealer doesn't have an F30 that sort of fits your desires then they typically find one from another dealer nearby or even in another state. But demand is so low for wagons that if they stocked so many different version of wagons, they would sit on the lots for far too long.

[pocoyo_3]

The least they could do is make it special order only. I think most people who are after the car would be prepared to wait. Put it another way, how many people order the X1 with rear drive? Other than not making sense, that would seem like a niche vehicle too.

I do feel that their model range has become confused with the 3-series sedan/saloon, the 3-series GT, the 3-series wagon/estate, the 4-series, and the 4-series Gran Coupe (which is actually a hatchback). It seems that they are trying to fill every niche and to me it feels unfocused.

[BMWbill]

Originally Posted by my325i

The least they could do is make it special order only. I think most people who are after the car would be prepared to wait. Put it another way, how many people order the X1 with rear drive? Other than not making sense, that would seem like a niche vehicle too.

I do feel that their model range has become confused with the 3-series sedan/saloon, the 3-series GT, the 3-series wagon/estate, the 4-series, and the 4-series Gran Coupe (which is actually a hatchback). It seems that they are trying to fill every niche and to me it feels unfocused.

I agree with you there, that they should offer rear drive and also the 6 cylinder as special order options. Or I should say I wish they did, as a consumer. It is all about the dollars though, and there must be a cost disadvantage to expand the US assembly line for the wagons to be ready at a moments notice to assemble an occasional rear wheel or 3 liter version. One has to remember that they want to make money above all else. If it was cost effective, they'd offer it. They aren't holding back rear wheel drive for philosophical reasons, for example.

As much as we all think we know about what will sell, nobody has done more research than BMW's internal accounting and marketing teams. Granted they make mistakes like the 5 series GT, but they learn from their mistakes quickly. I thought the 3 series GT would be a flop but they seem to be selling well.

I too find the expansion of niche models unfocused, and this is a danger they probably researched a lot as well. However Mercedes and Audi are increasing their niche models too and the availability of more personalized form factors seems to be earning profits. If the wagon starts to sell better than the GT, you can bet that BMW will adapt quickly and offer more wagon options for the next model year.

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by my325i

.... Put it another way, how many people order the X1 with rear drive? Other than not making sense, that would seem like a niche vehicle too...

Makes perfect sense if you consider cost: the rear drive (sDrive) X1, X3, X5 are a couple grand cheaper than the xDrive version, and as a bonus get better mileage to help with CAFE. If you peruse their forums, lots of people down south are buying them. And it seems like there are many NEW BMW buyers are buying the X1, also.

Let's not forget that the X1 is only 2" shorter and a bit narrower than an F31, so it's really in the same size category.

From BMW's perspective, what's not to like? They're selling all the X1s the factory can produce.

Given BMW's penchant for everything "M" lately, I might suggest that a PPK/DCT version of the F31 328i might someday exist... Makes sense from a branding point-of-view ...

[pocoyo_3]

My argument against the F31 xDrive is as follows:

(1) xDrive makes it more expensive
(2) It adds weight to the detriment of handling and fuel economy
(3) Even the Sport / M-Sport lines don't give you sports suspension, unless you order DHP, which in turn drives up the cost further

I am a wagon enthusiast, but that's a rather large number of pills to swallow for me. The sad part is that they do produce that car for the rest of the world. Instead, they are pushing the X1 / X3 ...

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by my325i

... The sad part is that they do produce that car for the rest of the world. ...

You have to order DHP in the rest of the world, too. But the options are much more ala carte, so you can get it "cheaper".

They make more money on X1, X3, X5 - they don't have to pay the import duty.