5er Awd?

[BMWLotAttendant]

So this guy brings in his e39 530i and needs it worked on....and I have to take him back to his house...and the conversation on the way back was about cars....e46 3-series, M3s,M5s,5s,6s,7s.....and then we talk about Acura NSXes....and then near the end of the conversation....he tells me that his next car is going to be a 540xi.....I'm like cool...c ya later.

On my way back, I'm thinking.... there is NO xi for the 5ers.....so I ask a tech...and he says maybe there is one in Europe....

what do you say?

[billB]

I say YES BMW does make 5ers 4X4 othe rthan X5 I guess as BMW image was dominated by the hot new M5 sports sedan the company also poked into the market with latest all-wheel-drive 525x and 530x sedans plus the 530ix which what your friend/customer is talking about..this one is a sport wagon. Despite their attraction for slippery surface work I doubt they will make...

Remember the X5 itself is based on the 5er; it is a mussled up 5er!! Makes you think they may come up with X7 or X??? after they introduced THE AUSTRIAN X3

[jrhaile]

there is an AWD 5er in my parking garage at work. I asked the guy about it and he said that's how he bought it. I've also seen a FWD 5er here in town which is bizzare.. the guy was selling it and I went to look at it to if he was an idiot and it truly was a fwd

[BeelZibub]

There is definetly a 5er xi (4x4) but only in the e34 flavour and definetly not in the 540 flavour - these things are more popular in the states/canada than europe. I think it was a 525xi - if I get the chance I will find out more.

[billB]

Ok here it is

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and BMWLotAttendant: Customers are always right
regards
billb

[roguesniper1]

there is no such thing as FWD Bmw, some in smoking lot of pot or in dire need of attention. There is no such thing, no such converstion. It is almost impossible. The X series are true Rwd with electronic torque distribution up front.

[billB]

Originally posted by roguesniper1@Feb 12 2005, 07:40 PM
there is no such thing as FWD Bmw, some in smoking lot of pot or in dire need of attention. There is no such thing, no such converstion. It is almost impossible. The X series are true Rwd with electronic torque distribution up front.

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While this is true, the X series sedans whether in 3s or 5s were the necessary reply/solution to bad winter traction of other model even when equipped with the ASC system; such a trend reached its peak by the introduction of the true AWDs or SAV. Several years ago the idea of 4X4 was unthinkable at BMW for many reasons:
A. They had acquired Land Rover along with its luxury Range Rover; that move was realized by BMW as the wrong one; they bailed out quickly if you recall.
B. Imagine what happened when they introduced their own X5 and parked it in the same show room next to a freelander or a discovery-a bit short of a sin.
C. BMW was able to reach out for otherwise unreachable customers! and remember the whole concept of FWD (as much as many people dislike it) is NOT a bad idea for a new breed of BMW series....Why not? For real. I think--at least from a marketing point view--BMW will be harnessing unprecedented sales/market shares from the Japanese market. They did it with the X5/X3 why not try it with the FWD market?

Note: we NOT talking performance here...marketing strategy only..that is making real $$
regards
billb

[drz]

http://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/5