BMW sees M front-wheel drive cars as the biggest challenge

BMW embraces front-drive cars, and there are few enthusiasts or brand loyalists who can do to stop the tide. The FAAR front-drive architecture of BMW is here to stay – and it spawns several new models. While the Bavarian automaker is expanding its portfolio of anti-enthusiasm machines, BMW's M sport division does not hold the idea of ​​imposing an M badge on them and increasing their performance.

The front-wheel-drive architecture is almost the opposite of the feel of a BMW M. C & # 39; s is as well as the boss Frank Van Meel M told me when he spoke with CarAdvice.com.au .

"This challenge is the biggest challenge because we want to have a typical M feeling that goes naturally with propulsion," he said at the launch of the M2 and M5. Competition in Spain this week. "If you want to do that with front-wheel drive, I think that's the biggest challenge you can have."

However, Van Meel noted that M would not completely ignore the segment. In recent years, M has created a lower performing M Performance range to serve as an entry-level offering to the hardcore brand M. He stated that such M Performance front-wheel drive vehicles are likely to rather than those that fans of "one-of-a-kind" cars have come to know and love.

"The segment is big for us and of course it's very attractive, it's the entry-level segment of M," Van Meel said. "The question is what type of M and what cars in this segment would fit."

For the moment, BMW M fans do not have to worry about the fact that BMW is tarnishing the legendary performance mark for the moment. The front-wheel drive architecture is hard to infuse with the proven MR performance DNA. Then, the new BMW M5 has moved from rear-wheel drive to AWD for anything to be possible. If BMW decided to make models M hardcore with front wheel drive, they could get an electric rear axle, which would certainly help to make it more fun.

Source: References and references CarAdvice.com.au