80% of BMW 1 series drivers are not very clever.
nicklouse
Posts: 50,673
Believe it or not, 80 percent of BMW 1-series owners believe they are driving a front-wheel-drive car.
Given that today is March 22, I promise this is not an early April Fools' Day joke.
BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer shared the mind-boggling statistic during a call with analysts following the release of the company's 2009 financial results last week.
The comment came after an analyst asked whether the German automaker risked confusing customers with the addition of fwd BMWs to a lineup that features only rear-drive models.
Reithofer said he was not worried because of the 1-series survey data, which he admitted came as “quite a surprise” to BMW.
Customers obviously are not turned off by the thought of owning a front-drive BMW, which means the German premium brand has a good chance to succeed with its plan to sell up to 1 million fwd BMW and Mini brand cars by the middle of this decade.
are they drivers any more or just Users.
"Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
0
Comments
-
I should think 50% don't even know what front or rear wheel drive is. Or where the oil and water go.
Too busy being Apprentice wannabees with a load of hair gel and "designer" shades.
It's good car but of all the badly driven BMWs, I think the 1 series is worst.0 -
From Scooby.net.
"I think the biggest problem is the number of diesel drivers suffering from what I call 'Dieselitis'. It's worse in BMW diesel drivers (the rep stereotype), and *particularly* bad in those with the biggest diesels.
Dieselitis is what a driver can suffer when they step up to a modern derv-burner, after they become accustomed to not just the powerful wave of torque available, but also being at least as if not quicker than the majority of road users. It manifests itself as a sense of unshakable superiority, and a feeling (especially in my experience amongst x35d pilots) that whatever you're in can't *possibly* be faster, especially should they decide to use that vast reservoir of torque available.
As a result, they won't pull over for anyone, *particularly* drivers of older or 'lesser' sporty cars, and if they do move over to 'allow' you past, they put their foot down so as to show off that they are in the faster vehicle. They usually choose hills as the venue to move aside to tempt you before putting the foot down.
However, suffers of dieselitis will occasionally get it pointed out to them that they are, in fact, *not* the fastest thing on four wheels. Their smug game of bait and bash will come crashing down around them as (in my case) a decade old Toyota hits them where it hurts the most, and out-pulls them uphill in a 70-140 drag. This is such a jolt from their usual reality that it can't possibly have happened, and that if they can only get back in front of you, by whatever means it requires, then they can do it again, but with success this time (failing *twice* is unthinkable), and reality will be restored to it's correct shape.
That wonderful wave of torque, just there for the riding, lulls the dieselitis suffering into forgetting that torque at the flywheel is largely irrelevant - it's torque at the wheels that is actually what drives you forward, and that the advantage gained by having so much torque is balanced out by having a smaller powerband and/or lower rev limit to work within. It is this same factor that means the Honda Type-R's are a match for much torquier turbo engines, and the fact that the in-gear pull from a diesel means that *you* may not have to change down (or indeed, may not be *able* to change down!), there is nothing to stop the other vehicle from doing just that! "
lol. 0 -
noooo its the x series and thos one's mat.. though round my area we are getting alot of younger chav types buying second hand 116 and so on..0
-
I didn't know until recently that toothpaste was alkaline. I didn't really care to know either.
Which must be the case with the BMW 1 series drivers.
To pretty much 100% of 1 series drivers it really doesn't matter. Its not like they're going to be driving around corners at 100mph, and it they did they probably wouldn't have enough time to think 'Oh for a front wheel drive car I'm sure getting lots of understeer'.<hr noshade size="1"><font color="purple"><center><i><b><font size="2"><font face="Times New Roman"> "Boggis and Bunce and Bean. One fat, one short, one lean. These horrible crooks. So different in looks. Were none the less equally mean."</font id="Times New Roman"></b></font id="size2"></i></center></font id="purple">0 -
Not getting at you Matt but Ben, that is funny 0
-
.blitz wrote:Not getting at you Matt but Ben, that is funny
absolutely when you consider that most of BMW advertising for the last X years has been on balance with RWD being prominent in the adverts."Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
Ben - fairly amusing, partly true but mainly complete BS unfortunately. The "Type R" comment is the major giveaway - the last two paras are simply wrong.
Whoever wrote it obviously has a quickish Toyota - could be a Supra (quick) but I bet it's a Celica (not quick). The 35d IS quick - the figures speak for themselves.
Impreza drivers have long been known to think they are invincible but a 4 pot 2.0 that does under 20mpg isn't really that useful. Hence Subaru sales being so bad that I reckon they'll stop importing soon
Waylander - I think the 1 series is worse as it's the choice of the young wannabee. Had a 120d M Sport as a courtesy car - yes it's fun, yes it's fairly well made (interior a bit minging though) but others do the job better IMO.
X3/5/6 drivers are often terrible but at least they are usually a bit more grown up.0 -
I would just like to point out that although I am an active member of the Scooby.net forum, I didn't write that... 0
-
He gets shot down later on - surprise surprise.
He also hasn't posted for two years.0 -
-
He does have a point though.
There seems to be a growing band of 2.0TDI VAG drivers who seem to think they have been granted exclusive use of the outside land by royal charter.
I'm not that bothered as going fast on the motorway just burns more fuel (esp with two bikes on the roof) I'll have my fun on the A roads0 -
-
RichMTB wrote:He does have a point though.
There seems to be a growing band of 2.0TDI VAG drivers who seem to think they have been granted exclusive use of the outside land by royal charter.
I'm not that bothered as going fast on the motorway just burns more fuel (esp with two bikes on the roof) I'll have my fun on the A roads
Totally agree but they have less than half the bhp of a 335d (or 535d)! To put them in the same bracket is daft. A 2.0TDI unit in a Golf makes it a warmish hatch, in an A4 it makes it a very slothful cruiser.
I do find 2.0TDI drivers (Golf, Passat, Audi - any model) are often some of the worst on the road though. Yes there "red I" ones have 170bhp but that's still not really a lot.
Cars like the 330d, 3.0TDI Audi, Merc 320CDI and the 335/535d are in a completely different class - all have well over 200bhp and 350lbs/ft of torque.0 -
-
You know, I must be psychic, before I even clicked on this topic, I just KNEW that matt would have been the first one to respond and it would then descent into the usual BMW argument.
I expect we'll be seeing torque figures popping up shortly, then a mention of his other car.0 -
Cat With No Tail wrote:I expect we'll be seeing torque figures popping up shortly, then a mention of his other car.
LOL! 0 -
Actually, I see he beat me to it and got the torque figures in as I was typing my last post.
Mention of the Suzuki and the private road and my BMW driver bingo sheet will be full.
0 -
El - I was quite excited (yes I know - life needed) then Subaru decided to make a diesel but they really missed a trick making it so lame for power. I wish they'd done a crazy power/torque version!
It's a decent unit but doesn't really push the boundaries - a missed opportunity.
I'm slightly surprised your engine doesn't have more torque - it's a big unit. Has your modding lifted it a bit? Is it quite a revvy unit? I did seriously look at the non Outback Legacy 3.0R but the mpg scared me off!
This weekends lairy car? A 115bhp TDi Audi A3 giving it everything up a long hill having tailgated me for ages (on a single lane road). Oh dear... :roll: :twisted:
Sorry did Cat With No Tail and a slow car just say something again?0 -
BMW diesel = dull.
end of. {insert smartarse comment here}0 -
RichMTB wrote:Cars like the 330d, 3.0TDI Audi, Merc 320CDI and the 335/535d are in a completely different class - all have well over 200bhp and 350lbs/ft of torque.
They all have to move over for this!
0 -
M1llh0use wrote:BMW diesel = dull.
end of.
Being a tad "portly" = even more dull
Running a Ninja on UK roads = daft
Rich - as long as it's FQ300 or above, then yes. The FQ360 (Evo 9) I tested was the fastest car I've driven - and that includes regular use of a 355.
However you have to stop every 150 miles for fuel... 0 -
My little Clio is a Diesel, and I can't prove it but I'm almost 100% sure it'll do 200mph up a hill easily.<hr noshade size="1"><font color="purple"><center><i><b><font size="2"><font face="Times New Roman"> "Boggis and Bunce and Bean. One fat, one short, one lean. These horrible crooks. So different in looks. Were none the less equally mean."</font id="Times New Roman"></b></font id="size2"></i></center></font id="purple">0
-
Surf-Matt wrote:I'm slightly surprised your engine doesn't have more torque - it's a big unit. Has your modding lifted it a bit? Is it quite a revvy unit? I did seriously look at the non Outback Legacy 3.0R but the mpg scared me off!
Firstly, I didn't buy the Outback for it's fuel economy. I had a Renault Grand Espace (2.0 petrol) previously, so if anything, I've seen an improvement... :?
Not sure of the actual figures for torque. The low end 'grunt' has improved slightly, but most of the useable power still only comes into play once you hit 3500rpm.
I may have to get it dyno'ed again to see what the figures are.0 -
Stock is 240ish bhp and 219lbs/ft for the 3.0R.0
-
-
seriously, you're fat and suicidal isn't really a well thought out argument is it!!!{insert smartarse comment here}0
-
Rich - as long as it's FQ300 or above, then yes. The FQ360 (Evo 9) I tested was the fastest car I've driven - and that includes regular use of a 355.
However you have to stop every 150 miles for fuel...
Its actually a heavily modified EVO VIII GSR that putting out just under 400bhp and its easily the fastest car I've ever driven, but the twin plate clutch and massive turning circle mean its a b!tch to park!
150 mile on a tank of fuel is only when its driven sensible which isn't often.
The pleasure of paying for fuel for it thankfully isn't mine, its actually my brother's car0
