Bmw Claims that if you could mount the 3 Sereis right in its middle on a Pin( that could carry the weight)it won't fall off because it has a 50:50% weight distribution over its its Front and Rear axles. Small wonder it has such Phenomenal Handling!!!
Every other Car manufacturer has fiddled with the Front Engine, Front wheel drive Layout, even Mercedes Benz. BMW was the only Manufacturer that kept the Front Engine RWD layout which was largely responsible for the heavenly driving response achieved on its line up. All of that is set to change now with the introduction of the new 1series with FWD or AWD layout.
2012 BMW 1 series
I cannot begin to come up with excuses on why BMW has chosen to go the way of the others and dilute the BMW driving experience? But a close answer comes in the knowledge that for the 1st time in its History, Land Rover will have a FWD model in its much anticipated LRX.
Land Rover LRX Concept
The closest I can come to telling you why is that Both BMW and Land Rover are trying to adjust to the times. Porsche, Ferrari both have Hybrid models in the works. This was un-thinkable just a few years back.
Please make no mistake, there are Advantages in the Front engine FWD layout: improved Fuel consumption being the chief one, but I thought the reason we bought a BMW was that you wanted a car that you could go round a corner at any speed? And the whole Logic behind a Land Rover was that it could go where Nature you’d rather you stop and go back Home? What use is a Front wheel driven(only) Land Rover?
It’s a Sad time for us pure motor enthusiasts!!!!!
Glad to have you back Bro!!!
ReplyDeleteThe most constant thing in life is change man...
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!
Henry.
FWD, RWD is not an option for tradition. It's an engineering decision. The amount of tractive forces that can be developed by driving wheels depends on the Normal reaction on those wheels. Light weight cars try to leverage the engine weight on the front wheels and stick to FWD. Heavy car that can have substantial weight at the rear mount shift the drive to the back.
ReplyDeleteTechnically speaking, the rear wheels are the best place to drive a car forwards. There's a phenomenon in engineering called CHANGE OF LOAD. When a vehicle is up an incline, weight (or load) shifts to the rear thereby increasing weight on the rears and reducing that on the front. A RWD vehicle does better at climbing.
When a vehicle is going down a slope, weight shifts to the front but this does not give a front wheel driven vehicle an advantage since vehicles dont need much effort to descend a slope.
Ekaabo Sir. Iya ile nko o?
ReplyDelete@ anonymous: i'm not sure i understand what you're saying completely. but this is what i know. if you mount the engine, gearbox and axle all in the front of the car, there's every tendency the front of the car will be heavier that the rear.. as the rear suspension, bearing the axles cannot have the same amount of weight as the set up in front. So by the laws of Physics, that vehicle is already at a disadvantage.
ReplyDeleteNow this is extrapolated as the power being sent to Front tyres in a FWD increases,why do you think you wont find any FWD cars with more than 300Hp? torque steer being the very 1st culprit you have to deal with.
Do bear in mind that you're already steering with the Front wheels, now you add drving to it? Haba????
@ Annonymous: the basic reason everyone is shifting to the FWD is fuel economy. Its a simple law of physics; try pulling and pushing a wheelbarrow, WHICH IS EASIER???
ReplyDeletei'm still interested in what BMW has to offer, and basically ITS JUST A SIGN OF THE TIMES..
With recession and all that i'm sure BMW is of the opinion that making a more fuel efficient (unfortunately FWD)car won't be such a bad idea.....
SAD!!!!!!!!!!!
Engines beyond 300HP are usually mounted on heavy cars. A car to cope with this power should be structurally fit. Everything has to be bigger, stronger and obviously heavier - the wheels, the nuts, the brake discs, driving shafts... you name it. With all these increases, you're already building up weight at the rear. Taking the axle and differentials to the back contribues yet more weight. Do the math and you might realise RWD is feasible here and that's it!
ReplyDeleteSecond comment talked about efficiency. Of course fuel efficiency is the major factor in Engineering design. Choice of materials should center on light weight objects not just metals. For light-weight cars, the axles dont weigh much, even the engines dont weigh much either. You can lift Yaris engine, I'm sure. Sending Yaris axles to the back and stretching propeller shafts will not help Yaris. Increasing the axle weight beyond what currently obtains means employing redundant weights and decreasing fuel efficiency.
To demonstrate change of load, try driving a Honda Accord up a very steep incline. The front wheels will be slipping. A mercedes or a BMW will pretty much handle that with ease.
Not because they are superior though.
Now reverse a Honda Accord up a very steep incline, I mean put the Accord in reverse gear and back up the incline. The Accord will excel while the Mercedes and co will flop. The rear wheels will be slipping cos they aint getting enough traction and the weight has shifted to the front.
Since cars are primarily meant for forward motion, rear wheel drive remains the best but only not workable for utra light cars.
@ annonymous beyond weight being the reason that you will not find any 300Hp FWD car, Torque steer is the chief culprit.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, most manufacturers of cars in the Sub-compact, compact, medium to large categories aim to seat 5. Having the Prop. Shaft tunnel where the Mid rear seat occupant places his legs can be a discomfort.
Furthermore FWD cars tend to understeer like a pig when pushed Hard.
And contrary to your opinion, Cars aren't always built to be efficient. Effieciency became an issue after the oil issues of the late 70's and early 80's. Prior to that time, Americans were building Muscle cars that did not take fuel consumption into consideration because it was cheap and readilly available.
So if we understand that various manufacturers target various customers then you can understand that a manufacturer like BMW can build a 3 series for performance( absolute performance) while a Toyota can build a Corolla for economy or Whatever reason they're build it for.
@ Anonymous please also bear in mind that though BMW is a great Car Compnay, they have made mistakes in the past.
ReplyDeleteTheir choice to go FWD in the 1 series may not be a good idea, if sales figures is the reason they've chosen to do this, time will tell. And do remember that a returning Customer is of more value than a walk in 1. BMW stands the chance to Alienate Faithfulls such as me!!!!
ah! ah! This is a WAR!!! The VAS1s vs ANONYMOUS!!!
ReplyDelete@ 2nd Mr ANONYMOUS: you said alot, but u have to realize everything does not have to be bigger, bigger wheels nuts??? where did u hear that from?
ReplyDeleteAnother mistake u made is; taking the axle and differential to the back contributes to more weight??? GEEZ!!!!
Even if u put the axle and differentials in the boot, it doesnt contribute 1Kg to the weight of the car, as long as the drivetrain is in the SAME car!!! What i think you wanted to say is the WEIGHT RATIO of the car, be more specific.
Fuel efficiency is not a major factor in engineering design. IT IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN ENGINE DESIGN.
Sending the axle and stretching the propeller shaft to the back of a yaris wont help it, why? have you considered that it would spread the weight across the car more evenly? thereby improving handling due to better WEIGHT RATIO???
Finally, reversing a car up a steep slope??? WHO DOES THAT???