Quote:
Originally Posted by heavyD^2
If BMW is so wrong what does that make Audi and MB? Neither even offer manual transmissions anymore in North America, don't offer anything close to the RWD 2-Series and have been in the FWD business for years now. The internet is simply a negative place so no matter what any company does right you are going to hear more about what it does wrong.
Let me know when the company goes strictly automatic and makes transverse engine layouts the norm and maybe we can talk. In the mean time go back to yelling at clouds.
|
Offering automatics and killing manuals isn't necessary a bad thing. As technology continue to evolve, faster stronger better is a good thing. Speaking of which, here's another area where BMW has fallen behind and now reacting to catch up.
VW is the first to market with a mass produced dual clutch automatic. Porsche spearheaded PDK, which by all accounts is vastly superior to BMW's DCT. The ubiquitous ZF 8 speed? Lexus and Toyota has already moved past that to a 10 speed automatic.
Back 20 years ago, BMW was the first to offer a 6 speed manual. SMG was clunky but besides Ferrari's F1 e-shift transmission BMW was the only other car that can be had with an automated manual. Now? Even the collaboration with Toyota seems to have produced a BETTER car for Toyota (the Zupra beat its Z4 brother in 3rd party testing).
And it isn't about automatics or transverse engines. It's about being AHEAD of the industry and offering stuff that others follow. For DECADES BMW was the company that many others emulated. Seriously. For a long time they've been the industry leader in the small sporty luxury sedan market. Sure, competition catches up. But what now? What sets BMW apart from other brands? What market does BMW actually excel at, or in the process of innovating or pioneering in?
That, is what ails BMW. Instead of looking to LEAD in an emerging market (BEV) they've taken a sheep like following stance. Again, I'm not saying EVs are the next big thing. It might. It might not. But at least LEAD in something. Do something bold, creative, innovative like BMW used to stand for.
Rather than react.