Boxsterfeet

Hi everyone. Where I live we're exposed to many steep hills and challenging weather from November through to March once the average temperatures start to drop. Many of my friends would love to own BMWs, but because of the poor reputation of them in the winter (even from the dealer!) they all opt for quattro specified Audis.

I've now written to BMW UK to suggest they should address the poor reputation that BMWs have in winter weather and provide the option of X drive on the cars as most other companies have.

They've come back to tell me that they don't offer xdrive 3, 5 or 7 series because there's very low demand in the UK for it. Is this correct because no one has ever asked me if I would like it? They used to offer it in the 80s, but people's focus on safety etc. has changed a lot in 25 years.

What do you think of BMW's assertion? Would you drive an 5 series x drive if it was available?

StewartM

I remember when BMW wouldn't offer Diesel because people wouldn't want it and it wouldn't fit the image.

There are times when 4 wheel drive offers advantages that traction control can't, not just snow and ice, having to get quickly into a gap in the traffic on a streaming wet road.

I believe BMW should try it, even on a special order basis, I think enough people would buy to justify, especially as technology has improved so that fuel and co2 penalties are less nowadays.

I don't think there are technical issues as BMW's x Drives have the extra hardware offset to the left, so if they can fit that to a left hand drive, an RHD should be no problem.

MB are different, their 4 Matic hardware is to the righthand side, they say it is too costly to engineer RHD 4 Matics ( well the ordinary cars, not the M Class etc. )

Stewart.

Boxsterfeet

Right hand drive shouldn't be an issue because I believe they sold at least the E60 in Japan. If it was an issue I'm sure BMW UK would have used it as a reason.

StewartM

That is interesting, I never knew any RHD E60 X Drives were made for any market.

Stewart.

ipp

Are you sure about that? I haven't found any info saying RHD 5-series xDrive:s exist.

Boxsterfeet

They're still listing the E61 xdrive

http://www.bmw.co.jp/jp/ja/general/i...pricelist.html

Now whether they've decided that they can't do an F10 x, or whether it's too early I'm not sure

Boxsterfeet

Just noticed that the price list says left hand drive. Doh!

That's a good reason then I guess. Perhaps we should have switched to the right way back when...