[PABrian]

Originally Posted by JamesGames

It also seems like a reoccurring theme. The past few years on bimmerpost alone i've read multiple posted front page news here regarding record bmw sales or more BMWs being sold. In the last few years they also...

1) Introduced a Corolla like FWD bmw
2) Took away DCT
3) Perpetuated AWD systems
4) Increased front weight distribution
5) Increased overall weight of all models
6) And just started ridding the old design elements of the past.

Everyone is b1tching and moaning about BMW's direction (including me I am guilty) yet BMW just ignores us minions who buy less than 1% of their cars and continues selling M badges left and right, M235i Grancoupe and other FWD chassis cars to make us more salty while their pockets get bigger. ALSO the X1 / X3 / X5 wasn't enough SUVs - we need X2 X4 X6 X7 now. Supply and demand 101.

No one to blame but humans.

Agreed on most of that! Any car company that caters most or all of its cars to the desires of typical forum members will go bankrupt very, very quickly. A lot of people here don't seem to realize that they are in the minority (by a large margin), buying used cars won't influence a manufacturer's decisions (unlike buying new cars), and making (x) car a certain way for the US market or in very low production numbers for "enthusiasts" costs an absolute f*ck ton of money. That's why the M3 wagon isn't coming...there's no 3 wagon because it would cost a lot to homologate for US specs and the return would be so low, so bringing an M3 would cost even more and have even less return.

Regarding your list, just comments, not giving you crap or anything...
2) In the real world, why is this bad? Genuinely wondering. DCTs are heavier, bulkier, more difficult to adapt to AWD if it isn't designed for it from the get-go, more likely to drive less smoothly, and less efficient. For 99% of buyers, it's just worse.
3) Perpetuated AWD? They've had AWD on the majority of the lineup for much longer than the last few years.
5) So have MB and Audi, and many other manufacturers. Customers demand larger vehicles, more tech, and more safety. More people are buying SUVs, which means accidents are more likely to happen involving an SUV. This leads to bulking up everything, especially cars, to make them safer in the event of an impact with an SUV. As you mentioned: supply and demand.

Regardless of whether we agree with BMW's direction or like or dislike their cars, we all have to acknowledge that BMW is a for-profit business, just like every other car manufacturer out there. They are also a publicly traded company, so they not only have customers to cater to, but they have to keep their stock holders happy.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by PABrian

Regarding your list, just comments, not giving you crap or anything...

2) In the real world, why is this bad? Genuinely wondering. DCTs are heavier, bulkier, more difficult to adapt to AWD if it isn't designed for it from the get-go, more likely to drive less smoothly, and less efficient. For 99% of buyers, it's just worse.

3) Perpetuated AWD? They've had AWD on the majority of the lineup for much longer than the last few years.

In short, many enthusiasts prefer the feel and behavior of the DCT. Regarding AWD, I believe he’s referring largely to M passenger cars.

These are interesting discussions, but not ideal for this thread. Let’s use other established threads for that if more discussion or debate is desired. I think we agree that the point stands: many of the changes that enthusiasts seem to take the most opposition to aren’t having a sizable negative impact on BMW sales in the real world.

Regardless of whether we agree with BMW's direction or like or dislike their cars, we all have to acknowledge that BMW is a for-profit business, just like every other car manufacturer out there. They are also a publicly traded company, so they not only have customers to cater to, but they have to keep their stock holders happy.

Yes, very well said.