BMW confirms front-wheel-drive cars

BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer has confirmed that the company is planning a range of front-wheel drive BMW models.

A new platform, covering front and four-wheel drive models, will be used for a range of BMW models between 3.8m and 4.3m long, and for the third-generation Mini in 2014.

According to the reports, there could eventually be up to 20 individual BMW and Mini-badged models based on the new BMW-engineered platform. The dual length of the platform would enable it to cover models sized from a typical supermini to a Golf-sized car.

Reithofer has also confirmed that the next-generation BMW 1-series would continue to be based on a rear-wheel drive chassis. He said that the new platform would allow BMW to achieve its profitability aims in the small car sector, and the company could also share the platform with other car manufacturers, further increasing the economies of scale.

Speaking at the company’s annual results press conference, Reithofer estimated that the ‘premium small car’ market would grow annually by 4-6 percent every year until 2020. BMW is also estimating that, by 2020, the average Co2 emissions of its entire new car fleet will, be just 117g/km, a figure driven down by the new range of baby BMW models.

There’s no news on whether the new platform will be shared with Peugeot-Citroen with whom BMW have an engine building joint venture. However, the company has said that if it decides to share the platform, it would ‘talk first’ to the manufacturers it is already in partnership with.