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      02-03-2018, 10:05 AM   #296
mkoesel
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Drives: No BMW for now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marcva View Post
Awd trucks are the future. Sedans are an obsolete, impractical throwback. It's only a matter of time before the overall form factor evolves away from rear drive sedans except for specialized race applications.

So take care of your track car and step up to the future in the street.
That’s a bit of a tangent, and might pull the thread off topic, at which point I will move the posts to their own thread.

But at any rate, I take issue with some of what you predict. Strictly speaking, not all SUVs are classified as light trucks. Take the X1 and X2 for example. Now, they obviously aren’t sedans either, but my point is that the traditional SUV is not killing the sedan. Rather, the two have been converging into various types of crossovers which, while usually looking more like SUVs than sedans, often straddle the line. In all likelihood, they will continue on this path of convergence, and examples that straddle the line will continue to exist.

Obviously this evolution has caused the two-box, elevated ride height form factor to see a sharp increase in popularity. There’s no arguing that. However, not all crossovers are two-box. The fastback SUV was pioneered by BMW with the X6 and many others have come since it’s debut a decade ago. Automakers will continue to both make SUVs that are more car like, and offer more cars that are SUV-like, such as BMW’s Gran Turismo models, for example. These are currently somewhat niche, but as time goes on, expect that to change. Think in terms of vehicles resembling BMWs iNext Concept.

As for drive wheels, future electric platforms will allow for FWD, AWD, and RWD models to be built on a common platform. There is no doubt that AWD will continue its increase in popularity, but there are plenty of very high performing AWD vehicles.

Will the four door passenger car eventually die off? Maybe. But five door vehicles with a racy fastback profile and car-like driving dynamics will pick up the torch.

Last edited by mkoesel; 02-03-2018 at 10:10 AM..
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