Don't sweat the MPG, If you're a luxury automaker, at least

From LeftLane News:

From the “I told you so” file (post #3, in that link), this news seems clear: people who drive luxury vehicles don’t sweat the gas mileage. At least, not on anything close to the level that most other demographics do.

So BMW’s new strategy of stopping the presses, and taking a whole new engineering direction based on their perceived need to increase gas mileage… yeah, not so much. Hello, McFly? You’re a luxury automaker.

-Inspector

If BMW were really worried about the gas prices, why do they keep making bigger engines?

I may be too optimistic but I think BMW may be making press statements about concernes over gas to make hearts and minds happy while doing the opposite.

I watch thier model lines closely and see no slow down towards making larger engines.

Now, if they can make thier engines more gas efficient then no one should stand in thier way as long as it doesnt coe at a performance cost. They have been doing this effectively well over the last 15 years. The 6 cylinder engines they have produced over the last 10 years have had better power output while also reducing gas consumption. You get newere engines with larger displacement. 2.3, 2.5, 2.8, 3.0, 3.2, and 3.5 Litre 6 cylinder inlines getting progressively more HP while consuming less gas due to technology refinements.

If you compare the 1996 328 to the 2002 328 you'll see more power gain in the newer model 328 but you'll also see no difference in gas consumption MPG city highway. They have the same displacement nad gas consumption but have made the torque and HP better.


http://www.caranddriver.com/features/2197/...bmw-328im3.html

Well, their press statements say that that trend is over.

If it's all hot air, then it's cowardly hot air. If they don't intend to make compromises to gain MPG, then they certainly don't need to give lip service to doing so. If their motto is "no" to compromise, then that should include statements of principles.

Anyway, for their sake I hope you're right.

Well, I may be completely wrong but BMW have been working on stuff like the clean air hydrogen cars for a few years now. I think its less about practicality and more about public relations.

This is only my hunch though. Maybe we will have to see where they go with thier next gen linup. This last set just finished with the 3 series rounding up the series that started with the "Chris Bangle" touch. The whole line up has now been through that design structure one time.

Maybe now that they are starting over in the design process will they begin to implement this engineering change they allude to.

I hope not.