German Car Zone

thx,mate..I totaly missed that thread ..
I really need to start giving more attention to this things,,damn..

Yes but it's the midline models that feature xDrive... for example, there's no 335xd while the 335xi has only recently been introduced, there is no 550xi nor any kind of xDrive 6 series. And it would be great if BMW offered the improved xDrive with M cars, as an option, at least, considering the out lash of many members here in the thread EnI posted above.

Yes, xDrive is being offered with the models where there is a demand for AWD. It's not economically reasonable to have it in every model.

Exactly.

That may or may not be true. It's little more than an educated guess on your part and probably predicted by BMW by researching the market. The problem with market research techniques is that they can be way off, depending in large part on how you compose your questionnaire / focus groups, what kind of primary or secondary data you analyze and how relevant it is. Of course, marketing can virtually nullify your results if played out right.
Big companies tend to act on the safe side and would only introduce one or two "risky" models to the product line to test the waters - e.g. 335xi. To my recollection this is the only time in history that BMW has offered xDrive on a top end non M model car. I'm of the opinion that even though it's not the new xDrive with DPC which I and many others would prefer, it will be more than successful enough to offset its development costs. I know two friends who were tempted by the new Audi S5 (BMW fans), but decided to go with 335xi soon after it was introduced. The funny thing is, the sales guy at the local dealer had no idea BMW offered such a model. He was even quite arrogant in dismissing the customers as ignorant folk. It took a trip to bmw.de webpage to humble him.

Anyway, if I had made the case for 335xi about 6 months before - be honest - would you have used the "it's not economically feasible" argument? There is no need to offer it on every model, but top models should, in my opinion, get the option. I predict they will, eventually. I just wish it was sooner rather than later.

What is bolded below, I assume is the CS concept, even though it seems what they think it will be is different from our discusions:

From Free article blog: Cars of the future compared

Automobilemag.com lists 5 of the cars that can be seen in the market in 2010 and beyond. These are the BMW Z8, BMW X1, BMW LC5 CLS Fighter, Audi 1, and the Honda FCX.

BMW will revive the Z8 roadster in its 2010 model. This 650Ci convertible will range from $90,000-to-$125,000. It will be powered by a 400-plus-hp turbo version of BMW's 4.4-liter V-8 mated to a new dual-clutch gearbox. Other engines--larger and smaller--may find their way under the hood as well.

The pint size BMW X1 will be added to the X5, the just-freshened X3, and a two-door X6 due in 2008. The compact SUV market might seem an unlikely place for a premium German marque, but BMW won't be alone. Audi will be there with the Volkswagen Tiguan-derived Q3, as will Mercedes-Benz with its GLK.

These three share common characteristics. Aside from the fact that they all have well-to-do female customers, they also would want to make the car seats higher, to surround their vehicles with lots of active and passive safety equipment, and to own a premium product with a versatile interior. They are less interested in size and high-performance engines. They are also value-focused, which is why the X1 will be priced about the same as a loaded Toyota RAV4.

At roughly 170 inches long, the X1 will combine the footprint of the 1-series and packaging similar to that of the X3. The large wheels and the suspension come from the X3. The underbody, the drivetrain, and the electronics will be taken from the 1-series. The X1's more carlike DNA is reflected in its target weight of 3400 pounds, significantly lighter than the X3. The X1 is principally a four-seater, but since the rear chairs slide and fold, an optional fifth seat could be integrated. BMW may offer a variety of opening and see-through roof treatments.

Indeed, BMW is readying a stretched version of the next 6-series, which would feature four doors and four seats under a coupe like roof.
To its credit, the BMW team is taking a somewhat different approach from Mercedes-Benz. The LC5 CLS Fighter will be seen without B-pillars. Instead, the structural integrity of the body will be supported by overlapping doors (the rear ones always shut first and open last) plus reinforced sills and side panels. All seats feature integrated belts and side air bags. The oval-shaped lateral aperture and the connected door skins are supposed to help spread out the energy in the event of a side impact. The engine lineup consists of four units: a 300-hp, 3.0-liter turbocharged six; a 400-hp, 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8; an M version powered by a 550-hp, 5.5-liter V-10; and a 3.0-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder diesel.

Transmission offerings are to include a conventional six-speed manual and two automatics, where one is a dual-clutch design. Both automatics will feature seven speeds and optional paddle-shift operation. The gear selector is a joystick with two parallel shift modes: flick it to the left, and you're in manual; flick it to the right, and you're in automatic. Pushing a button on top of the lever engages park. Car enthusiasts will also see new electro hydraulic brakes, active steering, and wheels ranging in size from eighteen to twenty inches. It is not yet clear whether the new arrival will be part of the 6-series family or whether BMW would rather launch it as a 7-series coupe. Either way, the car is expected to reach showrooms in 2011, shortly after the next 6-series coupe/ convertible--and, coincidentally, around the same time as the second-generation Mercedes-Benz CLS, the car that started it all.