German Car Zone

Not at all a dumb question.

First Engineered Production?

No, it was not.

It stands for Final Evaluation Phase. In this phase the car is production ready and all that's being done is scanning the cars for imperfections, letting focus group and execs give it a test run venting their opinion about material choices and various tiny little details that might need ironing out.

FEP is a name for a group of very final development phases. It consists of:


FEP stage 1 : FINAL ENGINEERING PILOT
(testing of fully developed & engineered car - with final major development / engineering solutions already done; when the imperfections are corrected the car is ready to enter phase 2)

FEP stage 2 : FINAL EVALUATION PILOT
(testing a car before it enters pre-production; evaluating final engineering solutions; some minor modifications & fine-settings can be done & production process can still be modified a bit; when all corrected the car is ready to enter phase 3)

FEP stage 3 : FINAL EVALUATION PRODUCTION
(testing of final pre-production vehicles; evaluating production process, build quality; correcting really minor production imperfections - strengthening quality control etc; when this phase is over the car is ready for regular production, and full production can finally start; eg. F01 is now in FEP 3 phase - only slightly taped & being readied for production starting in September).

I appreciate the info very much! Would most of FEP Stage 1 be done in Germany (specifically talking about BMW) and include hot and cold weather testing,first trips to the Ring,etc....It seems most of the cars I see in this area (SC BMW Plant) are Stage 2 and Stage 3.Just trying to figure out what level of testing is done here locally and what is done mostly in Germany.Thanks very much! PalBay

Usually pre-FEP testings are more international, while FEP is more local (closer to production plant). Most Ring testing is done in pre-FEP phase as well.

FEP phases are know by less camoed prototypes. So most of cold / hot weather testing is done in pre-FEP phases, with all the plastic cladding on the car.

But lately it's a bit confusing since BMW is dressing both FEP & pre-FEP cars in that psychedelic black-white tape.

Regarding M models: hard to tell which phase they are in, since they wear only slight camo due being based on already regularly produced donor-vehicles (eg. regular X5, X6, 3er coupe etc).

EnI, I appreciate the great info...most helpful.Never seen plastic cladding here locally.Mostly heavily taped to start...all crease lines,roundels blacked out,no badges,etc.Very interesting process.........this creation of a new automobile model!! Thanks all for your quick replies! PalBay

Motor Authority piece on the X1.Includes Schulte rendering. Thanks! PalBay Motor Authority Spy shots: 2010 BMW X1 likely candidate for U.S.

I am not going to even commentate on the front view digital manipulation of the X6 , But I will say this , The rear view is not that far off , Just alter the light shape and some rear bumper details but in all , visually similar especially the proportions and the kicked back rear window which forms the Hofmeister kick.

The proportions are dead on , small , dynamic and visually chunky styling , the wheel designs for this car are very sporty indeed and fit the arches better than the 17" you see here. X1 will be promoted as the urban BMW SAV, We like to think of it in the same vein as the Nissan Quashqai , an alternative to the mainstream. Driving dynamics are very sport orientated aswell.

We are hoping this car really starts the phase as generated by the X3 and establishes a new segment. Although the hate consumed will comment but this will be another very exciting BMW.

I guess I have established myself as a SUV hater by now. Well, given that the current X3 got so little love considering what it managed to do makes me think that the new X3, complete with contemporary technology and the same styling cues and proportions as the X5, will be a hit - not only in the sales books.