why havnt hot hatches gone rwd ??

[KM2]

Isn't the Astra VXR (240ps) faster around the Ring than the RWD 130i M (265hp) package?

[Guest]

Isn't the Astra VXR (240ps) faster around the Ring than the RWD 130i M (265hp) package?

wouldn't suprise me, they wouldnt put a proper diff on the 1, so in reality it doesnt handle that fast

[syko]

Its not good because its a BMW, its expensive because its a BMW. They make luxury cars, you cant expect a cheap RWD sports hatch from BMW...cheapness isnt really their forte.

Yes it's expensive yes its a BMW, but does that make it worth the money you would pay for it, i think not. I also wouldn't class the whole 1 series range as sport hatches just the 130i. I wouldn't expect them to be cheap but if your paying a dump load of money for it you would want it to be better than the cheaper competition.

[TVR IS KING]

Well it is probably more luxurious than the competition. It isnt a cheap sports model, it is the flagship model. A BMW flagship isnt just sports, its luxury as well.
Its allowed to cost more...

[KnifeEdge_2K1]

Well it is probably more luxurious than the competition. It isnt a cheap sports model, it is the flagship model. A BMW flagship isnt just sports, its luxury as well.
Its allowed to cost more...

how is the 1 series considered bmw's flagship model ??

[fpv_gtho]

If you read closer he was talking about the 130iM in relation to the 1 series...

[TVR IS KING]

Indeed I was. Its the flagship 1er, not the flagship BMW. You almost deserve a good hard flaming :P

[KnifeEdge_2K1]

woops, my bad

[P4g4nite]

FWD is perfectly adequate in a hatch with modern LSDs and well sorted suspension and steering.
So my guess is that a switch to RWD would be a marketing idea more than anything performance oriented.

[KnifeEdge_2K1]

suspension and steering has nothing with what im talking about, fwd WON'T work once you pass a certain threshold (power/torque wise), small wheelbase, clever suspension will only work up to a certain point

[elway7uk]

Its mainly cos hot hatches are driven by young tossers who dont know how to drive - if they were rear wheel drive they'd get binned even more than they do.
Its generally not until they progress to their first 3-series BMW that most of us learn car control, by which time, most of us are mid-20s and little less stupid.

[Clivey]

Its mainly cos hot hatches are driven by young tossers who dont know how to drive - if they were rear wheel drive they'd get binned even more than they do.
Its generally not until they progress to their first 3-series BMW that most of us learn car control, by which time, most of us are mid-20s and little less stupid.

Except that the majority of people in the UK driving 3-Series BMWs are tossers that don't care about anyone else on the road and don't know (or care) how to drive at all!

As Jimmy Carr said "Definition of a tosser-Man driving a BMW whilst talking on a mobile phone!"

[stian1979]

I bought a opel kadett 1200s from 1976 when I was 18 witch i stil have.
Later I bought a opel comandore 2,5s from 1984 witch i crash twice, the last time in 140kmh
Then a Izusu combo from 1994 RWD witch I could not get trough the EU regulated car testing.
Then I bought myself a chrysler stratus from 2000. My good what a disapointment, drafting trough the corners on slipery ice in wintertime was something I was not able to do annymore And even it was 200kg lighter ans had 40hp more than the izusu I was not able to cover the same distance at a tight conering road at a shorter time.
I hate front weel drive and think it's a steep back in car development.
I live now in Taiwan where rear weel drive is hard to find so I got to chose betwen beetle(to litle power and modifications are uligal here) jaguar(to heavy) honda s2000(to litle for to mutch money) or a old nissan(my best option and im looking for one)

[h00t_h00t]

FWDs aren't that bad. There seems to be a badge of honor that comes with owning a RWD car, the only ones most people can buy are old Nissans from the 80s and 90s which, while abit fast, aren't awe inspiring.

[henk4]

FWDs aren't that bad. There seems to be a badge of honor that comes with owning a RWD car, the only ones most people can buy are old Nissans from the 80s and 90s which, while abit fast, aren't awe inspiring.

Still available in the market:

The Volga RWD
The Lada RWD

so you can still buy cheapos if you want to feel the thrill of power oversteer....