Yeah, an Elise is a great example. It only costs 3-4x what a Fit costs, has room for 1.5 people, no cargo space and is not even in the same class. A Smart, on the other hand, is a pointless vehicle and doesn't have anywhere near the space and cargo room of a Fit. In other words, neither is a valid competitor

Keep trying!

Anything is possible, just not within the price envelope and meeting the other requirements of the car. Comparatively and generally speaking, RWD is more expensive, it's less efficient and it weighs more than a FWD setup. It's not that you can't make a lightweight RWD car that is efficient, only that it won't be as light, efficient or cost effective as a comparable FWD setup and those are things that matter in this segment more than having RWD handling.

Also, to get down to lower weights like an E30, they'd need to add in lightweight materials, bumping up costs significantly. They have much more stringent crash tests now, plus a higher expectation of options, and all of those things increase weight.

Could they do it? Sure! Could they do it cost effectively? Not on your life!

 

If it's possible to build a modern S13 240SX at the same weight without resorting to exotic materials and construction techniques at the SAME relative performance and price points (see FR-S/BRZ), it is certainly also possible to build a modern E30 at the same weight without resorting to exotic materials and construction techniques at the SAME relative performance and price points. IF THE WILL WAS THERE. BMW are clearly far more interested in producing German Buicks and Camaros. A pity...

 

Their coolest car in quite a while. Not really terribly small or lightweight, though. Again, 1-series is entirely too close in size/weight to the oversized/overweight 3.

They (for whatever reason) purposely limited production of the 1M. They could have sold tons more than they made.

But, again, not exactly a lightweight...

They should build a genuinely small, lightweight, minimalist rwd car. They suck for not doing this. That is my opinion...

 

Zdan, its not that they cant, its because it makes no sense. Take the frs, lightweight and wat not, but the price point is just over the tc and right around the 200hp hot hatches, and even there people are saying its overpriced. Then you take the brz which has more luxury and its at 30k. Now imagine that with a bmw badge. Onl way this would happen is if they totally redesign the 1 series to be more like the frs, but why? It serves its intended purpose and the 1m is already highly praised. Id love to see a lighter 1m, but not without that i6tt engine, which is longer, bigger, and heavier than an na flat 4.
Fact is loads of people are having fun with overweight cars, because most people dont competitvely race or frequent tracks like going to the movies. And for those who do, they dont buy 40k+ to do so, and those who can drop 40k+ on a car they intend to thrash sure as heck want more than 200hp. Take your elise example, if the market was weight entric, then thoe things should be outselling vettes, m3s, porsches, etc.

 

for who? The "enthusiast"? Enthusiasts are the minority unfortunately. BMW & BMW M are doing fine. Their having record sales doing what their doing.

 

Toyota/Subaru were doing "fine" prior to the FR-S/BRZ. Now they're doing slightly better than "fine".

Obviously BMW should continue down the path of adding ever more luxury, size, power, weight according to the logic of some...

There ways they can be a successful company, and actually make some cool cars and get some new customers at the same time.

Sad to see the continued Buickification, now with a fwd accent at the low end, with a giant gaping hole in the middle for enthusiasts of small, lightweight, rwd sports coupes/sedans.

 

toyota has now 1 sports car. Fine. BMW has many more "sporty" fun to drive cars than subaru or toyota.

BMW's doesn't compete with toyota, honda; etc. Only against Mercedes & Audi. They are doing pretty well against them. Their M division is easily the winner right now.

 

Slightly being the key word. In July Toyota sold 147,000 cars/trucks, a whopping 1,649 of them being the FRS. There's just not a huge market for stripped down rwd sports cars.

 

If BMW brings this to the U.S, they'll have to change their advertising tagline - "We only make one thing - the ultimate driving machine."

Why would people buy this car? Is it going to be more fun than similar small FWD cars? A bit more luxurious? Or just the badge?

To me, and I know it's all opinion, it looks wrong/odd to see the BMW grill and badging on that car.

 

Honestly who gives a crap. If weight is a problem for you, then go buy a light car. There are bmw alternatives too; E36 M3 lightweight, z3 m, e30 m3, etc. If you think that people prefer -200lbs to bluetooth, 100hp, nvh, space, etc...then you're batshit crazy.