Two weeks ago, BMW AG chairman Norbert Reithofer shocked us with the news that BMW would begin to develop front wheel drive cars.  That is like putting training wheels on a set of handlebars, or sharp teeth on a blowup doll.

BMW makes rear-wheel drive, uber-luxurious cars.  End of story.  Why play with perfection?

If you are wondering why this upsets the car enthusiast in us, it all comes down to performance.  A rear-wheel drive luxury car will drive like it is actually connected to the road.  It affects the way a car handles and steers, and driver satisfaction.

The singular advantage a front-wheel drive has over a rear-wheel drive is that it will drive better on snow and ice…sorry, but we do not plan on encountering that problem anytime soon here on Ocean Avenue.  Yes, the drive train, steering gear and engine are conveniently packaged together beneath the hood, but who needs to haul a ton of cargo when you are sporting a luxury car-it is not a soccer mom’s vehicle, buy an SUV if your main concern is space.  We recommend the Cadillac Escalade in that case, because you can still be matronly and keep your dignity.

We do not want to live in a world where comfort is rated above speed.  Front-wheel drive cars are exponentially less exciting to drive, and isn’t that what an exotic car is all about?  Excitement?

Let us not forget, BMW, that for the past three decades you have shown the world that true luxury cars are driven by their back tires.  This was proven again when Cadillac rebranded itself to compete with you, dropping their front-wheel drive models to develop the rear-wheel drive CTS, to compete with the BMW 3 Series.  I shudder to envision myself rolling down the street in my front-wheel drive BMW, singing the Rolling Stones hit,"I can’t get no satisfaction"…because that is exactly how I would feel.

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Post by Imagine Lifestyles Luxury Rentals