What's Wrong With This Picture: Quantum Niche Theory Edition
When word first began circulating that BMW was considering an X4, I wondered
is BMW trying to prove a kind of automotive Zeno’s paradox, in which niches can be infinitely subdivided?
It was a rhetorical question, of course, and the answer was “pretty much, yeah.” This official BMW sketch preview of the X4, which has been approved for production, shows a three-door version, but according to Autocar,
The car is also depicted in a pair of official BMW sketches. Although they reveal a three-door model badged X3, they hint strongly at the X4’s design, mainly its roofline and front-end styling; BMW sources insist that too much shouldn’t be read into the fact it has three doors.
But if MINI and Range Rover already have three-door “sport activity coupes,” isn’t it just a matter of time before Audi or Mercedes jump on the trend, forcing BMW’s hand? The only problem: there’s only one number between X3 and X5. Which means we will probably end up with an X4 xDrive28i (say) and an X4 xDrive28i Coupe. You know, the coupe version of the coupe version of the X3. Or maybe they’ll just move on to the inevitable X2 coupe version of the X1 and leave the task of trying to tear logical holes in space-time to the crazies manning the supercolliders.
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Does anyone care about visibility anymore, it used to be that you had to spend $200k or more to get lousy visibility, now they have lowered the price quite a bit.
Why not just build a 1 series hatchback? Oh that's right... people don't want hatchbacks they want SUVs just in case they have to drive across a puddle or a patch of road under construction to reach the Wal-Mart parking lot. I'm sick of lifted vehicles, as a teen in the 80's I remember when "cool" meant lowering your vehicle, yes even trucks!