redstack wrote:
I loved the floor mounted ignition switch and so did my knees. No slice and dice in a crash, no crap hanging off the ignition switch
I never understood the hate for the console mounted ignition switch. I think it's brilliant. Once you have used it, you have to wonder why more cars don't.
Drop arm down between seats (no leaning fowards to stab a key at an angle into the steering column, Insert key, start, raise arm six to eight inches to select a gear..
Like said above.. nothing hangs down off of the console, in an accident there is nothing to stab your knees, and there are no awkward movements of angling your arm around the steering wheel to get at the ignition key
It would make them even worse. That's pretty hard to believe. Amazing how I can say that about two car companies that not 20 years ago made fantastic (and also reliable) cars.
They would build nothing.
BMW Engineers (BE) to Saab Engineers (SE):Build lower level 3 sedan
SE: It will cost $4k more to build, be FWD and not handle as well
BE: No put different nose on 3 and cheapen interior and make it Saab-ish
SE: That will cost $7K more have no parts in common and be made in antartica
BE: (While facepalming) Why did we not bomb sweden heavier
SE: That will cost $9k more and look something similar to a smart car.
BE: SE you need to design a seat belt for a tractor, (to other BE) Get Styer on the phone
SE: That will be $1k more and ....
pinchvalve wrote:
Saab's would become awesome and overpriced?
So, no change?
It would render those stupid "Nicht German" ads moot.
spitfirebill wrote:
I seriously doubt BMW would use GM technology.
Man, where have you been? BMW has been using GM transmissions for quite a while. IIRC the 5L40 has been used in 6-cylinder 3s and 5s for about a decade now.
Of course, being BMW, they are using a "40" torque-rating transmission in heavy cars with 6-cylinder engines, and then they're claiming that the transmission fluid never needs changing, so they aren't 100% reliable, but at least they aren't as bad as ZF automatics.
