Automotive world full on secrets se bhari hui hai, har brand ke paas apni hidden stories hoti hai. Time ke saath kuch secrets bahar aa hi jaate hai, but kuch bas brand ki history ke pages mein hi reh jaate hai, ya toh audience un details mein interest nahi lete, ya phir unnecessary criticism or rumours ko avoid karne ke liye unhe hide kiya jaata hai.
Kuch time pehle Renault ne Talisman se related kuch old projects reveal kiye the. Ye projects almost completely develop ho chuke the, but last moment par unhe cancel kar diya gaya. Or honestly, ab dekhne par wo projects maybe us time se bhi zyada interesting lagte hai.
Market kaafi dangerous hota hai. Jo cheez aapko lagta hai ye toh pakka blockbuster lagti hai, wo kabhi bilkul flop nikal jaati hai, or phir money or resources dono ka loss ho jaata hai. Aise thousands of mil jaayenge, jaise four-ring brand (Audi) ke crossover ka case.
1999 mein first Audi allroad launch hui thi. Wo ek practical family car thi jo almost proper off-roader ban gayi thi, sirf normal crossover nahi jaise nowdays hote hai. difference kya tha? 27 years pehle wale model mein low range gearbox milta tha, jo baad ki kisi generation mein nahi aaya. Ab hum 4th A6 allroad launch karne wale hai, but usmein bhi nahi hoga, or na hi Audi ke kisi SUV mein hai.
BMW never addressed the allroad for a single reason
Market itna fickle hai ki ye crossover style A4 Allroad ke saath work hi nahi kiya, or ab new A5 Avant range mein bhi isko repeat nahi kiya jayega. Bikul waise hi jaise Mercedes ke All-Terrain models ke saath bhi ye idea nahi chala, but three pointed star wali brand ne apni mistake openly accept nahi ki.
BMW ne toh ye game kabhi try hi nahi kiya. Na start mein, na kabhi baad mein. Wo hamesha is sab se door hi rahe or apne principles pe stick kiya, whether unse bhi kabhi-kabhi mistakes hui ho.
Ab pata chala hai ki BMW ne "four rings" wali competition (Audi) ka respond karne ki bilkul bhi zarurat nahi samjhi, or uske behind solid reason tha. Unhone tabhi first generation X3 launch ki thi, jo 2003 se hi worldwide hit model ban chuki thi, toh unko koi sense nahi laga ek upright station wagon build karne ka.
Munich wali company ne ye better samjha ki customers ko ye convince karein ki new SUV basically 3 Series ka ek lightweight off-roader version hai, instead of reverse approach lene ke, because usmein koi advantage nahi tha or off-road capability bhi limited hi rehti.
Agar wo isse bilkul scratch se build karte, toh unko bahut zyada paisa lagta, itna ki wo kabhi spend karne ko ready hi nahi the.
Unhe pata tha ki agar develop bhi karni pade, toh 3 Series estate ke base par hi build karna padega, so that cost control mein rahe or car easily sell ho sake.
AC Schnitzer's X-Road, the alternative to the allroad that BMW declined
Ye show karta hai ki feasibility studies toh ki jaati hai, but un studies or actual reality ke between kaafi big gap hota hai, or har baar wo gap bridge ho hi jaaye, zaroori nahi.
Aur ye sab tab ho raha tha jab X3 ke launch se 2 years pehle hi unke paas ek fully completed proposal table par ready pada tha.
Agar BMW ko chahiye hota na, toh AC Schnitzer ne sab ready karke silver platter pe rakh diya tha. 2011 mein German tuner ne us time ki 3 Series Touring (E46) ko old transform karke ek special off-road type car bana diya tha, un logon ke liye jo practical model se thoda zyada expectation rakhte the.
X-Road mein normal fenders or original bumpers remove karke new design wale laga diye gaye the. Saath hi front mein engine guard bhi install kiya gaya tha or special rearview mirrors bhi add kiye gaye the.
Alloy wheels 17 inch ke the, or haan, tuner ke liye jo usually common hota hai, suspension lower karna, uske instead bilkul opposite kiya. New springs fit kar ke ride height ko 30 mm increase kiya gaya.
Company ne sirf 25 units build ki thi, or ek hi condition rakhi: sirf 2 versions available the, 325xi or 330xi. Dono mein inline six cylinder engine tha, jisme power output 192 hp or 231 hp tha, or obviously all wheel drive ke saath.