it's a sad, sad world

I sympathise. BMW used to advertise REAR WHEEL DRIVE long ago... Most customers nowadays seem more interested in what gimmicks are on the colour touch screen. But making small RWD cars compete will the 80 other brands of shitbox is difficult. Merc A class is also blighted with east-west engines.

The point is that if you advertise RWD and point out that it's different, you'll get a small but dedicated customer base. I think the same thing is true of offering manual transmissions. Most people don't want them, but the people who want them really want them.

For many years BMWNA marketed cars to driving enthusiasts. Like Mercedes, they were very careful about the models that they sold in the US in order to keep up a specific reputation (which may differ from the reputation they have in Europe).

However, some time in the 2000s that stopped, and now BMW is selling enormous SUVs into the US market, because they want to sell more cars than they could sell by just catering to driving enthusiasts. And that, in short, is why you see the RWD models.

I think that's a terrible shame, but then again I'm more interested in cars being fun to drive than being highly profitable for the manufacturer. Stockholders of the manufacturer may feel differently.

--scott