Lightweight chassis
The right material in the right location: the BMW lightweight chassis philosophy guarantees arrow-like stability, excellent safety, superior driving comfort and dynamic agility. Lower unsprung mass means lower fuel consumption too.
Chassis components such as the axles, suspension components and brakes must be both high-performance and low-weight: they have to meet the growing demands for stability and strength, without adding extra weight to the vehicle. This conflict is solved through the use of innovative materials such as aluminium.
Using special construction techniques, BMW has created front and rear axles that are almost entirely composed of aluminium. This results in significant reductions in axle loads and makes BMW's characteristic near-perfect 50:50 weight distribution possible.
Other lightweight components such as stabilisers, springs and shock absorbers enable precise driving behaviour and responsive handling and reduce bodyroll and noise. In addition, a lighter chassis means a better power-to-weight ratio (kW per kg). Each gram of unsprung mass that is eliminated results in a significant gain in safety and agility. Because BMWs are lighter, they offer more dynamic acceleration, more light-footed, stable handling and are more fuel-efficient.