The Next BMW 3, 5, 6, and 7 Series Will All Share a Platform

Aug. 05, 2014 5:00 PM ET by Jay Traugott Industry News / 117 Comments

Don't worry - it's an all-new RWD setup.

It's called 35up. At first that may sound like the name of a new soft drink, but it's actually the internal BMW code for its upcoming, all-new rear-wheel-drive platform. This is really a big deal for the German automaker because this platform will underpin all of its major RWD models, beginning with the all-new 7 Series next year. About 18 months after that debut, a new 5 Series and 5 Series GT will launch with a slightly shortened version of the 35up.

And in case you still haven't figured out the reasoning for the 35up name, it's really quite simple: The smallest model that'll use this platform is the next-gen 3 Series. All other smaller models, such as the next 1 Series, will be built on the same front-wheel-drive platform as the new 2-Series Active Tourer. Both the 35up and FWD platforms are capable of handling all-wheel-drive. So have no fear. BMW's core models will always retain their RWD personalities.