Much like VW and Audi, BMW is seriously interested in reducing it’s vehicle architectures to more effectively spread technology across the model range while reducing cost. But from five to two? That’s what Automotive News Europe is reporting:

The rwd architecture will debut in two years with the redesigned 7-series sedan, Herbert Diess, board member for r&d said.

Today, BMW brand’s four architectures handle these groups of vehicles:

• 1-, 2- and 3-series compact cars.

• 5-, 6- and 7-series mid-sized and large cars and the Rolls-Royce Ghost.

• X3 and new X4 crossovers. The X4 will make its worldwide debut next month at the New York auto show.

• X5 and X6 crossovers.

Rolls-Royce will not use the new rwd architecture but continue to share components and systems with BMW vehicles.

Diess said all BMW Group vehicles also will share the same electronic systems and components.

“There is a cost disadvantage for the smaller cars but it allows us to bring all of the technical features we have in the 3, 4, 5 and 7 series down into the Mini and smaller cars.”

Diess said BMW’s cars always shared some components but “we are making it even more synergetic, which does not mean the cars will be more similar.”

For instance, the Mini and the 2-series Active Tourer share an architecture, “but if you sit in the cars and drive them, you would not notice they share components and parts,” he said.

Read more at Automotive News Europe.