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Old 08-01-2020, 12:04 PM   #11
wdc330i
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Originally Posted by SARAFIL View Post
I do agree that’s been a missed opportunity. MB and Audi have cashed in on that one and BMW could have made some $$ with a nice exclusivity premium.
Meanwhile, I just filled out some online survey for BMW about in-vehicle smartphone apps. How about work on a decent, practical, fun car? I'd even buy a 3 series GT at this point, if I could buy a new one with the B58 engine.

I'm less enthusiastic about buying a used version, when I already have a car about to lose its warranty and is already off maintenance.
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Old 08-01-2020, 01:33 PM   #12
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Meanwhile, I just filled out some online survey for BMW about in-vehicle smartphone apps. How about work on a decent, practical, fun car? I'd even buy a 3 series GT at this point, if I could buy a new one with the B58 engine.

I'm less enthusiastic about buying a used version, when I already have a car about to lose its warranty and is already off maintenance.

Unfortunately I think in a few years BMW lineup will be sedans, maybe a 2 and/or 4 coupe/GC, no convertibles, no roadsters, no more GTs or wagons, and then a full range of X models from X1 to X7 (possibly X8). The shift in demand towards SUVs is just so strong. We were already naturally heading this way but Covid-driven expense cuts will probably make it happen much faster.

On that note, Mercedes recently told US dealers they are cutting 7-ish models in near future. They haven’t announced which ones but all of the coupes/convertibles in C, E, S class are rumored to be on the list plus CLS and the GT sedan (whatever they call that thing?). SLC (former SLK) is already dead and SL could be at risk in the future but I think safe for now.
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Old 08-01-2020, 01:43 PM   #13
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I do agree that’s been a missed opportunity. MB and Audi have cashed in on that one and BMW could have made some $$ with a nice exclusivity premium.
I’ve never understood why so many of the niche fill BMW models have been the crappiest variants.
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Old 08-01-2020, 01:57 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by SARAFIL View Post
Unfortunately I think in a few years BMW lineup will be sedans, maybe a 2 and/or 4 coupe/GC, no convertibles, no roadsters, no more GTs or wagons, and then a full range of X models from X1 to X7 (possibly X8). The shift in demand towards SUVs is just so strong. We were already naturally heading this way but Covid-driven expense cuts will probably make it happen much faster.

On that note, Mercedes recently told US dealers they are cutting 7-ish models in near future. They haven’t announced which ones but all of the coupes/convertibles in C, E, S class are rumored to be on the list plus CLS and the GT sedan (whatever they call that thing?). SLC (former SLK) is already dead and SL could be at risk in the future but I think safe for now.
Woof. Maybe I should give up on the practical car and order the last of the RWD 2 series convertibles...

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Old 08-01-2020, 02:53 PM   #15
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I’ve never understood why so many of the niche fill BMW models have been the crappiest variants.

Yea agree. Too many niches that no one was asking for with the GTs, GCs, 8 series. I wish they had done an M3 or M5 wagon instead of forcing a 3GT or 5/6GT on us. Also for what it’s worth, the new 8 series is flopping big time. BMW won’t be building any 2021 model M8 coupe/verts for US, just GC. Apparently the “take a 5 series coupe, relabel it from 6 series to 8 series and charge $$$ extra” strategy wasn’t working for them. It’s not a bad looking car but just at least $20k overpriced in regular trim and even more so once you get to the M8 models.
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Old 08-02-2020, 02:37 AM   #16
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I wish BMW had offered more variety in the wagons (E46 330, E91 335, F31 340, etc.) but I can understand why they didn’t. I get the “if they had imported it they would have sold more!!” argument but I really doubt there would have been enough additional sales to justify it.
Part of the blame can be placed at the FMVSS (the rest belongs to the manufacturers who don't press the issue). If a certain model powertarin (engine / transmission / cats / exhaust) is certified to US standards in one body style (330xi sedan) it should be possible to paper-certify that powertrain in a different body style (wagon) without going through the full round of expensive certification. Similarly, if a vehicle meets a more stringent acceptable foreign spec, it should be considered "type accepted" in the US.

Just look at the fugliness where the US was forced to use obsolete round sealed beam headlights and the manufacturers were falling all over themselves going "thank you! thank you!" when they were finally allowed to use rectangular sealed beam headlights while the foreign market had been using capsule lamps for multiple model generations. Or the giant protruding bumpers forced on imports (often with obscene suspension lifts to get them at the right height).

Then there was the "5MPH bumper" debacle - my '95 Talon came with a note that said that the bumpers were rated for collisions up to 5MPH, but that would result in "serious structural damage to both the bumper assembly and the vehicle chassis."

One of the few things I agreed with Stuka about was his "abolish NHTSA and FMVSS" goal. They could easily be replaced by adopting a common european standard.

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Case in point - look at various recent cars where enthusiasts insist on a manual being a “must” but then take rate is low single digits. Many of the enthusiasts online are potential 2nd, 3rd, 4th owners of these cars and that only works if they can find a 1st owner to buy it.
I think that speaks more to the lack of enthusiast interest in current BMW models, where people prefer to purchase older, better models.

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At its peak (pre-crossover/SUV boom) I think BMW sold 75-80k 3-series family in the US, all body styles (going off memory here, might be off a little). Sedans easily 60% of that based on my estimate, ballpark guess of 20%-ish coupes, let’s call it 15% convertible and 5% wagon (that’s probably generous). 3/4-series market has been on decline for past decade as buyers migrate to X3. It’s just hard to make a business case for another wagon variant for what would have resulted in maybe an extra 1000 units per year. The “1000 units a year” business case makes more sense on an exclusive and high $$$$ model like an Alpina 7 or M760.
Over at the 'fest there was someone (I forget who) who posted quarterly sales breakdowns by exact model.

And BMW seems to have no qualms about extremely limited editions to flush out any remaining "on the fence" buyers when a model is about to go out of production. Wasn't the E46 ZHP the last "mass market" performance edition?
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Old 08-02-2020, 08:35 AM   #17
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Yea agree. Too many niches that no one was asking for with the GTs, GCs, 8 series. I wish they had done an M3 or M5 wagon instead of forcing a 3GT or 5/6GT on us. Also for what it’s worth, the new 8 series is flopping big time. BMW won’t be building any 2021 model M8 coupe/verts for US, just GC. Apparently the “take a 5 series coupe, relabel it from 6 series to 8 series and charge $$$ extra” strategy wasn’t working for them. It’s not a bad looking car but just at least $20k overpriced in regular trim and even more so once you get to the M8 models.
The M8 convertible is pretty gorgeous, IMO. In person.
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Old 08-02-2020, 11:45 AM   #18
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The M8 convertible is pretty gorgeous, IMO. In person.

It is a really nice looking car, just not a $150k car. It’s basically an extension of the 5 series family and should have been priced as such (and kept the 6 series label).
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Old 08-02-2020, 11:49 AM   #19
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It is a really nice looking car, just not a $150k car. It’s basically an extension of the 5 series family and should have been priced as such (and kept the 6 series label).
Indeed. It's what the 6 series convertible should have looked like all along.
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Old 08-02-2020, 11:54 AM   #20
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The M8 convertible is pretty gorgeous, IMO. In person.
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It is a really nice looking car, just not a $150k car. It’s basically an extension of the 5 series family and should have been priced as such (and kept the 6 series label).
The 8 series really are beautiful cars, it looks Aston’ish ... my son has been pushing me to replace the 5er which is up at the end of this year with the 4 door model but I agree with Sarafil, the price point is too high and I just don’t see a reason to spend that kind of $$ on an everyday car especially when I am happy with the model I have.
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