BMW News: BMW Planning Model Lineup Cuts

[Drew Dowdell]

Cutting models from lineups seems to be the order of the day lately.  Automakers like Nissan, General Motors, and Mercedes Benz, are in the process of hatcheting the heck out their lineups. Now comes the news from BMW.

BMW has been struggling to make money on vehicles less than €40,000, due to fears of another global recession, a marked slowdown in the automotive sector, and Trump inspired trade wars, BMW is looking to cull options and models from their lineup.  Gone will be many convertible variants, including the next Z4, the 2-series, 8-series (coupe and convertible). Also pushing up the daisies will be the 7-series standard wheelbase (Not offered in the US), the 1-series 3-door, the 2-series Gran Tourer, and 3-series GT.  Even the BMW X2 could get the scythe.  On the electric front, the i3 and i8 will be phased out due to their use of expensive carbon fiber, in place they will get much more conventional EV replacements, including a fully electric X3. 

As far as Mini goes, Mini's future development is being handled by Great Wall Motors for the Mini three-door and 5-door. The Countryman is based on the X1. Mini's future is shaky as the brand continues to fail to bring up its sales numbers. It also has a great number of variants for a small brand, so expect to see some of those reduced. 

It seems no brand is safe from the global automotive pull back. 

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[Robert Hall]

Problem w/ the 8 series is it looks like a Mustang with BMW front and rear styling cues at a much higher price.  (and at a higher price than the 6 series coupe it replaced).  The weird bulges in the rear fascia don't help either. 

Edited July 30, 2019 by Robert Hall

[balthazar]

The 8-series JUST CAME OUT!
Of course, a markedly more expensive re-dux of the failed 6-series was doomed to fail; I called that way back.

Regardless of USDM AND global industry health, just about all OEMS have overextended themselves with the borderline ridiculous array of models. Even if we were looking at a 19M USDM year, the cost of development has only gone up on already thin margins. Within-brand consolidation is inevitable.

[ccap41]

X4 and X6, please. 

That is insane they are talking of axing the vehicle that is what, 6 months old? 

There's one in my town and it's beautiful(coupe). 

..3 Series GT is equally as hideous and awkward as the X4 and X6.. Good thing that is on its way out. 

[Drew Dowdell]

I hope the crossover coupes get the ax... but I doubt all of them will. 

[smk4565]

The X8 crossover coupe is green lit for production I believe.   

The Gran turismo models don’t sell at all they can cut those, I would be surprised to see the 8-series go die to high price = high margin but maybe they don’t see a future.  No Z4 means no Supra and hopefully they do kill the 1-series and let Mercedes have that market.

[Drew Dowdell]

4 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

The X8 crossover coupe is green lit for production I believe.   

The Gran turismo models don’t sell at all they can cut those, I would be surprised to see the 8-series go die to high price = high margin but maybe they don’t see a future.  No Z4 means no Supra and hopefully they do kill the 1-series and let Mercedes have that market.

the X8 is not going to be a crossover coupe like the X6. 

[Robert Hall]

Is the X8 going to be bigger than the X7, or are they going to do something weird like Audi did were the Q8 is smaller than the Q7? 

[Drew Dowdell]

2 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Is the X8 going to be bigger than the X7, or are they going to do something weird like Audi did were the Q8 is smaller than the Q7? 

It's going to be sportier than the boxy X7

[Robert Hall]

2 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

It's going to be sportier than the boxy X7

Ok, similar idea to the Q8.  The Q8 looks a lot like the Q3.

[smk4565]

Audi is planning more performance crossovers due to high demand.  They have an RS Q8 coming and I don’t see why they would do the same on Q7 and Q5.

[balthazar]

X8 is a waste of developmental budget. BMW's growth is on their bottom end, not their top.

Edited July 30, 2019 by balthazar

[Drew Dowdell]

5 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Audi is planning more performance crossovers due to high demand.  They have an RS Q8 coming and I don’t see why they would do the same on Q7 and Q5.

Won't be surprised when we hear about cuts at Audi also.  The TT is already ToastToast. Wouldn't be surprised to see the A5 and A7 go. 

1 minute ago, balthazar said:

X8 is a waste of developmental budget. BMW's growth is on their bottom end, not their top.

That was part of the point of the article... BMW is having trouble making money on cars at the bottom end. 

[balthazar]

Then thats going to suck for them as a profit-making company: going to have to shrink massively going forward.

[texas99alpha]

The 3 Series GT is a real head scratcher. This is a true "crossover" and a heck of a lot of fun to drive for the size that it is. BMW has done an abysmal job marketing it - just finding it on their website or on dealer inventory requires a PhD... Don't know why it's gotten so much neglect. It's a gem if you find one. 

[riviera74]

Can somebody get BMW to ax Mini?  Even though I see a few driving around, there is no reason to have Mini here in the land of CUVs.  Even Europe may no longer need Mini Coopers when they can get a Buick Encore or a Cadillac XT4.

[smk4565]

6 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Won't be surprised when we hear about cuts at Audi also.  The TT is already ToastToast. Wouldn't be surprised to see the A5 and A7 go. 

 

The cars being cut are sports cars and coupes.  Because people wants sports SUVs now.   It is easier for Audi to sell a $100k Q8 than a $50k TT.   

A5 could die, but they have a 4 door A5 now to grab more sales, but really that is redundant to the A4.  I think Mercedes should kill the CLA also, A-class sedan and hatch would serve the purpose.  The thing with the A7 and CLS though is they cost $10k more than the A6 and E-class and have the same mechanics, interior, etc.  Sheet metal probably doesn't cost $10k, so they are picking up $5k pure profit on top of a vehicle that had $5k profit to begin with.

[balthazar]

2 hours ago, smk4565 said:

I think Mercedes should kill the CLA also, A-class sedan and hatch would serve the purpose.

Purpose: to compete with Kia on price…. but with a front wheel drive sedan. 

[smk4565]

7 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Purpose: to compete with Kia on price…. but with a front wheel drive sedan. 

Purpose of being a small car and in the $30-40k range.  They don't need 2 sedans doing the same thing.  

[Robert Hall]

8 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Purpose of being a small car and in the $30-40k range.  They don't need 2 sedans doing the same thing.  

By M-B's logic and terminology, the A-class and CLA are like the E-class and CLS.    Sedan and 4dr coupe.  Whether the market needs both, that's another issue..

Edited July 31, 2019 by Robert Hall

[balthazar]

^ 4-dr sedan 4-cyl FWD bland generic appliance. toyoter competition.

[smk4565]

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

By M-B's logic and terminology, the A-class and CLA are like the E-class and CLS.    Sedan and 4dr coupe.  Whether the market needs both, that's another issue..

I am not so sure they need the CLS when they have an E-class sedan and coupe.  And an AMG GT 4-door if an E-class isn't enough performance.  

[smk4565]

16 minutes ago, balthazar said:

^ 4-dr sedan 4-cyl FWD bland generic appliance. toyoter competition.

Well if everyone else is going to bail on sedans except Toyota and Honda, someone has to compete with them.   And the A-class is smaller than a Corolla at double the price, so I don't know if they are really competing with Toyota.  I am glad Mercedes still makes sedans, and hasn't just let the whole brand drift into bland front drive 4-cylinder crossovers like almost everyone else.  

 

[balthazar]

The car your talking about being glad about is a bland front drive 4-cylinder 'everyone else' appliance.

[Robert Hall]

8 hours ago, smk4565 said:

I am not so sure they need the CLS when they have an E-class sedan and coupe.  And an AMG GT 4-door if an E-class isn't enough performance.  

Because they are Mercedes...infinite niches.   Will that strategy change?  Maybe.. 

Edited July 31, 2019 by Robert Hall

[Potluck]

BMW lost their way a long time ago when they strayed too far from their original purpose in the name of volume. They made the 3-series and 5-series too soft to cater to American tastes then they started chasing weird things like the 3GT and X6. 

[G. David Felt]

10 minutes ago, Potluck said:

BMW lost their way a long time ago when they strayed too far from their original purpose in the name of volume. They made the 3-series and 5-series too soft to cater to American tastes then they started chasing weird things like the 3GT and X6. 

Agree, BMW wanted to be more Benze than Benze. Now they are all messed up both MB, BMW and Audi.

[Frisky Dingo]

Good riddance to some. They have hellbent on filling every niche within a niche for the better part of a decade. As a result, ALL of their products have suffered. There's not a single BMW product I would buy today. And I say that as someone who owned one and loved it just a few years ago.

[Drew Dowdell]

The Ultimate Driving Niche.

[Potluck]

They should probably just cancel everything except the X3, X5, and X7 and the 3-series sedan. Then they'd make lots of profit.