When a car company receives pre-orders of 300k vehicles for a similar quality vehicle to the 3 series, that happens to be 3x the number of annual sales of the 3 series in North America, I don't know how any reasonable argument can be made that Tesla is not BMW's competitor. Do you think Tesla believes it isn't? Where is the market share coming from? Everyone including the Euro auto manufacturers! The model S is outselling the 7 series (similar price point) and now with the model 3, you will be getting a similar quality car for less money and with lower operating costs. Also you argue that Tesla has problems reaching volume production capacity, but at the same time you assert that the US volume manufacturers will become most hurt by the model 3. How is that a logical statement?
With all due respect, if your bosses/BMW actually believe that Tesla is not a BMW competitor, the battle has already been lost. The proper identification of competitive threats is the building block for developing a long-term sustainable competitive advantage. If the threat is poorly or wrongly defined, all the efforts that follow will be costly with limited to no efficacy.
Sound like all this unprecedented management turnover (it IS at a level that has surprised industry insiders) may be a direct result of escaping the echo chamber of BMW corporate strategic thinking.
The M2's success was basically the easiest job in the world when you think about it..BMW just had to listen to the intelligent and experienced enthusiasts on this board and in widely respected automotive publications, who have owned/experienced multiple BMWs over generations and can probably provide a far superior "focus group" to any traditional corporate marketing/data gathering approach. Basically (and to BMW's credit), the company addressed in the M2 what enthusiasts have pointed out of the M4 weaknesses: too detached, no emotion, no soul, lacking in purity/simplicity, sounds crappy, too large, imbalanced power vs chassis, and poor steering feel.
BMW would be much better served by actively seeking out the opinions of enthusiasts and members on this board, instead of calling them wrong all the time. It's a lot less expensive and can probably garner a lot of quality feedback from the most direct and experienced sources. It is for the historical love of BMW that members on this board choose to do this (and use up their own free time), so don't understand why such opinions would be summarily dismissed?
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Originally Posted by SCOTT26
But the industry is already in the game and developing more sustainable alternatives than just electric or plug-in hybrid which is not just about range but also performance.
I do not think it will wipe out the German auto industry as badge prestige remains a primary option for our and everybody else's customers globally.
The Tesla threat? Well if BMW had a 3er that attracted 400,000 units for pre sale then the factory would be expanded to make way for expansion on production or a new plant built and ready to deliver the car on schedule. Both i3 and i8 reached the market on schedule and that involved building a new plant to manufacture CFRP as well as a completely new production line at Leipzig all due thanks to massive investment from BMW.
Both recent Tesla models have been affected by delays. And with the production units expected in late 2017 but again could be possibly delayed by that time there will be direct competitors and many customers will have probably dropped out from the list either due to another product or price adjustments?
Where Tesla will do damage will be with the volume domestic manufacturers.
Which either way whoever wins the battle? The American taxpayer will still be paying for it.
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