[LDSM]

Originally Posted by EnI

The reason many BMW top managers are leaving now is the so called "Rule 60" which is strictly followed within BMW AG.

That clears things up quite a bit then, thanks for the info

[ghost34]

Wow. this tells me, Hyundai's future is bright, Kia already snagged audi's design cheif. big hole to fill but good people are out there. I work in software and great talent moves around a lot, sometimes new blood is able to think outside of the constraints the old regime might have created

[The long haul]

Originally Posted by ghost34

Wow. this tells me, Hyundai's future is bright, Kia already snagged audi's design cheif. big hole to fill but good people are out there. I work in software and great talent moves around a lot, sometimes new blood is able to think outside of the constraints the old regime might have created

Honestly Hyundai and Kia have built some great cars recently. The K900 is unbelievable and the Genesis ad Eqqus are very good cars.
Interested to see what goes on with them now.

[F1Venom]

Originally Posted by Zeroblade

Wow my heart stopped there. The guy at the core of BMW M from the start of building/selling M cars is leaving BMW? Am I understanding this right? Dark times ahead. Even more reason to pickup a F8x now.

Pretty sure the F8x M3 was the reason he left, lol.

[chris82]

Lets all set our cars on fire and protest this change, who's with me?

[RMG]

Originally Posted by MI6

EnI is right- get over it............not a big deal.

We are getting a guy from Ferrari and one from Audi, bout' time we get new blood and brains.

)

...who are "we"? LOL.

Biermann departure is very serious. If you know a little bit about the BMW organization you don't need someone to explain you why. Big mistakes like these will backfire sooner or later. Take Schreyer's example ...during a rare interview – with an even rarer admission of fault – Piëch ( VW) made it clear his company should not have let the talented designer head for Kia/ Hyundai, saying plainly, "We should not have let him go." This remark coming from a guy like Piëch was extraordinary and I believe this applies to BMW/ Biermann case as well.
You must be humble and eager to learn from both your mistakes and from those who are leading the pack. Hyundai is a company to watch ( and not GM, Ford etc). And I am saying this with regret..

[davem3fan]

EVERYTHING is up in the air now!

If the M2 doesn't knock my socks off, my loyalty may really be in trouble.

[Zeroblade]

Not gonna lie, if I wanted a good Luxury level car, the new Genesis is really strong contender. KIA's K900 also made me do a double take too.

That rule 60 sucks but I could also appreciate moving executives along than having the same old guys run the company forever and ever. In this case though, I would think there should have been some kind of exception. Hyundai's cars are now going to get sweeter down the line.

Originally Posted by F1Venom

Pretty sure the F8x M3 was the reason he left, lol.

Nah, he has one himself! Can't hate something you help create and own.

[W///]

Originally Posted by davem3fan

EVERYTHING is up in the air now!

If the M2 doesn't knock my socks off, my loyalty may really be in trouble.

What are you talking about? People need to chill out. Companies aren't a 1 man wrecking team. Whether the M2 blows your socks off cannot be pinpointed 100% to whether or not Biermann is gone.

Absolutely no doubt that he brought a ton to BMW, but I just don't understand these forums. The same guys that demoan how the F80/2 is no longer an M car (whatever the hell that means) are now saying that the future is bleak? Which is it?

[NightStalker]

Originally Posted by EnI

The reason many BMW top managers are leaving now is the so called "Rule 60" which is strictly followed within BMW AG.

It's an internal BMW AG corporate rule saying BMW top executive officials (heads, chiefs, presidents, vice-presidents etc) can only be in the top position until they turn 60 - then they are obliged to step down (and either retire, leave for a job @ another company, or take a non-executive job within BMW - which is actually a downgrade for a person's career).

Therefore many active top BMW managers (who want to continue their respected managerial careers) prepare to leave the company when they are close to 60, and continue their careers @ other companies ... even beyond 60. And if / when they got an attractive offer, they definitely take it.

Current BMW Group CEO Reithofer is 58, M GmbH CEO Nitschke is 59, BMW Group Head of R&B Diess is 57, and Biermann is 56.

Meaning they are all under "Rule 60" impact in the following few years. Therefore it's time for a new generation of managers. BMW AG new CEO Krüger (ex-chief of production BMW Group) is 49, new M GmbH director van Meel (ex-managing director of Audi Quattro GmbH division) is 48 etc. I'm sure M GmbH Head of development will also be someone younger.

And so Diess went to VAG to manage VW Passenger Cars Division, Biermann went to Hyundai, Nitschke is retiring, Reithofer will be offer a position of BMW Group supervisory board chairman (which is a top non-executive position within BMW Group - current held by ex-CEO Milberg who is 71).

Fröhlich, who replaced Diess as BMW Group Chief of R&D is also turning 55 soon, so he's also close to 60. I would not be surprised he also leaves soon and is replaced with someone younger.

There's no other reason behind ... No conspiracy theory. No Armageddon approaching. It's a natural change of generations @ top positions in the company. BMW AG does it every decade, actually. In 2006 Reithofer replaced Panke who was 60 then. And in in May 2015 Krüger will replace Reithofer who will turn 59 then.

well said

[fecurtis]

Ah Rule 60 strikes again. Seems like a bit of a silly corporate policy IMO.

[hetzle]

Originally Posted by Danyutz

Working for BMW wasn't a challenge anymore, raising a brand like Hyundai and Kia to certain standards sure sounds like a challenge.

I think this is the right answer if not a large chunk of it.

[ChrisMT79]

For those that do not understand the "60" rule. Have you ever worked/been in the company of an executive/CEO or otherwise age 60 or older?
My father in law started, and is now on the board of his once private major auto supplier, now public.
This is not a bad thing. All those years of expertise, tend dwindle new in focus and fade with age (watch one of them care to use, or keen up latest iPhones/tech).
Not that 60 is old per se' but I'm certain you gather my point. M has been, and needs to have strength/youthful energy behind its future focus.

[ron_jeremy]

Give the guy a break, he probably got a decent offer from the Korean's.
Besides, to judge a strong Brand failure because of one guy departure is insane imo.
Everyone can be replaced!
Just look at Jobs and Apple.
M will maintaine a strong future as well.

[ChrisMT79]

Originally Posted by ron_jeremy

Give the guy a break, he probably got a decent offer from the Korean's.
Besides, to judge a strong Brand failure because of one guy departure is insane imo.
Everyone can be replaced!
Just look at Jobs and Apple.
M will maintaine a strong future as well.

I can not sail in this ship with you. Apple is a mess of a future company/product now.

[DCG]

Originally Posted by Bosozoku

On the other hand, change can result in innovation and "stability" can lead to stagnation. Maybe it's time for some new thinking among M GmbH management. The "i" division is leaving them behind, technologically.

+1

U can only improve what is given to U. 30 years who has a job last for that long any more. Much respect to Albert Biermann, the wisdom will be missed but maybe a more youthful mindset is what is needed.

And YES it is time for an AWD M3/M4 Option!

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by bradleyland

A lot of it has to do with the way car companies are held accountable for their fuel economy and emissions standards. CAFE, for example, is a corporate average. Toyota is able to treat Lexus as a subsidiary, and therefore roll their sales in to their overall corporate average. This means that Toyota gets to use all their Prius sales to offset the sale of a few thousand RC F models.

When you start reading up on how the fuel economy and emissions standards work, the moves that BMW are making begin to make more sense. BMW has to change the way they make cars. They can't continue making every single model driver-focused, naturally aspirated, RWD, because that formula doesn't provide the emissions and fuel economy numbers they need to pull their average up. Even M models have had to make some concessions, because by global auto manufacturer standards, BMW is still a small-ish company.

As forward thinking as BMW is, the i program is there to solve a problem. Mini sales are flailing, and BMW needs a boost to their overall environmental performance. Lexus has no such problem.

RC F, explained.

Thanks buddy, better said than me and an unfortunate truth.

[Saandiaago]

Good for Hyundai.

[Law]

Very nice!
Now nobody is left to stop the development of the much anticipated M945d M Performance M Sport xDrive Gran Active Tourer Coupe Gran Turismo

[e92_m3]

This thread is definitely a good read.

Originally Posted by EnI

Top managers do migrate from one company to another. It's not such a rare case. And the fluctuation among designers (incl. design chiefs) is even more severe. Not to mention the engineers. Yet usually such news doesn't hit the headlines at all.

Everything seems to make sense after reading your posts.

Anyyways, we better watch what Hyundai unleashes in a couple of years.

Link: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1...mance-division

N motorsport anyone?

[VMRWheels]

Nice pickup for Hyundai

[3M TAPE]

Very nice indeed.
KIA could be a sporty brand and hope they move toward that direction