[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by xlover

A few thoughts...
1. When they say kill models they definitely mean at the end of their planned lifecycle, it would be lunacy to not recoup the R+D investment.. all the investment cost for a new vehicle are up front
2. I don't really trust the writer overall, too many opinion references to the design of the cars.. didn't read like a cold informative story.. read more like a political opinion piece which means the author is probably bending some of the truth to fit his narrative

Of course! The author is a hater with a chip on his shoulder. I am sure his bosses at MB and Audi paid him nicely for that puff piece. Criticize BMW design all you want, but to attack the interiors as being low quality and ergonomically mess is simply a falsehood. People read in between the lines and make your own conclusions.

[iwant335i]

Originally Posted by Mo@BMWofFairfax

https://www.automobilemag.com/news/w...tegy-products/

"In addition to the three-door 1 Series, 2 Series Gran Tourer, and 3 Series GT, tombstones are being chiseled for the 2 Series convertible, standard-wheelbase 7 Series, Z4 replacement (sorry, Toyota), and both two-door 8 Series variants."

Did I get it right? They are dropping the 8 series coupe/convertible that just went out?

What would be the next bigger sport coupe then? 6 series successor?

[///M TOWN]

Long live the 2er Convertible.

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by iwant335i

"In addition to the three-door 1 Series, 2 Series Gran Tourer, and 3 Series GT, tombstones are being chiseled for the 2 Series convertible, standard-wheelbase 7 Series, Z4 replacement (sorry, Toyota), and both two-door 8 Series variants."

Did I get it right? They are dropping the 8 series coupe/convertible that just went out?

What would be the next bigger sport coupe then? 6 series successor?

MAGIC 8 BALL says " UNCLEAR"

The immediate cancellation of the 8er coupe/convertible indicates a complete FAILURE in the attempt to move the 6 series upmarket. Technically... the 6er was replaced by a 6 series GT... of course that ALSO was rumored to be nearly killed but for being a pet project... so..... perhaps there is no 6 series planned for the future after 2024..

[Cortexiphan]

Originally Posted by bm3rmy

I lost count how many series they make

That’s easy.
C: Convertible
SW: Station wagon
GC: Grand coupe

Cars: 1,2,2C,2GT,3,3SW,4,4GC,4C, 5,5SW,6GT, 7,8,8C,8GC
SUVs: X1,X2,X3,X4,X5,X6,X7
M: M2, M3, M4, M5, M8, X3M, X4M, X5M, X6M
Electric: i3, i8

BMW’s product portfolio is one of the smaller ones among mainstream manufacturers.

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by M3 Adjuster

MAGIC 8 BALL says " UNCLEAR"

The immediate cancellation of the 8er coupe/convertible indicates a complete FAILURE in the attempt to move the 6 series upmarket. Technically... the 6er was replaced by a 6 series GT... of course that ALSO was rumored to be nearly killed but for being a pet project... so..... perhaps there is no 6 series planned for the future after 2024..

Greed is the main reason it's not working out for them.

It left a huge hole in the lineup and now it's backfiring.

[The Automotive Enthusiast]

I don't know why BMW even brought out the 8 series when the closest competitor, the S Class Coupe is at the end of its lifecycle and isn't being replaced.

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by ///M TOWN

Greed is the main reason it's not working out for them.

It left a huge hole in the lineup and now it's backfiring.

Same for the strategy of not producing a sub-3er sedan for the US market for a decade or more and instead rolling out an expanded 3er lineup including the F20 320i and 3 Series GT.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Cortexiphan

That’s easy.

Not as easy as it seems. You forgot the 1SW (hatchback), 2AT, 3GT, and Z4. And just for the record, I am not saying that is exhaustive either.

[KevinM]

"Ever since Chris Bangle started his career of hits and misses, BMW design was never as consistently outstanding as what Audi would deliver courtesy of Marc Lichte and as the Mercedes efforts penned by and under Gorden Wagener. From the overwrought Mini over the graceless 7 Series to the unpardonable Cullinan, the current breed of BMW Group cars is spoiled by grotesque overhangs, fake ducts and vents, distracting sculpting, weird angles, garish details, creases going nowhere, metaphorical slashes, and humongous grilles which cross the line from frivolity to embarrassing—just check out the XXXL lapse in taste on the X7 or the rodent-teeth caricature on the iNext. If polarization is the first step toward rejection, why is the board signing off on vehicles that look as if they were styled by someone under the influence? Sadly, this design philosophy extends to the interiors, where clear instrument graphics and intuitive ergonomics no longer feature."

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by M3 Adjuster

Same for the strategy of not producing a sub-3er sedan for the US market for a decade or more and instead rolling out an expanded 3er lineup including the F20 320i and 3 Series GT.

Agreed.

And the death of the 2er Convertible.

And now the 4er is growing even larger, as if that was really necessary.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by KevinM

"Ever since Chris Bangle started his career of hits and misses, BMW design was never as consistently outstanding as what Audi would deliver courtesy of Marc Lichte and as the Mercedes efforts penned by and under Gorden Wagener. From the overwrought Mini over the graceless 7 Series to the unpardonable Cullinan, the current breed of BMW Group cars is spoiled by grotesque overhangs, fake ducts and vents, distracting sculpting, weird angles, garish details, creases going nowhere, metaphorical slashes, and humongous grilles which cross the line from frivolity to embarrassing—just check out the XXXL lapse in taste on the X7 or the rodent-teeth caricature on the iNext. If polarization is the first step toward rejection, why is the board signing off on vehicles that look as if they were styled by someone under the influence? Sadly, this design philosophy extends to the interiors, where clear instrument graphics and intuitive ergonomics no longer feature."

Author is too opinionated and with an agenda at hand. Sounds like political rants not objective journalism.

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by 530iDriver

Author is too opinionated and with an agenda at hand. Sounds like political rants not objective journalism.

Meanwhile Chris bangle is making way more money than he'd ever make working for BMW Group

[paliknight]

8 series was just released. Wtf.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by ///M TOWN

Meanwhile Chris bangle is making way more money then he would've ever made if he had stayed working for BMW Group.

Ironically Bangle's flame surfaced designs are consider now timeless! What a change in narrative from just a decade ago.

And this is the same man that signed off on the forum darling, the E39.

[..Rush..]

A fellow RUSH fan?
If so, cheers mate!

Originally Posted by bunker

man, I so love Georg Hacker as a journalist. absolutely gobs of information in this article.

I'm hanging onto my 440xi GC for 8 years until I'll be in the market for a new car (once the kids get out of college), and I've always known my next car will be a pure EV. gonna be interesting to see how EV development plays out for BMW.

Once I get that EV, I plan to garage my 440 in a barn and take my grandkids out hooning in it ala Red Barchetta by Rush while the air-car cops give chase.

[..Rush..]

+100

Originally Posted by ///M TOWN

Long live the 2er Convertible.

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by M3 Adjuster

Same for the strategy of not producing a sub-3er sedan for the US market for a decade or more and instead rolling out an expanded 3er lineup including the F20 320i and 3 Series GT.

So they can compete with VW/Audi and canabilize MINI(Which is in bigger trouble)? How many A3's does Audi sell in the US?

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by F32Fleet

So they can compete with VW/Audi and canabilize MINI(Which is in bigger trouble)? How many A3's does Audi sell in the US?

Audi A/S3 sales are on the decline.

But all sedans are on a decline with an exception of the Tesla Model 3.

[BigT]

Originally Posted by heavyD^2

Yeah I feel the 8 is a fantastic car that unfortunately is a victim of circumstance with the industry shifting away from cars in general.

I would say it's shifting towards future mobility which has primary focus on car sharing concepts. Also major BMW suppliers like Schaeffler work on such concepts. I know many people who no longer buy cars since the car sharing services become better and better. Those people are of course no car enthusiasts. We are a minority.

[py0413]

With the strategy like charging customers for using CarPlay and providing worse service experience, they might eventually kill off the brand. I'm on my 5th BMW now and not planning for another one unless significant improvements are seen.

[kooper]

I honestly believe the problem with the 8 is -even if it's a tremendously awesome car- that it stuck far too close to the formula of the 6 Series. Let's face it, there is absolutely nothing on the 8 Series that couldn't have fit the mold of a new 6 Series. So same basic formula, but now further upmarket with the price increase to match?

What is the 8 Series supposed to be exactly anyhow? Is it a sportscar, a GT, a fast cruiser, a premium luxury sedan in 2-or-4-door layouts? Or, and I think this is probably what BMW set out to do from the beginning, is it a little something of all of the above?

Again though, I'm not trying to berate the 8 Series. I think it's a fantastic car, but I just wish BMW would've tried resurrecting the M1 instead of the 8. In an ideal world, the new 8 Series would've been the new 6 Series, with a newly conceptualized M1 sitting at the very top of BMW's lineup.

As for the Z4 and X2? Not all that surprised about the Z4, it's a shrinking segment as a whole. The X2 though I would've thought had all the boxes ticked that would make it a sure bet. Is its sales numbers just not justifying it?