I'd say that big thing quickly crossed the point of not being a Mini. It's a Maxi now, not a Mini. Which brings up visions of this (think Griswolds in England)
The Maxi is the one they backed into Stonehenge :shades:
But if an X1 increases sales enough, it could still make a greater profit than X3. Probably cheaper to build. A loaded X3 gets amazingly expensive pretty quickly...I have to often wonder how their usually unemployed drivers can afford such a thing. It is also growing in size. If sales volume at a cheaper price point doubles, profits will rise too.
The X1 28i X Drive starts at $6K less than the X3 28i X Drive.
That's a lot of money and it will probably pull buyers away from the Escape, CRV and RAV-4. Those are pushing $30K plus and for a little more, some might be willing to jump to BMW for the name alone.
Like rob said, that low price point will compete with mainstream brands, and sell on badge alone. I predict a success for the X1 and more profit for BMW.
Might not be a bad thing, given the tight-spaces driving prowess of the target market. I suppose that will make it easier for people in actual cars to deal with, too.
Like rob said, that low price point will compete with mainstream brands, and sell on badge alone. I predict a success for the X1 and more profit for BMW.
We bought my wife's 2004 CPO X3 in December of 2005. We paid less than the cost of a new Escape or Liberty and the X3 had a longer warranty. Tough call... :P
My wife's current CPO 328i was priced under a loaded Camry, Fusion, or Malibu- so going with the 3er was also a very easy choice.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Can't really compare used vs. new, but you sure can find a lot of bang for the buck that way.
True, it's not exactly apples to apples, but when I look at a new car's window sticker my mind immediately defaults to the question "What can I I pick up used for the same money?"
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
They have a video medley. VW was the top one, with little Vader. I think everyone here liked that one.
The Honda Ferris Buehler one made it, Kia's Hamsters (of course), Eminem for Chrysler, the Acura NSX, and a Ken Block video with the Ford Fiesta car also made the top 20.
That youtube user has a legitimate treasure trove. Funny spot there...I remember back in 1985, my grandmother was new car shopping, choices were a gussied up K-car Chrysler or a new style Olds. She bought the Olds, which I think was a better choice.
Chryslers of that era did have some cool optional features though:
about their same price for everyone. In the Cruze version, the guy passes the hang tag over to the sales person with the price he is comfortable paying that shows a $250 discount.
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
I didn't realize the ES had faded back that far. Price overlaps a bit with the IS, so Lexus sort of takes a 2 car approach to this segment. New C is putting a dent on 3 series sales though.
The 7 is totally dominating. Equus is doing a lot better than the VW Phaeton did at this point of its life (closest competitor being a flagship sedan from a non-luxury brand).
Some companies can take risks and make nice looking stuff, or are able to be conservative and not mimic the competition (greatest ripoff model was the 01-06 LS, blatant W140 copy). Must be a cultural difference.
I haven't even seen a new ES yet. Maybe those are old ones being blown out in sweetheart leases?
I am not surprised about the 7er - it is newer and cheaper than the S, and less risky and seemingly better value than a comparably equipped A8. Looks like the S is still walking on the LS too, and the now 3 year old E is handily beating the GS.
They were on the road here by May of 09, and I rented one in Germany in October of 09...so will technically be going for 4 years old relatively soon. I think it has aged well, and they seem to be holding up fine. Not an exciting car, but solid.
Another Chevy commercial with dorks, Two couples trying to sing to bad eighties music and the driver has to turn the radio down to brag about his gas mileage. Guy in the back seat- "It's Spandau Ballet, man!"
2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
That one has been out for a while. The Ford "press conference" and the Chevy Volt spots are the most recent campaigns that send the message: "Our customers are clueless dweebs, why not join them?" Still, they pale in comparison to Toyota's legendary "Camry family" ad of a few years ago- where chubby teenage girls give ecstatic fist-pumps when they learn that a 10 year-old Camry is being handed down to them- and an über-nerdy middle school boy hopes that he will get to drive a Camry Hybrid when he gets his license. The biggest howler is a line from the 2 minute edit of the spot- where the wife describes her husband as "a car guy"...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
It's funny...that Camry spot was so ridiculed, Youtube users actually made videos mocking it. I think Toyota pulled their own hosted version of it due to the laughing at their expense. Even if your car is 110% uncool, making it look uncool isn't the way to go.
I really have to wonder who came up with the Ford and Volt spots. The latter grates on my nerves, still being aired.
They went to affluent houses in Toronto and took photos of a 911 in front of people's houses.
No way no how that would fly in the USA.
I read about this a couple of weeks ago. Two words: PURE GENIUS!!
It was a local dealer whose ad firm came up with the idea. AFAIK, they didn't go onto anyone's property to take the photo hence no trespassing. They then hand delivered the promo pieces to the homes. The dealership got a 32% response rate - the normal rate for direct mail is 0.5%.
Ask your wife the PR lady - she'll probably agree it was a great idea.
BTW - the only issue I could see was they put the piece in at least one mailbox. Here in the US, your mailbox is property of the USPS and nobody else is supposed to put anything in it. I have no idea what the rules are in Canada about that.
Or simply because it was a dorky commercial ridiculed by many? It was a goofy unlikeable ad, admit it. Toyota is no "underdog", so no reason to defend them.
LFA weaving ad isn't bad - car better be an amazing piece of engineering for its huge price. Too bad the cars around it are among the dullest in the lux class.
Shows Cadillac cars going fast on paved roads in desert, along seashore, in mountains. Nicely paced and believable. 99.999999 percent of drivers could see themselves driving on those paved roads, and many could aspire to be driving the roads in Cadillacs.
They build the FR-S and you go on a rant about how some 3rd party dealer is marking it up (not their fault).
When a German make sells out and builds a crossover it's OK because they had to do it to stay in business.
A double standard prevails, even among enthusiasts. Especially among enthusiasts.
If they did a marketing study and asked enthusiasts to design a car we'd come up with a diesel station wagon that only came with a manual transmission, and they'd sell about 2 of them.
I'm an enthusiasts but I also understand the realities of the car biz.
Yes, I ranted against a dealer, not against Toyota. Simmer down.
When have I defended any crossover, German or otherwise? If the segment never had been born, I'd be more than happy. There's not a single one in the world I would choose over a conventional car.
I think the crossover is a wonderful creation. When you need more cargo capacity/flexibility than a sedan offers, and don't want a minivan any longer, it is a much better alternative than a truck (BOF SUV).
glorified station wagon of course, but they usually do have more interior height which can help, and the good ones drive like a wagon. I would be one of the few OK with one in wagon guise, but given that they aren't offered any longer, a well done CUV is a great option.
Or just don't have so many devilspawn, especially those who need a room full of crap to be toted along for a 48 hour trip. Back in my day minivans were just being born and everyone had normal sedans. I don't remember any difficulty.
I was one of 3 boys in the back seat of a 72 Buick Electra.
Despite being, now this is an approximation so don't quote me, SEVENTEEN FEET longer than my minivan is today, it didn't offer nearly the space or comfort my kids enjoy.
Back then, rear seat entertainment meant picking on my little brother.
Parental control meant my dad pulling over and throwing us out of the car, then driving 100 feet forward.
Fuel efficiency was about the same as the Exxon Valdez on one particularly fateful day.
No difficulty? You're nostalgic...
Pshh, my "spawn" giggle peacefully in the back at movies, wife can nap in comfort in a reclined seat, I have my GPS as a co-pilot, and we eat up the miles like you never could before, up to 500 miles per tankful.
My van sits taller than some SUVs so I can see traffic above your sedan's roof, too. :P
Comments
A while ago I said the Countryman should just have been the BMW X1.
Their X1 overlaps too much with the X3. It will cannibalize sales, watch. They'll sell plenty, but it will steal higher priced X3 sales.
But if an X1 increases sales enough, it could still make a greater profit than X3. Probably cheaper to build. A loaded X3 gets amazingly expensive pretty quickly...I have to often wonder how their usually unemployed drivers can afford such a thing. It is also growing in size. If sales volume at a cheaper price point doubles, profits will rise too.
That's a lot of money and it will probably pull buyers away from the Escape, CRV and RAV-4. Those are pushing $30K plus and for a little more, some might be willing to jump to BMW for the name alone.
They were already driving around the streets of Brazil. BMW USA knew the X3 needed to launch before its big brother.
Still don't get why they need THREE 2-row only crossovers.
Like rob said, that low price point will compete with mainstream brands, and sell on badge alone. I predict a success for the X1 and more profit for BMW.
It's not even that tall. We were almost at eye level in my mom's Honda Fit.
We bought my wife's 2004 CPO X3 in December of 2005. We paid less than the cost of a new Escape or Liberty and the X3 had a longer warranty.
Tough call... :P
My wife's current CPO 328i was priced under a loaded Camry, Fusion, or Malibu- so going with the 3er was also a very easy choice.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
True, it's not exactly apples to apples, but when I look at a new car's window sticker my mind immediately defaults to the question "What can I I pick up used for the same money?"
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
But...if you want to buy a car and keep it, pick one that is more reliable to begin with.
That's why I got an 8 year old Miata, and was able to enjoy it trouble-free for years. I did spend $10.74 on a clutch slave cylinder rebuild kit.
Plus a buck for brake fluid. Almost $12 in repairs. Ouch.
I'd buy another used Miata over a new Chery or JAC that they're selling in Brazil now.
They have a video medley. VW was the top one, with little Vader. I think everyone here liked that one.
The Honda Ferris Buehler one made it, Kia's Hamsters (of course), Eminem for Chrysler, the Acura NSX, and a Ken Block video with the Ford Fiesta car also made the top 20.
Surprisingly Honda made the list twice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Gsu1Nt6UMxQ#!
The LH cars really saved them, eh?
Chryslers of that era did have some cool optional features though:
http://youtu.be/VIpfUuRg1VE
Here's a dumb one...when your competition is your platform clones, you know you're an 80s GM:
http://youtu.be/8217jqBw8Wk
In the Cruze version, the guy passes the hang tag over to the sales person with the price he is comfortable paying that shows a $250 discount.
My dad's '86? Mercury Cougar would talk like that. After the novelty wore off it was pretty dumb.
In the 2nd ad, the way the guy looks at the girl, you'd think she was an escort. LOL
The ad would be weak even without that mistake.
I guess now that the Equus is out, Lexus is no longer the new kid on the block.
IMHO the GS and CT look best with the spindle. The LS is OK to me. The new ES is the least attractive application of the spindle grille.
It's selling, though. ES was up 43% last month. RX was up 47%. That's with zero powertrain upgrades, and neither is truly all new.
The GS was up 452.3%. Woke up from the dead basically.
The scorecards:
CT 1,499 +4.6%
ILX 1,410; hybrid 110
Looks like the take rate on Acura hybrids is quite low. The CT crushes the A3 TDI if we compare luxury brand fuel sippers.
IS 2,296 +7.9%
TSX 1,980 -7.3%; wagon 316 +37.5%
Regal 1,784 -49.4%
A3 651 +49.3%
1series 379 -42.9%
Small segment, but that's where you hope to snag young buyers.
3series 7,653 -11.4%
G 6,078 +88.8%; coupe 1,287 +1.3%
Cclass 5,663 +24.4% (includes coupe)
CTS 4,743 +6.6%
LaCrosse 4,001 -33%
ES 3,759 +42.9%
A4 3,449 +51.7%
TL 2,358 -7.7%
MKX 1,724 -10%
I didn't realize the ES had faded back that far. Price overlaps a bit with the IS, so Lexus sort of takes a 2 car approach to this segment. New C is putting a dent on 3 series sales though.
5series 5,700 +32%
Eclass 5,089 -.5%
XTS 1,739
A6 1,691 +66.8%
GS 1,662 +452.3%
MKS 878 -19.7%
M 652 -6.5%
RL 40 -38.1%
XTS had a strong launch. GS is at least on the radar now. Acura should just throw in the towel.
7series 1,696 +158.9%
Sclass 852 -3.9%
LS 536 -7.2%
A8 401 -10.9%
Equus 362
The 7 is totally dominating. Equus is doing a lot better than the VW Phaeton did at this point of its life (closest competitor being a flagship sedan from a non-luxury brand).
RX 7,357 +45.7%
RDX 2,664 +162.4%
X3 2,311 +4.7%
Q5 2,090 10%
GLK 1,880 +15.5%
EX 215 -61.6%
Your favorite vehicle POWNS in your favorite class of vehicles.
XC60 is not listed but I could not find a press release from Volvo to add it manually. It's very low volume, though, well behind the Q5.
RDX shoppers seem to love the big V6. Surprise, it outsold the new X3.
SRX 4,911 +18.8%
Enclave 4,360 -29%
MDX 4,288 +35.1%
X5 2,283 -31.4%
JX 1,999
Mclass 1,790 -35.6%
Q7 891 +12.8%
GX 813 +6.1%
FX 498 -23%
Surprise, a Caddy on top. Infiniti is finally on the map with the JX.
X6 259 -55.4%
ZDX 85 -9.7%
Kill them both with fire.
I haven't even seen a new ES yet. Maybe those are old ones being blown out in sweetheart leases?
I am not surprised about the 7er - it is newer and cheaper than the S, and less risky and seemingly better value than a comparably equipped A8. Looks like the S is still walking on the LS too, and the now 3 year old E is handily beating the GS.
Still, they pale in comparison to Toyota's legendary "Camry family" ad of a few years ago- where chubby teenage girls give ecstatic fist-pumps when they learn that a 10 year-old Camry is being handed down to them- and an über-nerdy middle school boy hopes that he will get to drive a Camry Hybrid when he gets his license. The biggest howler is a line from the 2 minute edit of the spot- where the wife describes her husband as "a car guy"...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I really have to wonder who came up with the Ford and Volt spots. The latter grates on my nerves, still being aired.
Any how, The Onion is having fun at their expense, clever:
http://onion.com/MoWqLC
They went to affluent houses in Toronto and took photos of a 911 in front of people's houses.
No way no how that would fly in the USA.
No way no how that would fly in the USA.
I read about this a couple of weeks ago. Two words: PURE GENIUS!!
It was a local dealer whose ad firm came up with the idea. AFAIK, they didn't go onto anyone's property to take the photo hence no trespassing. They then hand delivered the promo pieces to the homes. The dealership got a 32% response rate - the normal rate for direct mail is 0.5%.
Ask your wife the PR lady - she'll probably agree it was a great idea.
BTW - the only issue I could see was they put the piece in at least one mailbox. Here in the US, your mailbox is property of the USPS and nobody else is supposed to put anything in it. I have no idea what the rules are in Canada about that.
In Canada you can buy bagged milk so anything goes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8lo-paoJeY&feature=player_embedded
Been seeing that on TV. Linked to Facebook. Good to have your flagship weaving around your cars for the positive association.
On another video I heard the LF-A is actually the first entirely woven chassis, so pushing the envelope of carbon fiber chassis design.
LFA weaving ad isn't bad - car better be an amazing piece of engineering for its huge price. Too bad the cars around it are among the dullest in the lux class.
When you're on top every one throws stones at you. They seem to be a target more often than not.
Not anyone in my immediate family, thank goodness... :P
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
When a German make sells out and builds a crossover it's OK because they had to do it to stay in business.
A double standard prevails, even among enthusiasts. Especially among enthusiasts.
If they did a marketing study and asked enthusiasts to design a car we'd come up with a diesel station wagon that only came with a manual transmission, and they'd sell about 2 of them.
I'm an enthusiasts but I also understand the realities of the car biz.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH91WGLGWTc&feature=player_embedded
When have I defended any crossover, German or otherwise? If the segment never had been born, I'd be more than happy. There's not a single one in the world I would choose over a conventional car.
Please stop the red herrings/strawmen.
glorified station wagon of course, but they usually do have more interior height which can help, and the good ones drive like a wagon. I would be one of the few OK with one in wagon guise, but given that they aren't offered any longer, a well done CUV is a great option.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Our Forester crams 118 cubic feet of space in a parking spot shorter than a Chevy Cobalt.
Pure function.
Ironically, to me sedans are useless. At least get a wagon or 5 door hatch.
I'd take an E63 wagon over a sedan.
I was one of 3 boys in the back seat of a 72 Buick Electra.
Despite being, now this is an approximation so don't quote me, SEVENTEEN FEET longer than my minivan is today, it didn't offer nearly the space or comfort my kids enjoy.
Back then, rear seat entertainment meant picking on my little brother.
Parental control meant my dad pulling over and throwing us out of the car, then driving 100 feet forward.
Fuel efficiency was about the same as the Exxon Valdez on one particularly fateful day.
No difficulty? You're nostalgic...
Pshh, my "spawn" giggle peacefully in the back at movies, wife can nap in comfort in a reclined seat, I have my GPS as a co-pilot, and we eat up the miles like you never could before, up to 500 miles per tankful.
My van sits taller than some SUVs so I can see traffic above your sedan's roof, too. :P