tailpipe
February 7th, 2005, 14:59
1. I hear that BMW still hasn't ironed out all the kinks in the new M5's V-10. Did anyone else hear of test versions continuing to detonate on the Nordschliefe during January? Considering that BMW have only recently eliminated the problem in the engine of the current M3, I wouldn't touch a new M5 until at least 18 months after series production begins. Of course, there is a very good reason why BMW is having such problems: the number of technicians who have moved from Munich to Ingolstadt! In the meantime, the RS6 still rules.
2. BMW has trumpeted loudly how it increased sales last year as way of justifying its new styling direction. But 2004's raw sales figures do not reveal the whole truth. It only achieved these numbers through deep discounting, especially in the USA, and through fleet sales: that's companies making a financial choice rather than customers making a brand choice. Worse still, the number of private registrations was down. This is partly explained by the fact that the 3-Series is about to be replaced, but the 7-Series is a disaster. Meanwhile A8 is starting to perform strongly as will A6 with advent of Avant. Roll on the new RS6.
2. BMW has trumpeted loudly how it increased sales last year as way of justifying its new styling direction. But 2004's raw sales figures do not reveal the whole truth. It only achieved these numbers through deep discounting, especially in the USA, and through fleet sales: that's companies making a financial choice rather than customers making a brand choice. Worse still, the number of private registrations was down. This is partly explained by the fact that the 3-Series is about to be replaced, but the 7-Series is a disaster. Meanwhile A8 is starting to perform strongly as will A6 with advent of Avant. Roll on the new RS6.