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      12-03-2012, 10:44 AM   #193
SCOTT26
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Much negativity but again no one listens.
The auto industry is a global playing field. This is no longer about you.

BMW used to be a predictable car company we only made exciting cars for the enthusiast driver yet neglected the needs and demands from other customers for exciting cars to allow them to fullfill their daily requirements.

The X5 was the first step out of predictability and then we took other giant steps with the 1er , X3 , X1 , X6 and 5er GT because we found there were customers out there who we did not cater too and we can provide those needs with the BMW philosophy and added style.

These cars might be dismissed by brand enthusiasts and traditionalists but they do exactly what BMW needs them to do and that is provide business growth. BMW's global perspective has increased it has entered new markets and heavily penetrated the worlds largest market for luxury vehicles - China where it over took the US as BMW no 1 export market.
BMW is also experiencing a strong sales reaction within growing markets of India and Brazil markets that are emerging for auto makers.

BMW is well aware of US reaction to the 5er GT just as it is aware that even in the US the car does have a customer base enough to make the 5er GT sell its first year on the market - three years worth of combined units of the BMW 5er Touring (E61).

The car has done well within Europe and has seen an increase of units thanks to the introduction of a super-efficient 520d model. GT customers do not cater to adopt the opinions of other people. The 3er GT will bring prospective ownership to a new segment and we have to consider business customers aswell as new to the brand customers which our research had shown where the larger majority base that bought the 5er GT.

One market where the GT has excelled is China , on the streets of Europe a GT and a Mercedes-Benz R-Klasse are a rarity, not in China they are not.
GT customers in China choose it over the higher status of the Chinese only market 5er Li. The 3er Li which went on sale this past few months is also dominating the market and the 3er GT will also be available for Chinese customers.

The 5er Gran Turismo did not exactly win universal praise . But I have one and there is a dedicated forum here for owners , including from the US who can actually voice their opinion on why they chose the 5er GT. Or actually they cant because they become drowned out.

The GT series is a car that extends the customers option of a sedan,Touring, SAV and a MPV in one package but the car excells more in its excellent top-flight cabin and refinement heavily overlooked because of reaction to the exterior.

The 3er GT is an extension off of the architecture that sits under the new range of BMW's primarily F20 and F30 , the car is entirely cost effective to manufacturer from an economic perspective. BMW's CEO has publically claimed that the 3er GT is a car that will provide a substantial return because its development is already bought and paid for.

The 3er GT features more than the 5er GT its less business-like and retains the priotities of a 3er meaning that there will be areas for the keen to driver to exploit as per the segment. For what the 5er and 3er Gran Turismo represent is that for the customer they can have that much needed functionality and flexibility but with more style and individuality.

As long as there are new niches to exploit and new markets to explore BMW will continue to expand on the opportunity to appeal to a global audience.
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