Quote:
Originally Posted by okolisr
It's BAD strategy. Without the manual transmission option, BMW is just another overpriced car -- with many other good cars available from many manufacturers. The manual option is definitely what brought me and many others to BMW in the first place.
Sure, we all know the agruments about how "leasing" discourages dealers to stock anything out of the ordinary. And how it dooms the manual-transmission option. The problem starts with their shortsightedness and can only be fixed with some wisdom by BMW.
Why are we so different than British customers? They have the manual transmission option on just about everything. It's good strategy there!
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I think the problem here boys and girls, is that new emission regulations that really hinder the US are easier for manufacturers to achieve if you take away a manual. In a numbers game, regulators can verify what an Automatic will do as there is no real variable.
I totally agree with your quim about leasing, but also remember the 'extra cost' crash testing issues which restrict engine and transmission availability - on this side of the pond.
As a Brit living in Canada and having worked at BMW in both, it really is amazing the differences in spec and availability placed on both continents. However, emissions and extra crash testing requirements aside! A huge reason as to why the UK has more engine, transmission and individual options specification available, stems way back into the 1970's. Back then the labour government imposed monumentous personal earnings taxes of upto 93%. This is a large part reason as to why lots of famous and wealthy Brits, such as Rod Stewart, took residency and their earning elsewhere during this period. It also meant that companies used 'better' company cars as perks to allure potential recruits away from existing positions, to join their company. As any financial benefits or improvements were taxed to an almost non quantifiable final amount to the individual. Now 40+ years on, the UK government has heavily monitored ways in which to tax individuals as to the benefit of having a company car. The formula equates the cars emissions output (in grams per kms not NOX like in the US), vehicle selling value (P11D) as well as the fuel economy! So to keep a P11D value down, individuals need the ability to order stripper cars to avoid heavy tax bills. A manual transmission is a huge reduction in cost by comparison to the auto and as such is a large steering factor towards heavy manual usage.
It is a shame that BMW is being steered and forced like all the manufacturers to weight save and economy improve by using electronic power steering and clever 8 speed auto transmissions, but alas its here to stay
Plus, with a directive by the end of 2015 for all manufacturers to achieve a mean ave model range fuel consumption of just 35.1mpg - its only going to continue...