Quote:
Originally Posted by richard in NC
Bottom line, us enthusiasts are an ever shrinking % of BMW buyers. Be glad that BMW is successful in other areas, allowing them profits to still provide cars like the M2C, and hope that continues.
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Exactly...at least for the moment.
Don't forget that "sales" to BMW mainly means leasing. They are right at the top of all automakers in terms of "sales" being leases. As MSRP goes up, their lease rate soars (i.e. not even sure *anyone* actually purchases a 7-series these days) along with certain geographic markets where cars like M3 and M4 are mainly lease-mobiles.
The market for rental (lease) cars likely has a much different profile. If Ford was leasing 70% of their cars back in the late 1950s, the Edsel might have been a hit!
Of all the cars from the past that attempted a dramatically different grill design, the G8x reminds me most of the Edsel. I'm betting BMW doesn't flinch an inch with these new "grills" and the lease market demographic jumps on them like crazy.
That said, having seen the G8x in person (well it was in Sao Paulo yellow which was so bright and awesome in the sun it was hard to notice anything else), I will say I wasn't as disgusted with it as in the pictures. If I was a lessee, I'm not sure it would be a defining element preventing me from renting another car for a couple of years...you can always dump it back to BMW with your financial exposure known.