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Originally Posted by SickFinga
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Originally Posted by 10"
Thanks for the links. Very interesting obviously however it doesn't change the fact that they are not SUPPOSED to reach circulation. These cars mainly get rescued by execs and people within the BMW loop—-eventually hitting the market when those people move them on. For all intensive purposes there are 2 numbers; sales numbers and total production numbers. These cars are not sold as new from the dealer as the actual 'new' cars are so I don't feel they should strictly be counted in official sales or circulation numbers; that being said they are very interesting!
Pre-production cars do not meet federal mandates as they still have not reached final spec prior to mass production. They are still considered 'test' vehicles. They either get destroyed OR get kept under company ownership. My guess is these go to 'owners' through company ownership. In the old days of the 80s and 90s maybe there were more efficient ways of working loopholes through the system...and companies still probably have ways to do that!
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I don't know where you get the idea of those cars "not supposed" to reach circulation or that they are not federally compliant. Pre-production cars are pretty much always comply with all the regulation. Those cars are final versions that are built to test them and production line one last time. These cars are not rescued by the execs. They are shipped to the headquarters, used for testing and marketing. If the car ends up being in good condition, they put it back on the market.
It doesn't matter if the car was sold new or not, what matter is that this car is available to the public right now. What if a car was ordered by a dealer and it is hoarded by them for years? Sure it might never end up in public hands, but a lot of time they are let go. Therefore, all those cars should be counted. So yeah, maybe they are not counted as "sold" cars and they don't contribute to their bottom line as much as new cars, but these cars exist.
Yes, 80s might've been more lax, but in 2006 BMW sold a pre-production E46 330Ci ZHP convertible with an SMG transmission to the public. It is the only SMG ZHP out there. How about a 2013 320i xDrive with a manual transmission? The only one in existence in the US?
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Originally Posted by 10"
I get what you're saying but official numbers do NOT include pre-production cars.
Either way it's only a matter of about 10 cars. 740 vs. 750. Even if it was 900 it would still be ridiculously rare.
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Here is where you are wrong again. Official BMW AG numbers, always include all those pre-production and press cars. If you open any BMW history book, or even check BMW Archives website, you will see production stats that include all those cars that you claim are not included. |
MOST pre-production cars if we are using that definition; are still considered to be unfinished or 'test' cars even if they look finished. They are supposed to NOT be for sale, period. They may or may not comply with federal regulations—-they don't have to they are not considered a finished product. You are correct in saying that some do become for sale through corporate personnel; but it's not the norm in any way nor is it something that commonly happens.
Press cars, assuming they were used after the car was put on sale in the market; may get sold on the retail market—-assuming they comply with federal regulations.
Sometimes companies bring foreign spec cars for press or pre-production and those are not supposed to be sold if not the spec of that nation.
My knowledge of this subject matter comes directly through friends and contacts who are auto executives at various car companies.