Every product has an innovator, the one who brings to market that one item or items that everyone wants. The one item that competitors thump themselves on the head mumbling to themselves, “Why didn’t we think of that.”
We all know the products; Apple Computer in recent years has stood the music industry on its head with the iPod and complimentary iTunes Music Store. Many have tried to copy the iPod including Microsoft, but Apple owns that market with market share in excess of 50%.
Once upon a time a little company out of Michigan called General Motors owned 50% of the automotive market here in the USA, but others took notice and started to do things better, differently, and innovatively. Today GM is struggling to maintain a minor lead over Toyota, as the Japanese car giant continues to gain market share. There are cracks in that machine however as quality has slid, and Consumer Reports is slower to recommend Toyota products than they have been in the recent past.
AutoSpies.com is unique in the attention that is given to automotive news. The members, who post, discuss and sometimes fight to preserve or enforce an opinion serve as a testament to the passion with which people love their automobiles. In observing some of the threads that trickle through here I am amazed and impressed by the fact that we have people defending everything ranging from Hyundai to Ferrari.
While the vast majority it seems stick to the BMW, Audi, Lexus or Infiniti camps, the truth is not all of these manufacturers are innovators all the time. If you are really honest with yourself, you have to agree not every product brought to market is innovative, in most cases it is simply an interpretation of another brands product.
You don’t need to take my word for it, lets look at a few examples:
BMW M3 defined a segment of the market that didn’t previously exist. Mercedes-Benz and now Lexus have products that fit the bill. As good a product as either the C63 or IS-f is, the fact is neither Lexus nor Mercedes created the segment.
Mercedes-Benz CLS defined a segment of the market that didn’t exist previously. We have seen numerous sketches and artist renditions along with a prototype or two of cars by both BMW and Audi that seek to compete in the same segment as the CLS. Volkswagen sees an opportunity as well and is actually the first to market with the Passat CC, although not a direct competitor to the CLS, it certainly fills the bill in terms of segment as defined by the CLS.
Acura brought the Legend to market when no other Japanese brand had a direct competitor to the cars of Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Lexus and Infiniti were several years behind, but Lexus went the extra step to really define what a luxury car was and put on notice both MB and BMW that they were a force to be reckoned with. Sadly Acura, which helped create the segment, has fallen way out of contention in terms of competing with the big sedans from Germany, but Lexus is always invited to the arena when a big luxury sedan test is brewing. The impressive thing about Lexus is how it now owns the Japanese luxury segment forcing Infiniti almost to its knees. The exciting thing for car us car enthusiasts is the way Infiniti has really defined itself within the market segment originally created by Acura.
So what’s the point you may be asking? Well I thought it would be interesting since opinions are not at a shortage here at AutoSpies.com to have you name a car or two that you see as innovative, and then tell us why. Simply responding by saying Lexus is the best, or BMW is the best doesn’t tell us why you think they are innovative.
The BMW X6 is innovative, as it really doesn’t have a direct competitor; it really created a segment, or at least a sub-category on an existing segment. I know you are passionate about your cars, I am asking you to put your money where your mouth is and tell the rest of us why you think the brand you are so willing to go to the mat for is innovative.
Go ahead, enlighten us, and in the process don’t be surprised to learn something you didn’t already know.