Is BMW an innovation factory?

Is BMW an innovation factory?
Few companies have been as consistent at producing an ever-changing product line, with near-flawless quality, that consumers crave. BMW has redefined luxury design with its 7 Series, created a mania for its Mini, and maintained some of the widest margins in the industry. A sporty four-wheel-drive coupe and a svelte minivan called the Luxury Sport Cruiser are slated to roll off the production line in 2008. Those models promise to continue BMW's run of cool cars under its new chief executive, Norbert Reithofer, who took over in September. (His predecessor, Helmut Panke, stepped down upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60.) Says Reithofer: "We push change through the organization to ensure its strength. There are always better solutions."
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EvoAudiEvoAudi - 10/8/2006 5:02:59 PM
+1 Boost
BMW Van??? WHO DA'F%$@ decided to do that. they should be shot then urinated on.


BMW530iBMW530i - 10/8/2006 5:40:01 PM
+1 Boost
Looks like a VW Eurovan to me in the background, not a BMW.


S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/8/2006 9:56:12 PM
+1 Boost
Of course you'd say it's Lexus, Will.

But really, I haven't seen much change in Lexus since 1989.

BMWs have been revolutionary, styling-wise. If the 745i hadn't been released with that shape at the 2001 Frankfurt Show, the Lexus IS would look like a mini LS430. And that's not a good thing.


S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/9/2006 10:55:39 AM
+1 Boost
No, I wouldn't say it's the S4. My car doesn't have Bluetooth, it doesn't have a voice-activated, touch-screen NAVI (though it does have a navigation system), it doesn't have rain-sensing windshield wipers, it doesn't have a cylinder deactivation system, and it doesn't have a pre-safe system.

And I don't care one bit, because I don't need bragging rights to make me happy. My car is perfect as it is.


RefuGRefuG - 10/8/2006 7:20:44 PM
+1 Boost
"Few companies have been as consistent at producing an ever-changing product line, with near-flawless quality, that consumers crave." will Lexus has been around for what? 17-18 years, compared to 70-80 years for BMW.

Sorry bud but your lexus has long way to go to be consideres by above quote.


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smshnicksmshnick - 10/8/2006 7:20:55 PM
0 Boost
I'm not sure I'd call the latest 7-series a success.. Unless you call hundreds of thousands of recalls and styling that turned away thousands of loyal BMW fans a success.


JRobUSCJRobUSC - 10/8/2006 8:48:22 PM
+1 Boost
I'm pretty sure BMW considers it a success, since "success" to a car company is usually measured in sales and the current 7-series is the best selling 7-series in BMW's history. But hey, if you don't think it's a success then it must not be.


S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/8/2006 9:57:15 PM
+1 Boost
Uhh, yes, the 7 Series isn't a success...?

Especially because it's been selling far better than the last version...


I95SPEEDINGTICKETSI95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 10/8/2006 8:11:35 PM
+1 Boost
^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Are you also known as LOGICAL ? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/8/2006 9:58:17 PM
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"One generally thinks MB has been the most innovative when it comes to firsts, but most of their ideas were originally invented for something else."

For God's sake, Mercedes invented half of the feautures that you see on the automobile today! Give credit where credit is due!


S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/9/2006 10:58:23 AM
+1 Boost
I understand.

But still, Mercedes-Benz has been so innovative... more so than BMW. If they hadn't used all of the features you mentioned, I guarantee that you wouldn't see most of them as standard gear on a car today. It doesn't matter who it was developed for.


crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/8/2006 8:43:42 PM
+2 Boost
Business Week could have written this article about any of the major car companies--MB, Audi, Porsche, Toyota, Honda--and it would all be true for them as well. There is no news in this article.

The Autospies staff obviously wasn't born yesterday and yet pushes this article as a serious news item! I'm sure you're making BMW happy, though.


S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/8/2006 9:58:57 PM
+1 Boost
You sound like an idiot.

Makes sense.


ninenine - 10/8/2006 10:58:45 PM
+1 Boost
I thought Helmut Panke was good, i'm not sure what this guy will do.


TauronLBTauronLB - 10/9/2006 1:35:51 AM
+1 Boost
BMW Likes to say that this 7 series is the most successful one so far...and numbers wise it may be. What they forget to mention is that this car is sold in markets that the old one wasn't. So of course they are gonna sell more cars worldwide. Hell they moved into China with this one. In the US the 745 drove away customers in droves. As a matter of fact the last S CLass sold twice as many copies as the 745 in the years that they were both in the market.
T


matt635matt635 - 10/9/2006 5:06:09 AM
+1 Boost
Well, traditionally the US has been a very important market, so that's a fair point and it would be worrying. BUT China will be a more important market than the US in the next few years as the potential volume and growth is absolutley huuuuuuge.


JRobUSCJRobUSC - 10/9/2006 1:56:13 PM
+1 Boost
actually BMW sold more 7ers in 2004 and 2005 in the U.S. than MB did S-classes, despite the fact that the 7er only came in four versions, and you hardly ever see two of them (760i/Li). The S came in S350, S430, S500, S600, S55, and S65, plus they had 4Matic versions as well of most of them. I'm sure some (older) buyers were turned off by the electronics, and rightfully so, but it wasn't much worse than COMMAND was in a Benz. All the Acura, Infiniti, Audi, and Benz drivers out there today with iDrive derivatives (and that's virtually every new one) should be thanking BMW for having the balls to come out with it first.


tecnopolistecnopolis - 10/9/2006 4:18:43 AM
+1 Boost
I have to admit BMW brings a certain "hotness" to the auto scene.


crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/9/2006 10:29:12 AM
+1 Boost
Paris Hilton makes news every day too.


cyniccynic - 10/9/2006 11:25:40 AM
+1 Boost
Sorry, but Paris Hilton only "looks" like she should be hot. Smoke and mirrors my friend...


IamEvilHomerIamEvilHomer - 10/9/2006 12:01:08 PM
+1 Boost
Logical to bad the 745 was so ugly and under powered compaired to the Audi so they had to do a quick redesign and upgrade the power and call it a 750



answeranswer - 10/9/2006 4:05:20 PM
+1 Boost
Yes. BMW, like every other manufacturer on planet Earth, invents things and tries to improve upon what they make.

I thought "news" referred to information not generally known by most people.


G35LoverG35Lover - 10/9/2006 4:07:39 PM
+2 Boost
NEAR FLAWLESS QUALITY. Please consult consumer reports before making that claim. If they every discontinue their free service they would be bankrupt.


trackturtletrackturtle - 10/9/2006 6:20:14 PM
+1 Boost
has... i mean...


trackturtletrackturtle - 10/9/2006 6:21:55 PM
+1 Boost
oops mistake. ignore..


crackityjonescrackityjones - 10/9/2006 5:35:57 PM
+1 Boost
The above comment is too true. BMW is fighting to stay one step ahead of obsolescence. You can't envy BMW's problems. They're fighting the Japanese rivals that are getting within inches of their franchise on performance. They're not taken seriously with luxury buyers because they don't understand how to create a luxury interior. Their reliability scores are hit and miss (the 3 series was taken off the C/R reco list.) They rely on SUVs for sales like everyone else--a dicey fact that hurts every car maker in the end in this era of $3.50 premium gas. It's not all rose petals in the world of BMW. Hence puff pieces like this to try to make us believe they are sitting pretty and without a care in the world.


trackturtletrackturtle - 10/9/2006 6:19:32 PM
+1 Boost
Hey I know what had great quality! how about an Ariel Atom? Nothing to break! ... i think....


vcowmanvcowman - 10/9/2006 6:21:45 PM
+1 Boost
Reminds me of Haramjada


BM3WBM3W - 10/9/2006 10:47:00 PM
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Coordinating innovation from the center is taken literally at BMW. Each time BMW begins developing a car, the project team's members -- some 200 to 300 staffers from engineering, design, production, marketing, purchasing, and finance -- are relocated from their scattered locations to the auto maker's Research and Innovation Center, called FIZ, for up to three years.


SteveSteve - 10/12/2006 9:55:56 PM
+1 Boost
"...near-flawless quality..."? How do you define "quality?" Surely NOT the lack of defects. Commonly available stats show that BMW's defects numbers are currently about the industry average. Buy a Lincoln and you'll have fewer breakdowns.

To be honest with ourselves, BMW "quality" is the delightful (in most cases) ride. It's NOT what many people refer to as quality: Low defects on delivery, and low defects in first year of ownership. Those are typical industry metrics for "quality".
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