Whether BMW revive Triumph or buy SAAB, they are in dire need of a third brand if they which to achieve the scale of Toyota or VW.
^ Achieve the scale of Toyota and VAG? What are you talking about? Not even in a million years will they do that, nor can it possibly be any kind of long term goal. And if they revive Triumph, VAG will sell a thousand VWs for every Triumph sold by BMW. Nah, all BMW needs is a proper FWD brand (not counting the Mini niche market)... Saab could do that. And Alfa could do that too (even better, though they are not for sale apparently...)
^^ Not necessarily the full scale but similar flexibility. There is a gap between Mini and BMW that needs to be filled with decent cars similar to VW/SEAT. Although Mini has a strong appeal, there is only so much you can stretch the brand and it is still a bit too pricey for certain middle class segment in the emerging markets that want a no-fuss car.
The Triumph brand would only work if they used the same basic formula they used with Mini, original styling with a modern twist. I must admit that given how successful Mini has been I'm surprised it's took them so long to turn their attentions to the other British names in their possession. Not sure that BMW need a different brand to promote fwd because it should be used under the BMW brand itself. For BMW to grow it needs to compete in the area of biggest growth which is the Polo and smaller markets. Place BMW core values to this sector and I'm sure they will be on to a winner.
BMW needs a Polo, Golf, Passat, FWD brand. It could be SAAB, or maybe Mazda who I read was going in a tough time, or even Opel who made big losses. Mini is worn out and Triumph is unknown to the general public and it's target market is small coupes.
If reviving Triumph means that we will see something like the MX-5 with the kidney grills, then I am all in for it! Small, light, small engines, RWD, and going damn sideways all the time. Hell yes!
I admire your desire to keep to brand true to its history but the reality is that BMW need to go smaller and not through the inclusion of an already failing brand name. With an important match you play your star player not some dried out has been.
It didn't hurt Mercedes going FWD with their A and B, but for BMW and their RWD philosophy is much more dificult to accept. I believe BMW should make everything in is power to survive alone. I don't think SAAB is dead, a BMW engineered SAAB would sell very good. It's and known brand with loyal customers
Heck, BMW should do it so they don't water down the badge. A FWD BMW? Blasphemy. I've preached over and over that BMW has lost it's way and a separate brand that would pull off the FWD architecture would, in my eyes be an awesome change. I guess this is my inner BMW guy talking but it really is a shame. Remember this?
Too many people here view BMW as a specialist brand instead of being a mainstream player. If they don't fight for survival then they will be bought out or need to create ties with others. Whilst I don't like to see SAAB die the fact remains the brand didn't make money and hadn't done so for years. It would be Rover all over again which would be very bad for BMW. Like it or not the saviour will come in the form of a small fwd city car wearing a familiar blue and white badge.
I really do like the way you think...but realistic...IF they resurrect Triumph, I think FWD is one of the reasons why. No need to make RWD sportscars with the Triumph name, BMW can do that themselves and save a bunch!
Again you are not quite grasping the whole concept here, Triumph is a brand which eons ago built 2 seater rwd sportscars. The Spitfire, the TR range and the Stag were all well know and respected names with nostaliga which your father and grand father will have heard of and probably remember with fondness. You don't revive a classic sportcar name like that with a half hearted fwd platform, that's the equivalent to putting the M1 name on a 1 series with an M make over which they didn't do then and won't do this now.
I agree with you, BMW must fight to remain independent, but I think you're downplaying SAAB, they were Opel's with a higher price tag, they had no room to improve. They were the stepchild of GM Europe.
Judging by the alarming weight increase in today's cars, going FWD and sporty doesn't really seem like a healthy path. FWD cars need to be light to be sporty. Can you imagine BMW ditching all the comfort features to achieve this? I mean, the Cooper S is about as heavy a car of that size should ever be. That would put a sporty BMW contender for the Polo (which the Cooper already is) in the 1,300 kgs ballpark. At the very most. Or should BMW build an unsporty comfort car? Should that be a BMW?
My father and grandfather aren't English patriots like you and Betty. And if they resurrect Triumph, it will be FWD. There's no point in bringing them back RWD. Nobody knows that brand existed to begin with. It's old and over, a relic from the past. And I am not grasping the concept here?? LOL, maybe you're right, my troll friend Footie. Maybe you are.
^ I am simply trying to explain the importance of the brand in question which by your comments you weren't familiar with. Oh and unlike you I am concerned that they do it justice because doing it your way would be the complete opposite to how they treated the Mini brand. Credit where due BMW have shown the rest of the world how to revive a dead brand name and if that sounds like I'm trolling then you really need help. LOL
