Hot! BMW AG: What's Next

[EnI]

^ It's a challenge for sure. It's not that easy. All that's true.

But same was said for any modular architecture in automotive industry: being that a modular chassis, modular engine, modular batteries sets etc etc. Yet today they modular solutions in automotive industry are standard.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

What a bomb at MINI! Stephenson's back. I'm looking forward to all the products that will come under his feather

 

[Centurion]

BMW i sub-brand will remain an exotic & futuristic looking "tech-lab-on-wheels" for BMW.

BMW will address mass EV demand via core brands & models!

Nice that there will be something for everyone. I admire pushing boundaries of design using new material etc. Similarly, some just want a good looking normal car with electric power - hence why Tesla is well-liked. There are too many electric/hybrid cars that look too weird e.g Nissan Leaf, i3, Prius, Volt, Renault Zoe and Huyndai IONIQ.

 

[Busty]

...
Data shows many Model 3 prospects come from Economy brands like Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Honda, VW, Hyundai etc. While Tesla S & X customers mostly migrated to Tesla from premium brands...

Good post, lots of information worth thinking about. However, this one paragraph does not align with the data (systematic and anecdotical) that I collected and came across in the last couple of years. It's true that in the U.S. many Tesla Model S and X customers migrated from German premium brands. But for Germany and Europe, this is not a valid conclusion. There is a (surprisingly small) group of people who choose a Tesla because of its acceleration and among those there are quite a few who also own one or more (German) premium cars (e.g., Porsche 911 or some high-end AMG) or who migrated from high-performance mid-level premiums (BMW M3/4, Audi S4). But the vast majority of German, Swiss, Austrian, British, and Nordic customers are of a different kind. They clearly state to never have imagined buying such an expensive car. Many of them come from van segments or so (I fell off a chair when I came over my first dataset), driving T5/6s, Zafiras (!), Sharans, or non-premium SUVs, hybrids.
This may also explain why most Tesla customers consider their car absolute premium and top-notch. Often, they cannot even name a reference. Actually, lots of them fanatically fight for and defend their brand, and condescend to everybody else. Certainly hard to imagine in this forum .

 

[klier]

Many of them come from van segments or so (I fell off a chair when I came over my first dataset), driving T5/6s, Zafiras (!), Sharans, or non-premium SUVs, hybrids..

Don't know where these datasets come from really. Holland is one of the biggest Tesla markets in the world, probably top three with Norway and the U.S. The model S is an expensive car, and every single person who drives one comes from a premium (German) car. I really don't think there's an exception. A6, 5er, E class drivers and above.

Simply put, every Tesla sale over here means one of the 3 Germans has one less.
I am talking about Holland obviously, and there simply is no way a Sharan/Zafira driver will switch to a Tesla. The cheapest Model S costs close to a 7er/S class over here.....which is close to three times a Zafira.

 

[Busty]

Don't know where these datasets come from really. Holland is one of the biggest Tesla markets in the world, probably top three with Norway and the U.S. The model S is an expensive car, and every single person who drives one comes from a premium (German) car. I really don't think there's an exception. A6, 5er, E class drivers and above. Simply put, every Tesla sale over here means one of the 3 Germans has one less. I am talking about Holland obviously, and there simply is no way a Sharan/Zafira driver will switch to a Tesla. The cheapest Model S costs close to a 7er/S class over here.....which is close to three times a Zafira.

Just for clarification: is this your intuition? Do you refer to friends or people you know?

For the Netherlands, as a matter of fact, I only have anecdotal data from some owner events. Of 5 Tesla customers there, one migrated from Audi to Tesla. The others come from non-premium brands (2) or can be considered as collectors (2). The claim that the German brands lose customers to Tesla in a substantial manner cannot be held up (except for California) in my opinion.

For the countries/regions I mentioned, the data I refer to can be regarded as 'representative'. I know the raw data and I know who collected them. With regard to the cost issue you bring up, it has to be emphasized that the number of 40s, 60s, 70s, and 75s in Europe is extremely high, as well as the number of leasing customers.

As said, I was surprised too, in the first place.

 

[Mick Briesgau]

They clearly state to never have imagined buying such an expensive car. Many of them come from van segments or so (I fell off a chair when I came over my first dataset), driving T5/6s, Zafiras (!), Sharans, or non-premium SUVs, hybrids.

Interesting data. Anecdotical: I've got two cliënts driving a Tesla Model S. One comes from a Lexus IS 250 (Dutchman) and the other from a Porsche Cayenne (Belgian guy).

 

[Mick Briesgau]

The model S is an expensive car, and every single person who drives one comes from a premium (German) car. I really don't think there's an exception. A6, 5er, E class drivers and above.

Not quite. It's an expensive car for non-businessman/entrepreneurs. If you had a little company in 2015, you could get a Tesla model S for less money than a well equiped VW Golf (tax reasons).
Edit: If you are an average employee and have to buy your car with your private money, very few people could afford a € 90.000 Tesla in the Netherlands

 

[klier]

As said, I was surprised too, in the first place.

I am too. I only see businessmen driving these cars. They're not for soccermums or anything like that from what I see every day (and I see a lot of Teslas every day. A LOT).
But you're the one with the data, so I guess you're right and I am wrong, even though I am fairly sure I am not wrong

Just for clarification: is this your intuition? Do you refer to friends or people you know?

Both really. I know people who went for a Model X or S, and they all came from a premium brand.

But the prices tell the whole story? The Model S/X simply is too expensive for the people you are talking about. A Zafira costs 30k, and a Model S 90k.

 

[Busty]

I am too. I only see businessmen driving these cars. They're not for soccermums or anything like that from what I see every day (and I see a lot of Teslas every day. A LOT).
But you're the one with the data, so I guess you're right and I am wrong, even though I am fairly sure I am not wrong

I would not say you're wrong. You might be biased, however. As most people are when they don't have hard data at hand (and are willing to believe those data).

But the prices tell the whole story? The Model S/X simply is too expensive for the people you are talking about. A Zafira costs 30k, and a Model S 90k.

No, prices don't tell the whole truth. First, because this entire segment thinking is starting to crash anyway (not only with Tesla, it can be observed all over the place). Second, because only very few people buy a Tesla and there are affordable ways to lease it, as Mick pointed out above. By the way, you seem to be particularly surprised about the Zafiras in my list. You would not believe how popular Zafiras (or comparable offers) are for (small and big time) commercial lease . SAP, Valeo, Continental, Bosch, but also OEM employee parking sites are full of them. The same is true for family businesses. And of those, I met a lot in the Tesla context.

 

[Matski]

Over here in the UK Tesla sales have totalled about 4500 units including Model S and Model X since the introduction of the Roadster - though most of those were in the last two years. BMW have shifted about the same number of 330e and X5 4.0e models in 2016.

 

[EnI]

BMW, Intel and Mobileye bring Delphi in on their self-driving platform

Posted 5 hours ago by Darrell Etherington (@etherington)


BMW, Intel and Mobileye have a new partner in their previously announced initiative to co-develop an autonomous driving platform. Delphi is now a member of the group effort, which was announced first in July 2016, prior to Intel’s acquisition of Mobileye earlier this year.

Delphi will be providing key compute components for the system, and have already supplied a prototype of the platform they’ll eventually supply to the system to the collaborative team. They’ll work directly with Intel and Mobileye on sensor fusion and highly automated driving software.

Intel and Delphi were previously partnered up on autonomous tech, and the two brought their demonstration driverless vehicle to CES this year, where we got the chance to take a ride. The Audi, equipped with Delphi’s systems and sensors from partners, including Mobileye, handled busy Las Vegas streets with seeming ease. Same goes for a more recent drive at Intel’s new Autonomous Driving Garage in Silicon Valley, where the same Delphi car was providing test rides with updated versions of its software. BMW also recently started fielding its latest highly automated test vehicles, one of which made its U.S. debut at the same Intel Garage opening event.

The BMW, Intel and Mobileye group has set 2021 as their target date for bringing an automated driving platform into production. Their aim is to build a platform that can be used not only for BMW vehicles, but also by other automakers and also automotive systems developers.

Delphi will be doing a lot with integration of the technologies provided by the other partners in the mix, as well as potentially supplying some additional hardware, the companies say, including sensors. The longtime auto industry supplier, which spun out from GM in 1999, announced earlier this month that it would be spinning out its own powertrain division into a separate company from the unit focused on autonomy and EVs.

BMW, Intel and Mobileye bring Delphi in on their self-driving platform

 

[Deleted member 25]

Frank Stephenson is apparently due to make a come back to Mini, did you hear anything about it guys ? @EnI @SCOTT27 ?

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

Frank Stephenson is apparently due to make a come back to Mini, did you hear anything about it guys ? @EnI @SCOTT27 ?

Slightly OT: I wonder if Melville will step up to Stephenson's position at McLaren. His work on the 720S ought to seal it for him.

 

[Deleted member 25]

Well he already did that in a way as he was promoted Chief designer and stephenson got a VP title. I found that suspicious as having that many layers in a such small compagny was for me a way to save face for Stephenson.

 

[Matski]

M4 GT4 being teased now... it's not like it's not already been seen on track, but the official unveil is soon, I'm guessing at the 'Ring this weekend.

 

[Matski]

So, the new art car is unveiled...

Here is a picture...

And here's a video..

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It's augmented reality.. so there isn't really any point in posting more of them...

Spoiler: Many Many words...

Beijing. The future is now: Following the contributions by Jeff Koons and John Baldessari, Cao Fei (b. 1978) is the youngest and first Chinese artist ever to create a BMW Art Car. By employing augmented and virtual reality, the internationally acclaimed Chinese multimedia artist addresses the future of mobility such as autonomous driving, airborne cars and digitalization. In the presence of Dr Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, and hundreds of invited guests, the reveal of BMW Art Car #18 was celebrated at the Minsheng Art Museum in Beijing on May 31.

Dr Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG: “We were thrilled by the decision of an independent jury of international museum directors to have nominated Cao Fei. Considered as a lucky number in China, her vehicle is the official 18throlling sculpture of the collection. For her project, Cao Fei chose an unprecedented and immersive approach, empowering the viewer to engage with the artwork through cutting-edge technology. This is truly a BMW Art Car for the 21st century!”

Cao Fei commented upon her BMW Art Car: “To me, light represents thoughts. As the speed of thoughts cannot be measured, the #18 Art Car questions the existence of the boundaries of the human mind. We are entering a new age, where the mind directly controls objects and where thoughts can be transferred, such as unmanned operations and artificial intelligence. Which attitudes and temperaments hold the key to opening the gateway to the new age?”

The BMW Art Car #18 by Cao Fei
Cao Fei’s work is a reflection on the speed of change in China, on tradition and future. With her BMW Art Car project, she delves into a trajectory spanning thousands of years, paying tribute to Asia’s ancient spiritual wisdom as it swiftly spreads out into the third millennium. The multimedia artist approached the BMW Art Car in a way typical for her artistic practice, building a parallel universe. The body of work consists of three different components: a video focusing on a time traveling spiritual practitioner, augmented reality features picturing colorful light particles, accessible via a dedicated app (App Store: keyword “BMW Art Car #18”), and the BMW M6 GT3 racecar in its original carbon black. Paying tribute to the carbon fiber structure of the racecar chassis, Cao Fei’s holistic use of a non-reflective black incorporates the car into the possibilities of the digital world.

Within this concept, Cao Fei’s implementation of video art as well as augmented reality creates an environment of which the M6 GT3 is an essential part. In her video work, the practitioner executes spiritual movements, which echo in colorful streams of light. When the app is used within the premises of the car, these light swishes become an AR installation floating above and around the BMW M6 GT3 – involving the spectator as an interactive agent of participation. This narrative reflects on a traditional spiritual ceremony very common throughout Asia in which new objects such as automobiles are being blessed, in this case wishing good luck to car and driver. On a broader level, the light elements mirror what the eyes cannot see and the mind cannot picture.

During the course of over three years following her announcement, Cao Fei took part in a racing experience with female race driver Cyndie Allemann in Switzerland in 2015. During manifold visits to headquarters, she worked closely with BMW Group’s engineers, designers, and digital specialists. For her research, the artist also went on an extended BMW plant visit to Tiexi.

The Jury
The jury of the 18th BMW Art Car consisted of the following members: Richard Armstrong, Director, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York); Chris Dercon, then Director, Tate Modern (London); Juan Gaitán, Director, Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo (Mexico City); Gabriele Horn, Director, Berlin Biennale; Udo Kittelmann, Director, Nationalgalerie Staatliche Museen zu Berlin; Dr. Matthias Mühling, Director, Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus (Munich); Hans-Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director, Serpentine Gallery (London); Shwetal A. Patel, Kochi-Muziris Biennale (India); Beatrix Ruf, Director, Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam); Bisi Silva, Director, The Centre for Contemporary Art (Lagos); Philip Tinari, Director, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (Beijing) and Adam D. Weinberg, Director, Whitney Museum of American Art (New York).

Joint statement of the international jury on Cao Fei’s BMW Art Car project: “Cao Fei plays with many different dimensions in her artistic practice. In the international art world, she is well known for exploring virtual realities and digital platforms in her works, while eventually bringing her narrative back into the analogue world. We are not surprised that she picked a scenario that is on the one hand imaginary, even fictitious, but then on the other hand very concrete and physical.“

Quotes on the occasion of the World Premiere of BMW Art Car #18
The 18th BMW Art Car was revealed in the presence of Olaf Kastner (President and CEO of BMW Group, China Region), Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director), Augusto Farfus (BMW works driver) and Fan Di’an (President of China Central Academy of Fine Arts).

Olaf Kastner, President and CEO of BMW Group, Region China: “We are proud to present the first BMW Art Car designed by a Chinese artist, Cao Fei, who is also by far the youngest. She is a solid example of BMW Group’s commitment to promote the new emerging generation of Chinese artists. We are not only active in shaping the future of mobility, but also in developing strong social connections with China through cultural engagement initiatives, dating back as early as 11 years ago. China is undergoing huge and rapid developments, especially in the digital landscape. The 18th BMW Art Car pays tribute to the flourishing changes in the Chinese society.”

Jens Marquardt, BMW Motorsport Director: “The 18th BMW Art Car is perfectly suited to this era. Cao Fei took the logical step of creating the first ever digital Art Car. The augmented reality experience makes this BMW M6 GT3 unique. For everyone involved at BMW Motorsport it was both exciting and fascinating to work with Cao Fei and her team on this project. This makes 2017 a very special year in the history of BMW Art Cars. First, the BMW M6 GTLM Art Car of John Baldessari took to the track in Daytona, at the end of the season comes Art Car #18 by Cao Fei in Macau. This makes the tradition of BMW Art Cars livelier than ever.”

Augusto Farfus, BMW works driver: “It’s a huge honour for me to race Cao Fei’s BMW Art Car, the 18th member of the BMW Art Car Collection. I’m extremely proud that I get the chance to drive my second Art Car this year. This is absolutely unique for a racing driver. I’m really looking forward to diving deeper into this project and learning more about the artist’s ideas and her philosophy behind it.”

Fan Di’an, President of China Central Academy of Fine Arts: “Cao Fei’s achievement in creating the 18th BMW Art Car through augmented reality as a multimedia installation resonates with the rapid development and huge transformation of China over the past decades, such as globalization, urbanization and digitalization, which drives the flourishing development of contemporary art in China. In the increasingly digitalized world, technology has become an important means for artists to create. I’m delighted to see Chinese artists are at the forefront of digital art.”

The BMW M6 GT3 on the racetrack
The BMW M6 GT3 has been the top model in the BMW Motorsport customer racing line-up since 2016. The car is powered by a 4.4-litre V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo Technology, generating 585 hp – with the whole car weighing less than 1,300 kilograms. Technical characteristics of the BMW M6 GT3 are also the drive concept, six-speed sequential racing transmission, and high-performance motorsport electronics. In 2016 the GT car got off to a flying start, proving to be a race winner from the word go. Maxime Martin (BEL), Alexander Sims (GBR) and Philipp Eng (AUT) drove the BMW M6 GT3 to victory in the 24-hour race of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). In addition, private BMW teams and drivers collected many more victories and titles over the course of the season with this challenger. The GTLM version of the car is competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Sims, Bill Auberlen (USA), Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Bruno Spengler (CAN) took turns racing John Baldessari’s BMW M6 GTLM Art Car during the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA). Again, it will be up to Farfus to race yet another Art Car, this time designed by Cao Fei, at the FIA GT World Cup in Macau (CHN).


Dimensions:

Length: 4,944 mm
Width: 2,046 mm
Wheelbase: 2,901 mm
Weight: under 1,300 kg (without driver, depending on regulations)

Engine:
Model: Based on the S63 production engine and slightly modified
for the specific requirements of motorsport;
with M TwinPower Turbo Technology
Type: V8
Capacity: 4,395 cc
Performance: up to 585 hp (depending on classification)
Oil supply: Oil system, based on dry sump,
specifically developed by BMW Motorsport
Top speed: approx. 280 km/h



The BMW Art Car Collection
Since 1975, a total of 19 artists from all over the world have created BMW Art Cars on the basis of contemporary BMW automobiles. The collection was inaugurated when French racecar driver and art aficionado Hervé Poulain in collaboration with the then current BMW Motorsport Director Jochen Neerpasch asked his artist friend Alexander Calder to design a car. The result was a BMW 3.0 CSL, which in 1975 was raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and became an instant favorite with the public: the BMW Art Car Collection was born. The home of the BMW Art Cars is the BMW Museum in Munich. In addition, they travel internationally for display in exhibitions and museums.

In November 2015, BMW Group announced two artists to create the next BMW Art Cars at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. In addition to multimedia artist Cao Fei, American icon John Baldessari designed a BMW M6 GTLM, both joining the ranks of: Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Ernst Fuchs, Robert Rauschenberg, M. J. Nelson, Ken Done, Matazo Kayama, César Manrique, A. R. Penck, Esher Mahlangu, Sandro Chia, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Olafur Elíasson and Jeff Koons. After its world premiere on November 30, 2016, during Art Basel in Miami Beach, the BMW Art Car by John Baldessari competed at the legendary 24 Hours of Daytona from January 28 to 29, 2017.

Over the summer, her multimedia installation will be displayed at the BMW Experience Shanghai, a brand and driving experience center, before her BMW M6 GT3 needs to prove itself on the racetrack of the FIA FT World Cup in Macau on November 17-19, 2017. A virtual experience of her BMW Art Car will also be on display at the UBS Forum during Art Basel in Basel in June 2017.

There is an App, for you to experience the car yourself... but it only appears to work for Apple. http://apple.co/2sdjBjI ... so **** 'em.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Maybe by using augmented reality they can help the M6 GT3 win more than one race....

 

[Matski]

Maybe by using augmented reality they can help the M6 GT3 win more than one race....

Ouch....





... it has though ....



.... but I take your point

 

[chonkoa]

Too much crack have a way of bending reality- sorry augmenting reality.