BMW City car on the way ... Isetta revival very possible

[Gene]

Re: BMW City car (the "0er" ???) on the way

BMW exclusivety is going to the dogs.

Apparantly Audi and Mercedes exclusivity have also gone to the dogs with the A1 and A-class respectively.

 

[Poverty]

Re: BMW City car (the "0er" ???) on the way

Apparantly Audi and Mercedes exclusivity have also gone to the dogs with the A1 and A-class respectively.

I agree!

 

[bmer]

Re: BMW City car (the "0er" ???) on the way

I don't see the need for a smaller BMW than the 1-series. Besides, 0-series sounds absolutely ridiculous...

 

[EnI]

Re: BMW City car (the "0er" ???) on the way

I don't see the need for a smaller BMW than the 1-series. Besides, 0-series sounds absolutely ridiculous...

I doubt it will badged as BMW Zero. In worst case as BMW Isetta - but I doubt that.

More possible it will be badged as MINI, or just as Isetta - or perhaps even as some completely new brand.

But ...

In case the car will be an electric urban micro-car (ala smart) it makes sense to badge it as BMW Zero or Z0 (as zero emissions).

 

[EnI]

Re: BMW City car (the "0er" ???) on the way

Seriously ...

It is very possible the 4th brand BMW are about to launch is set to offer (near) zero emission vehicles, and new introduced new concepts of mobility.

The new brand will spearhead BMW's attempt to boost growth following criticism that it is too focused on luxury gas-guzzlers. A spokesman said: "We are looking at what a new brand would involve; we are looking at quite different forms of transportation."

So we can speculate this 4th brand could offer super-hybrid, electric or H2 fuel-cell driven urban vehicles.

And this "City car" by BMW Group could be this 4th brand. Whatever it will be named.

 

[KokkenTor]

Re: BMW City car (the "0er" ???) on the way

BMW "city" according to Autozeitung:

 

[EnI]

Re: BMW City car (the "0er" ???) on the way

According to the BMW officials eco-vehicles (a whole family of vehicles will be offered) will be marketed under a separated brand - the new 4th brand in the BMW Group portfolio.

I guess BMW are indeed heading towards Smart-like micro cars, car-bike crossovers etc.



Powered by fuel-cells, electricity, hybrid drives etc.



PS: the AZ chop of BMW micro-car looks very Renault-like. Bad chop!

 

[SCOTT27]

Re: BMW City car (the "0er" ???) on the way

That looks like a Renault with a BMW Concept CS ( the new future BMW photoshop base) look.

 

[Giannis]

Re: BMW City car (the "0er" ???) on the way

As far as there isn't the BMW badge on those small eco vehicles i am happy with that. Eco-friendly cars isn't a bad thing. BUT IMO they don't suit the BMW philosophy!

But, hey, bring them on!

 

[EnI]

Re: BMW City car (the "0er" ???) on the way

According to the latest internal info BMW are almost 100% decided to start a new - the 4th - brand, and not buying an existing one.

The 4th brand will offer "new urban mobility solutions" - a family of innovative, simple , green, and extremely energy efficient vehicles.

The debate is still going on whether to revive the iSetta brand BMW still owns, or create a completely new brand from scratch.

The guys in marketing department are leaning towards iSetta revival - this time with low-case "i" & capital "S": iSetta. Positioning the brand as Apple of the automotive world: innovative & very useful products with stylish simple design. Kinda a "smart" by BMW, but much more stylish & green oriented. Not cheap though.

iSetta - with similar logotype as Apple products (low-case "i", followed by capital letter) - is considered be produced in cooperation with partners. There is also an idea to cooperate with Apple: Apple offering special series of iPod, iPhone, iTouch etc designed specially for iSetta, and developing 100% Apple compatible entertainment system.

iSetta is planned to rival "smart" & other upcoming micro-cars - offering stylish design, iconic image (innovative, futuristic, green), green tech, low energy consumption, simple approach, ... Targeting young people, urban population, style-conscious people ... a premium funky green car. A personal urban mover?

 

[S'Pimp]

Re: BMW City car (the "0er" ???) on the way

iSetta like Polesetta?

 

[jack]

Re: BMW City car (the "0er" ???) on the way

i somehow don't see the reason why they can't just take the MINI brand to realise the new city car - scott once wrote something about a new Mini "brand" named Minissimo, what happened to that idea
but still, reviving isetta(or iSetta) would be an exiting idea, but do they really need to "steal" the i designation of apple. this isn't exactly what i understand about creativity

 

[EnI]

Re: BMW City car (the "0er" ???) on the way

but still, reviving isetta(or iSetta) would be an exiting idea, but do they really need to "steal" the i designation of apple. this isn't exactly what i understand about creativity

iDrive, anyone.


Mind that iSetta is still an idea only - not a fact! Not really creative indeed, but with a incredible potential for success.
Perhaps it will end as "isetta" or "Isetta" or "ISETTA" or even "ISetta" in the end. Who knows.



iSetta ... as a rival to jet-setter.

iSetta ... I setting the trends, the future, the style, the technology, the values, the route.

iSetta ... a personal urban mover. The "I" setting car.
"I" as I, "I" as innovation, "I" as idea, "I" as intelligence, "I" as ideals.

 

[jack]

Re: BMW City car on the way

damn, i forgot about iDrive - how could i dare
and idrive was even introduced before the ipod hype...

i'm really looking forward to the developments in this 4th brand sector
i just hope that the outcome won't influence my mini ownership

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Re: BMW City car on the way

Regarding this discussion about the "iSetta" naming idea.. there's just one issue. Considering the young, trendy and eco-focused target market of such a car and overall brand, those within this segment would not even remember or know about the BMW Isetta... so it's not like there's any heritage-value in the minds of the target market if the iSetta name were chosen.

Unless ofcourse the marketing around the iSetta purposely attempts to create a linking between the innovative and compact image of the original BMW Isetta with that of this new-age iSetta... because it would be quite easy to make the original Isetta a cult-car due to its quirky indviduality and uniqueness. Maybe emphasise the changes in the world, changes in society, changes in technology and design (by contrasting the original Isetta with the new iSetta - and highlighting this by the minor name change).. and then contrasting this entire message with a ending message of 'there's something which don't change'.. that being the need for compact, trendy,and efficient cars.

I dunno... as Eni said.. iSetta does have immense potential as a stand-alone brand if marketed well.. and if there's one thing BMW are great at it's marketing!

 

[Foxfire]

Re: BMW City car on the way

damn, i forgot about iDrive - how could i dare
and idrive was even introduced before the ipod hype...

You do realize that Apple introduced that naming convention before the iPod? First came the iMac in 1998, followed by iTunes and subsequently iPod in 2001.
AFAIK, BMW introduced iDrive in 2002.

 

[EnI]

Re: BMW City car on the way

You do realize that Apple introduced that naming convention before the iPod? First came the iMac in 1998, followed by first by iTunes and subsequently iPod in 2001.
AFAIK, BMW introduced iDrive in 2002.

The iDrive was initially introduced to the general public in September 1999: in the Z9 Gran Turismo Concept. Although the trademark was still in the registration process back then. The idea for iDrive name was born sometimes in 1996 (although the development of the system /still under internal code/ had been in progress already for years).
Market introduction of iDrive was in September 2001 - in the E65 7-series.

 

[Foxfire]

Re: BMW City car on the way

Thanks for the info, EnI... I didn't quite follow cars as much in the previous decade, so I wasn't aware iDrive debuted in a concept before the 7er. Although, my point that Apple introduced "iBranding" before BMW to the general public remains, even when you take into account the Z9 concept. Apple had the iMac name registered when it debuted in 1998 and it is reasonable to assume that it too, had discussed the name for some time before applying for the trademark.

 

[EnI]

Re: BMW City car on the way

Although, my point that Apple introduced "iBranding" before BMW to the general public remains, even when you take into account the Z9 concept. Apple had the iMac name registered when it debuted in 1998 and it is reasonable to assume that it too, had discussed the name for some time before applying for the trademark.

True, but the "iBrand" was not THE brand back then as it is today ... thanks to iPod / iTunes. iMac had no such impact.

My point is Apple & BMW came to the similar solution (iBrand) independently, and not copying each other.

 

[klier]

Re: BMW City car on the way

The iDrive was initially introduced to the general public in September 1999: in the Z9 Gran Turismo Concept. Although the trademark was still in the registration process back then. The idea for iDrive name was born sometimes in 1996 (although the development of the system /still under internal code/ had been in progress already for years).
Market introduction of iDrive was in September 2001 - in the E65 7-series.

That's not true ( )

I have an issue of Auto Motor und Sport with iDrive inside the E53 X5 as a test for journalists and such, even before the Z9 was born. So basicly the idea is pretty old from BMW's site too, and was made up LONG before the iPod hype started.