New BMW sub-brand: BMW i

[coolraoul]

I still don't get the need for a sub-brand.
Does that mean no BMW, no Mini, no Rolls will ever get electric?
I know that's not the case.

So, what's that BMW i, if it's not about the electric powertrain?
What's BMW i, if as I suspect, carbon-fibre will spread-out throughout the whole BMW models with time?

What's BMW i, BMW for dreamers? People who dream innovation, supercars and so on? Isn't that supposed to be BMW's job, to make you dream?

You tell about the cars I dreamt about.
It was not an SUV, it was a supercar. Something BMW does not offer. BMW has no dreamcars whatsoever currently. And now that they create one, it's under a sub-brand?

M is washing-out its image with turbocharging, automatic transmissions and SUVs.
Now the promising VED, BMW's much needed halo-car, will be reserved to a sub-brand.

???

Why getting the innovative and green image out of the core brand?

Why creating a sub-brand whose portfolio goes from a city-car to a supercar, is BMW unworthy of it?

Is BMW a brand without dreams, to the extent that a sub-brand had to be created to dream again?

I'm sorry, I don't get the logic.

That's creating a buzz, but hurting the core brand in the long-term.

If I get the things well, BMW will have the standard and "nothing to dream about" cars, M the big engined ones, and i the innovative and fresh including halo-cars.

Interesting...
Well, like a lot of stuff from BMW recently, "much ado about nothing". Buzz, buzz, buzz...

 

[SKY]

I still don't get the need for a sub-brand.
Does that mean no BMW, no Mini, no Rolls will ever get electric?
I know that's not the case.

So, what's that BMW i, if it's not about the electric powertrain?
What's BMW i, if as I suspect, carbon-fibre will spread-out throughout the whole BMW models with time?

What's BMW i, BMW for dreamers? People who dream innovation, supercars and so on? Isn't that supposed to be BMW's job, to make you dream?

You tell about the cars I dreamt about.
It was not an SUV, it was a supercar. Something BMW does not offer. BMW has no dreamcars whatsoever currently. And now that they create one, it's under a sub-brand?

M is washing-out its image with turbocharging, automatic transmissions and SUVs.
Now the promising VED, BMW's much needed halo-car, will be reserved to a sub-brand.

???

Why getting the innovative and green image out of the core brand?

Why creating a sub-brand whose portfolio goes from a city-car to a supercar, is BMW unworthy of it?

Is BMW a brand without dreams, to the extent that a sub-brand had to be created to dream again?

I'm sorry, I don't get the logic.

That's creating a buzz, but hurting the core brand in the long-term.

If I get the things well, BMW will have the standard and "nothing to dream about" cars, M the big engined ones, and i the innovative and fresh including halo-cars.

Interesting...
Well, like a lot of stuff from BMW recently, "much ado about nothing". Buzz, buzz, buzz...

BMW is a brand everyone knows, BMWi is not. Do you really think there is a better way to promote a new brand than with a halo-car?.

 

[Sunny]

OK.

BMW M = performance.
BMW i = innovation.

And BMW is what? for morons who want slow and dirty cars?

I really don't think it's a good idea to separate all what is interesting about BMW in two sub-brands, leaving nothing for the core brand itself.

Really?

M is been around for decades, does that mean normal BMWs are "for morons who want slow and dirty cars?"

M cars put more emphasis on performance than normal ones those who want that extra performance pay more for it. Same way, I guess the 'i' cars will put more emphasis on efficiency. And those who want that extra efficiency will pay for it. Doesn't mean normal cars are going to be for 'morons'.

 

[Dave1984]

I saw the BMW i launch yesterday. I think the point of BMW i is it's "born electric". BMW i cars have special and specific body and chassis architecture, designed from scratch with electric drive in mind. While classic BMW cars are based on regular classic architecture, and electrified. Therefore a special series (a new BMW sub-brand, not a new BMW Group brand) under BMW brand, with some unique design elements (blue kidney grille frame, additional blue circle around BMW roundel, airflow element in the C-pillar etc). BMW brand also guarantees driving pleasure. BMW i cars seem way ahead of their time. If launched under core BMW brand as a regular new model of an existing series (Z9 instead of i8, or 1-series City instead of i3) it would really make other core BMW models significantly outdated. With separate series and sub-brand it's clear the i cars are even more innovative, more advanced, special, technological state-of-art. I see the BMW i brand as an upper, not a lower BMW brand. In performance: BMW M > regular BMW. In innovation & state-of-art advanced sustainable tech: BMW i > regular BMW. I see BMW i as a new BMW series for production versions of futuristic prototypes.

 

[Deleted member 25]

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[SCOTT27]

The MINI Rocketman will be revealed about midnight.

It is also a preview of our new Three cylinder engine which in the MINI will deliver 80 Miles Per Gallon of fuel. Combined with lightweight materials and construction.

It is very innovative and I am hoping that the design for the car is successfully appreciated by the public that the BMW Board can commit the car to series production.

In regards to BMWi what you have seen is the very beginning with the i3 and i8. What is moving quicker now is a BMWi City car in the mold of the Isetta which could reinterpret the car to the standards of BMWi design philosophy. You could say that the MINI Rocketman is a precursor to see what is possible?

 

[coolraoul]

Really?

M is been around for decades, does that mean normal BMWs are "for morons who want slow and dirty cars?"

M cars put more emphasis on performance than normal ones those who want that extra performance pay more for it. Same way, I guess the 'i' cars will put more emphasis on efficiency. And those who want that extra efficiency will pay for it. Doesn't mean normal cars are going to be for 'morons'.

Well, to me... performance and innovation are among core-values of BMW.
So why taking the direction of reserving them to sub-brands?

While I understand that extra-powerful M-cars have their own dedicated "branding", I think innovation should not be dissociated from BMW's core brand.
And I don't think a halo-car should come as a non-core BMW.

While the M "sub-brand" is logical, I cannot understand the logics behind BMW i.
Is it to make BMW look bad or un-innovative, while Mercedes and Audi diffuse innovation throughtout their own brand to make it shine even more?

It's like Mercedes deciding to label every new green car as "smart", letting Mercedes look ancient and polluting....

 

[dalab]

The MINI Rocketman will be revealed about midnight.

It is also a preview of our new Three cylinder engine which in the MINI will deliver 80 Miles Per Gallon of fuel. Combined with lightweight materials and construction.

It is very innovative and I am hoping that the design for the car is successfully appreciated by the public that the BMW Board can commit the car to series production.

In regards to BMWi what you have seen is the very beginning with the i3 and i8. What is moving quicker now is a BMWi City car in the mold of the Isetta which could reinterpret the car to the standards of BMWi design philosophy. You could say that the MINI Rocketman is a precursor to see what is possible?

So, will be a reinterpretation of isseta in the SUB-BRAND,
something like BMW i1 ? this is great.

About Mini concept reveal, Midnight ? schedule which country?

 

[EnI]

i couldn't wait (anymore)

This i will be a bigger revolution for BMW than all the others i-s were in the BMW's past ... iDrive included.

Remember "The dawn of a new era" ? ... Now it all makes sense.

 

[klier]

Good to see you again Eni

 

[Sunny]

Well, to me... performance and innovation are among core-values of BMW.
So why taking the direction of reserving them to sub-brands?

While I understand that extra-powerful M-cars have their own dedicated "branding", I think innovation should not be dissociated from BMW's core brand.
And I don't think a halo-car should come as a non-core BMW.

While the M "sub-brand" is logical, I cannot understand the logics behind BMW i.
Is it to make BMW look bad or un-innovative, while Mercedes and Audi diffuse innovation throughtout their own brand to make it shine even more?

It's like Mercedes deciding to label every new green car as "smart", letting Mercedes look ancient and polluting....

Seriously? is this really this hard? Do you really think all the BMWs are gonna run on cycle thin tires and have blue glowing grills and electric motors? They obviously can't do all this with the main stream cars, at least not in the short term, so doing it in a sub brand that emphasizes efficiency over everything else.

 

[SKY]

i couldn't wait (anymore)

This i will be a bigger revolution for BMW than all the others i-s were in the BMW's past ... iDrive included.

Remember "The dawn of a new era" ? ... Now it all makes sense.

Dammm, weclcome back mate!!

It seems it´s been a long while since you were an active member. Hope you reincorporate the forum definetly.

 

[tatoun]

Nice to hear you are back Tine!
Very good news!!

 

[Verde]

Congratulations BMW!!!
That is very good news!!!

I am looking forward to see in production the new "i" cars!!!

Although I do not know the strategic plans of BMW and what exactly the TOP management is thinking, as a customer I would prefer "i" to be just another BMW series like M,Z,X etc and not a new sub-brand... but in any case the i cars are more than welcome nowadays not only for environmental issues but for economic as well (gas price etc)

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

Two great news. BMW i and more important the return of EnI

 

[dalab]

Who is Eni??

 

[klier]

He is the lost prophet

 

[Giannis]

Let's keep it on topic, please!

 

[Osnabrueck]

This feels like a great move... By positioning these vehicles as a whole new transportation paradigm for BMW they eliminate the barrier of suffering direct apples-to-apples value comparisons with their main line.

This creates the breathing room for these vehicles to be judged on their own merits as 'premium sustainable' vehicles, instead of being lambasted as overpriced, underperforming BMWs - as the enthusiast public at large undoubtably will.

BMW is really walking the walk here - it takes brass balls to commit this kind of investment in an unproven segment. They're ahead of the curve and I'll be keenly interested in what these cars have to offer in 2013.

 

[klier]

.... and I'll be keenly interested in what these cars have to offer in 2013.

What is the weight target for the i3, for example? 1000 kg? Better not be a whole lot more!!