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BMW X7 canceled

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Old 10-07-08, 04:43 PM
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timeToy
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Originally Posted by KINGLEX
(..)I hate SUV's and would never own one. Anybody that thinks the X6 is an SUV just doesn't get it, and I say this not from marketing, but actually owning one.(...)
I don't get it, can you please explain what it is ?
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Old 10-07-08, 05:34 PM
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Originally Posted by timeToy
I don't get it, can you please explain what it is ?
It drives and handles like a car but looks and falls into the SUV category
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Old 10-08-08, 12:23 AM
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Originally Posted by EDGE2
I see enough Mercedes GL on the road, we don't need more of these just because I have money I can drive excess, what happen to the days of owning cool, unique cars

Does anyone know what the Mercedes GL sales are, maybe BMW is seeing the numbers and does not like what they see.
They are on track to sell over 20,000 GLs this year. You might want to check it out - it is a very cool car or suv, or whatever. Ride is incredible and all of the reviews have been pretty darn good too.

NOT saying BMW should have tried to compete with it in this market - I think they are making the smart move and focusing on smaller cars.
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Old 10-08-08, 06:13 AM
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Originally Posted by doug_999
NOT saying BMW should have tried to compete with it in this market - I think they are making the smart move and focusing on smaller cars.
OK, I'll play devil's advocate and say that they SHOULD have proceeded with the X7. BMW is supposed to be a luxury car brand. That means not offering the cheapest possible products that people will buy, but offering things that are special that NOT everyone will buy. They've already got the entry-luxury market pretty well swamped, and now they're moving even more downmarket. Meanwhile Audi and Lexus are offering more vehicles at the top of the lineup that most cannot afford but that bring prestige to the brand.

BMW may do great on short-term profits, but at the expense of long-term growth as a luxury brand. Then again, if their whole strategy is to actually go mass-market with limited focus on the high end, what we're seeing here makes a lot of sense.
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Old 10-08-08, 06:26 AM
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Originally Posted by Iceman
OK, I'll play devil's advocate and say that they SHOULD have proceeded with the X7. BMW is supposed to be a luxury car brand. That means not offering the cheapest possible products that people will buy, but offering things that are special that NOT everyone will buy. They've already got the entry-luxury market pretty well swamped, and now they're moving even more downmarket. Meanwhile Audi and Lexus are offering more vehicles at the top of the lineup that most cannot afford but that bring prestige to the brand.

BMW may do great on short-term profits, but at the expense of long-term growth as a luxury brand. Then again, if their whole strategy is to actually go mass-market with limited focus on the high end, what we're seeing here makes a lot of sense.
Well it's true they don't have a normal economy brand like Lexus does with Toyota but if they plan to do that they should have created a brand with the Rover nameplate or something.
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Old 10-08-08, 06:36 AM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Iceman
OK, I'll play devil's advocate and say that they SHOULD have proceeded with the X7. BMW is supposed to be a luxury car brand. That means not offering the cheapest possible products that people will buy, but offering things that are special that NOT everyone will buy. They've already got the entry-luxury market pretty well swamped, and now they're moving even more downmarket. Meanwhile Audi and Lexus are offering more vehicles at the top of the lineup that most cannot afford but that bring prestige to the brand.

BMW may do great on short-term profits, but at the expense of long-term growth as a luxury brand. Then again, if their whole strategy is to actually go mass-market with limited focus on the high end, what we're seeing here makes a lot of sense.
There is a guy on this board - Ron is his name and he has a 2001 or so GS430. He can probably afford any car BMW or Lexus makes including the gas they eat. He has chosen to keep his GS for now because BMW does not offer something in the 7-series size that gets decent mileage (the 3L diesel turbo would probably get him, alas they don't have it here). Alas, even with that engine, the X7 would not get decent mileage - just too big.

My point here is that today's luxury buyer wants all the goodies PLUS mileage/efficiency and I don't think you can get that for them in an X7 - but even if you could, you would be splitting the market up between MB, BMW, and Lexus (LX) and that's a pretty small market to begin with.
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Old 10-08-08, 07:12 AM
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Originally Posted by doug_999
They are on track to sell over 20,000 GLs this year. You might want to check it out - it is a very cool car or suv, or whatever. Ride is incredible and all of the reviews have been pretty darn good too.
Agreed, the GL is a fantastic SUV. Much better than the ML IMO. The dimensions aren't as awkward and everything is just plush. I'm a fan of it
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Old 10-08-08, 12:54 PM
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Originally Posted by doug_999
They are on track to sell over 20,000 GLs this year. You might want to check it out - it is a very cool car or suv, or whatever. Ride is incredible and all of the reviews have been pretty darn good too.

NOT saying BMW should have tried to compete with it in this market - I think they are making the smart move and focusing on smaller cars.
The GL looks to be selling well, but it falls into the same segment as Tahoe/Expeditions, dented bumpers, scratched fenders, I see the vehicles and the types of people driving them and I avoid them
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Old 10-08-08, 03:45 PM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by doug_999
There is a guy on this board - Ron is his name and he has a 2001 or so GS430. He can probably afford any car BMW or Lexus makes including the gas they eat. He has chosen to keep his GS for now because BMW does not offer something in the 7-series size that gets decent mileage (the 3L diesel turbo would probably get him, alas they don't have it here). Alas, even with that engine, the X7 would not get decent mileage - just too big.

My point here is that today's luxury buyer wants all the goodies PLUS mileage/efficiency and I don't think you can get that for them in an X7 - but even if you could, you would be splitting the market up between MB, BMW, and Lexus (LX) and that's a pretty small market to begin with.
Good points Doug, the luxury buyers interests may be changing, with efficiency becoming higher valued when its time to shop.
 
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