BMW Sales strong but E89 -16%

[original guvnor]

BMW maintained their big lead over Audi and Mercedes in the annual sales battle but the Z4 was -16% LFL with just 12,866 sold worldwide.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/indus ... cedes-benz

[Angie4m]

On the plus side that means there isn't that many, but most being sold will be the 18, 20 & 28 which makes you wonder what the figures would have been if they'd kept them all 6 cylinders. X6 was also down 16%

[flybobbie]

On the bad side they might give up on sports cars.

On the good side if the E89 is the last, they might hold their value, so long as they don't all start having roof failures!

Sales will be low, its an expensive two seat toy, and there are cheaper, dare i say more fun alternatives.

[inkey$]

12,866 sold worldwide surprises me. I know it's a recession-available car much as the X6 is, but that does seem awfully low. I always wondered if they would get into the smaller 2+2 market to help justify such a purchase. BMW seem to like their crossover vehicles at the moment (2 series/X4).

[original guvnor]

They tried something different with the E89 (slightly different segment and price-point) but they've not made it work. A combination of launching it just as the recession started plus it not being particularly good relative to the competition, plus it alienating a lot of previous Z4 owners who wanted something a bit more "sporty".

The X6 was a run out year - the new model is due imminently. For the Zed to be -16% in a recovering economy in the year it received it's mid-life refresh tells you all you need to know.

[Finisterre]

it looks great. The SLK isn't as pretty.


What is the problem with it?

[StevenH72]

From a selfish point of view I'm very unlikely to ever want an E89 or any future 2 seater that BMW are likely to make (due to green credentials etc). If they were to stop 2 seater production altogether, it would be fantastic news for our residuals.

[PerryGunn]

From a selfish point of view I'm very unlikely to ever want an E89 or any future 2 seater that BMW are likely to make (due to green credentials etc).

What about an i8?

[StevenH72]

From a selfish point of view I'm very unlikely to ever want an E89 or any future 2 seater that BMW are likely to make (due to green credentials etc).

What about an i8?

Ah OK, so I've instantly been proven wrong....I'd love an i8

[original guvnor]

What's wrong with it?

I just think BMW misjudged their customer with it. They went off at a tangent compared to the previous Z4 and alienated a lot of owners and didn't backfill the sales with enough people who wanted a hardtop cruiser rather than a soft top sports car.

Plus let's face it the Boxster is better on every level apart from running costs.

[zztop]

I don't agree the boxster is better on every level. I could have bought a boxster but didn't, the hardtop roof for me made it more like a normal car and therefore able to park on the street, plus the boxster is another level of flash I didn't want to go to.

I don't understand why everyone says the Z4 isn't sporty enough, it certainly doesn't feel like a damp squib!

[lux]

I don't agree the boxster is better on every level. I could have bought a boxster but didn't, the hardtop roof for me made it more like a normal car and therefore able to park on the street, plus the boxster is another level of flash I didn't want to go to.

I don't understand why everyone says the Z4 isn't sporty enough, it certainly doesn't feel like a damp squib!

I agree with most things you say except I couldn't have got a 'nearly new' Boxster for what I paid for my zed, and I didn't want to be driving round in an older car with no warranty that someone else has possible mistreated before I bought it......however the 'M' boys will beg to differ coz that's what they do when it comes to the E89!!

[original guvnor]

My mate has a 981 Boxster S. I've driven it several times and I've driven a 35i, (manual and DCT) at length. There is no comparison between the two. Much as it pains me to say it, the Porsche is better built, has a nicer interior, sounds better, goes as hard (probably harder with PDK), looks equally as nice now (that was always it's weakest point previously in my view) and most importantly is a much more accomplished car in terms of steering, handling, braking. Good as it is though the Porsche is a bit too sanitised for my liking (almost too perfect at everything) and that's where BMW have missed the opportunity.

Sales don't lie. Porsche is selling more Boxster/Caymans than BMW is Z4's even though the average selling price of the Z4 will be considerably lower and the running costs cheaper. BMW is also selling a lot less E89's than E85's. If you don't want to listen to me, listen to the market.

There's nothing inherently wrong with an E89 but it is the wrong car for the segment BMW put it in and is just isn't as good as it's main competitor. They misjudged the market, followed the SLK when they would've been better making a lighter, faster, rawer sports car. The ZM's weren't as accomplished as the Boxster either but they offered something the Porsche didn't - they had a real hardcore/no finesse/scruff-of-the-neck feel to them which appealed to people who wanted to feel like it was down to them to get the most out of the car rather than the car doing it all for them.

[TitanTim]

it looks great. The SLK isn't as pretty.


What is the problem with it?

I agree, for new car money, nothing touches it for road presence alone and IMHO the best looking BMW for years.

I can see why people go onto a Porsche thinking their a better car but I refrain from having the wool pulled over my eyes I would still plump for a 35is everytime.

Tim.

[tomscott]

Half the problem with the E89 is that it was made for the american market and it has done well there but a hardtop convert that is a cruiser doesn't fit the bill here. Lovely car and refined but there are much better options available for the niche market for a similar price, the SLK and TT had this area covered which was a hard market to contend in. Wasn't a full spec 3.5I as much as if not slightly more than the previous gen Cayman? Probably wrong on that point.

The Cayman and boxster run rings round the E89 in every respect apart from comfort, but a sportscar is supposed to feel sporty and thats where previous Z4 owners didn't upgrade so readily and the fact BMW didn't have faith in the car that they didn't make an M car out of it. Which probably would have saved the car add more desirability.

I like the E89 but its certainly not the car for me and I think a lot of E85/6 owners feel the same.