Just snapped a quick pic on Sunday. I am really loving my RR Ghost. It has all the features I loved in my '10 and '12 7 Series...just in a more cushioned, posh package
The only thing that I miss, I mean truly miss is the Regenerative braking. I confirmed with the Rolls Royce dealer, BMW and Rolls Royce that my '12 Ghost does have Regenerative braking, but for some reason it still brakes dusts like mad. They blame the weight and size of the car, and that the system cannot prevent brake dust, like the 7 Series does. I have to clean at least every other day, for the wheels to look polished and shiny. A high quality problem for sure
There's another consideration that hasn't been mentioned. How many MORE 5 series cars do they sell because it looks like a 7 series? Meaning, do I want a Benz E class that doesn't look as luxurious inside and out as an S-Class, or do I want a 5 series, that is very similar to the 7 series? Sure it canabalises some 7 series sales, but you more than make it up in extra 5 series sales. It's likely not the main driver (probably costs were), but it may be a side benefit. But BMW definitely wanted the 5/7, and to some extent the 3 series, to look similar other than in size.
Post Bangle-era, the car companies that matter (to me) have reverted to the little-midsize-large sausage business model, that they followed earlier in the '90s. This way, everyone gets the sausage size he likes, and no one feels special because they go the supersized sausage.
Overall, a brand will sell a lot more total units if all the models shares key features. The top end buyers may get a little miffed, but they do not really account for much of the volume, and hence do not mater that much. the 5 and 3 are the bread and butter of BMW. The 7 is a speciality vehicle as shown by its small sales numbers.
However, having owned all the size of sausages, I think I will revert to the mid size next time around.
Given the fiasco with Run Flats and no dipstick, it will probably be one of the remaining two brands.
I'd disagree with that. Given the Pareto principle applies BMW would get 80% of its earnings from 20% of its vehicles. Sure 1 and 3 sell like bread&butter but imho 10 or 20 1 sales would equal to the earning of one top of the line 7. You have the same electronics, cables etc. Just some leather and aluminum wouldn't explain the huge price differences between 5 and 7 imho.
That's correct. My info is a few years old, but at that time 3s and 5s made a lot of money. 7s about 1-2% profit (minimal). 1s lost money. Overall margin was about 6%? Considered very high. Porsche was at about 10%. So if each 7 contributes say $1,200 in profit (margins are ex factory, excluding taxes), and they sell 50,000 7s a year, then that's a profit of around $60M per year. BMW makes about $2 Billion per year overall.
BMW could likely easily live without the 7 series from a profitability stand point. It wouldn't take much of a sales decline to erode the small margins they have. However, from an image/marketing factor, not having a large luxury car would negatively impact the brand, and thus sales of the other highly profitable cars. People would ask if Benz, Audi and Lexus have limousines, why is it that BMW doesn't? What's wrong with them?
On the side note, I see about 5-10 S550 everyday, but rarely encounter another F01/02 on the road. One reason I chose to buy my 7.
Funny thing is I was stopping by McDonald for an iced coffee, and there were 2 other white F01 750Li in the parking lot, same color, same color of interior just different wheels. I was like WTH?!?!
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