[Matthew330Ci]

when bmw started making the 525i a couple years back, i notice that 85% of 5 series are the 525i, so naturally a 518i, if it was to be made, would make up 85% of 5 series sales and a 718i/Li would be the best selling 7er... because all they care about is the badge not that it would take 20 seconds to get to 60mph.

:thumbup:

 

[Kaz]

when bmw started making the 525i a couple years back, i notice that 85% of 5 series are the 525i, so naturally a 518i, if it was to be made, would make up 85% of 5 series sales and a 718i/Li would be the best selling 7er... because all they care about is the badge not that it would take 20 seconds to get to 60mph.

:thumbup:

518i sold immensely well in Europe back when they existed. I believe globally the 520i has been the best selling 5er through the E39's life.

The same applies to every 318.

 

[Mathew]

because all they care about is the badge

You're just realizing this now?

BMW has been catering to the badge buyers over the enthusiast for years.

 

[Matthew330Ci]

You're just realizing this now?

BMW has been catering to the badge buyers over the enthusiast for years.

no, i have mentioned this numerous times, i'm just pointing it out again.

hold on, that reminds me, i have to download this pic of a "M7" i took a few days ago on my phone..

 

[andy_thomas]

when bmw started making the 525i a couple years back, i notice that 85% of 5 series are the 525i, so naturally a 518i, if it was to be made, would make up 85% of 5 series sales and a 718i/Li would be the best selling 7er...

Strange logic...

because all they care about is the badge not that it would take 20 seconds to get to 60mph.

...Or perhaps some enthusiasts don't have as much spare money as you, but still want to run a car with better dynamics than anything else in its range.

 

[andy_thomas]

518i sold immensely well in Europe back when they existed. I believe globally the 520i has been the best selling 5er through the E39's life.

The same applies to every 318.

Correct - globally the 318i and 320d outsell everything else in the range, even considering the large number of 325s made for the US. Not all people buy the 320d for the badge - they buy it because it depreciates slower than everything else, even in a sea of oversupply, or because it's got an awful lot of shove for a car that also does 50 mpg (or about 40 if you're really caning it).

 

[Matthew330Ci]

Strange logic...

...Or perhaps some enthusiasts don't have as much spare money as you, but still want to run a car with better dynamics than anything else in its range.

i noticed you have a 318i, i'm sorry if my post offended you, but since you actually care about how the car drives, this post does not refer to you. i'm referring to all the 525i step, no sp drivers i see around here who couldn't even tell you what the letters rwd mean much less know which wheels are being powered in their car.

also, here's the pic of the M7. it's obviously a camera phone.

 

[SchwartzBlack]

when bmw started making the 525i a couple years back, i notice that 85% of 5 series are the 525i, so naturally a 518i, if it was to be made, would make up 85% of 5 series sales and a 718i/Li would be the best selling 7er... because all they care about is the badge not that it would take 20 seconds to get to 60mph.

:thumbup:

In asia the the 318, 520, and 735 are by far the best selling models in each category. I think 4 major factors are:

1. Road/Vehicle tax based on engine displacement (2000cc and above are generally in a more expensive category.
2. Cost of gas. On average about 2x what it costs here. Those 1.8L I4 valvetronics are pretty fuel efficient
3. Low average speeds. Highway speed limits are typically less than 100kmh (60-some mph). And most people commute in bumper to bumper gridlock anyway
4. Cost of the vehicle. In many parts of asia, the cost of a BMW is at least 3x a white collar worker's annual salary. There's no leasing so if you're often taking out a 7yr loan. A 330 is about 2x the price of a 318, so for most people its the only choice.

 

[BMWenthusiast]

it would be the best selling car, but it would be extremely slow, i mean my 318is is really slow, and just thinking if i put my 1.8 liter engine into my mom's 740iL then it'd take forever to accelerate

 

[SARAFIL]

i noticed you have a 318i, i'm sorry if my post offended you, but since you actually care about how the car drives, this post does not refer to you. i'm referring to all the 525i step, no sp drivers i see around here who couldn't even tell you what the letters rwd mean much less know which wheels are being powered in their car.

also, here's the pic of the M7. it's obviously a camera phone.

Wow... even painted in rare ///M Imola Red.

Almost as nice as the super-rare Steel Blue ///M525iA I see from time to time.

 

[andy_thomas]

i'm referring to all the 525i step, no sp drivers i see around here who couldn't even tell you what the letters rwd mean much less know which wheels are being powered in their car.

But the 525i is leagues away from being the slowest/smallest-engined car in the 5er range. It just so happens that BMW NA doesn't import anything else below it.

You could extend this logic to including the "entry-level" model in any market, but the logic doesn't hold - these days the best-selling models (where the range is not severely restricted) are invariably a step or two up from the bottom. UK market best sellers, frinstance:

318i/320d
525d
730d

Each of these variants has one or two models below it in terms of asking price and/or performance.

I think the buyer appreciation - or otherwise - of RWD is blanket, and not limited to the lower end. The 330i is very popular in London; practically every other 3er wears this badge. It's also the biggest-selling 3er with a six-cylinder engine, outselling the 325i and 320i combined. But how many of their owners appreciate the benefits of RWD?

 

[TXE39]

If there was a 730i I would consider it. My mom once had a Merc S320 and it wasn't bad having that size engine in such a large car. It's not like you're going to track a big full size car.

 

[andy_thomas]

If there was a 730i I would consider it. My mom once had a Merc S320 and it wasn't bad having that size engine in such a large car. It's not like you're going to track a big full size car.

I am not sure if the new 3.0 petrol six will be a great match for the 7er's two-tonne weight - especially with peak power at six-six. But a 735d (twin turbo 3L diesel six) would be very useful - the pace of a 745i, and 30 mpg.

 

[bmw325]

I am not sure if the new 3.0 petrol six will be a great match for the 7er's two-tonne weight - especially with peak power at six-six. But a 735d (twin turbo 3L diesel six) would be very useful - the pace of a 745i, and 30 mpg.

How much heavier is the e65 than the e38. They did make a 728i in the e38 body style!

I actually do think these cars would sell well (big body w/ small engine). Even in the US, there are always people that are interested in the comfort/prestiage of the "big model", and who don't care at all about performance (as long as it could do 0-60 in under 11 seconds). Then again, it might be an embarassement to BMW to create such an underpowered model. But, w/ the new generation of sixes and the right rear-end ratio, it could probably be viable even w/ the e65.

 

[TXE39]

I am not sure if the new 3.0 petrol six will be a great match for the 7er's two-tonne weight - especially with peak power at six-six. But a 735d (twin turbo 3L diesel six) would be very useful - the pace of a 745i, and 30 mpg.

Oh Andy I was being realistic

A 735d - if it were coming I'd be # 1 on my dealer's waiting list! :thumbup:

 

[LA525iT]

There is so much more to BMW than engine size and power.

 

[andy_thomas]

How much heavier is the e65 than the e38. They did make a 728i in the e38 body style!

I actually do think these cars would sell well (big body w/ small engine). Even in the US, there are always people that are interested in the comfort/prestiage of the "big model", and who don't care at all about performance (as long as it could do 0-60 in under 11 seconds). Then again, it might be an embarassement to BMW to create such an underpowered model. But, w/ the new generation of sixes and the right rear-end ratio, it could probably be viable even w/ the e65.

It may come as a surprise to some, but not everyone buys big barges to blow 350Zs away at the lights . Money spent does not always correlate one-to-one with accelerative ability - after all, how else does one explain the success of the Land Rover Discovery?

Looking at a benchmark luxury sedan, the S-class, the most popular variant is, by a big margin, the S320 CDI. It has good acceleration, perhaps on a par with a 525iA, but it is not a sports car. I would think the higher kerb weight of the 7er would give BMW's revvy new petrol six a hard time. The facelifted 7er now has the uprated diesel engine, with 228 bhp, 520 Nm torque (about 385 lb-ft) and a wider power band than before. (It is the last bit that for many petrol fanatics means that diesel will stay off the menu.)

 

[Fifty_Cent]

518i sold immensely well in Europe back when they existed. I believe globally the 520i has been the best selling 5er through the E39's life.

The same applies to every 318.

So true. the 518i was a bargain here, but was slow as a mule.
On the other hand, the 318i (soory 320i now)has has over the years the best all round performance/handling chatacteristics, as well as been frugal, so it is the best selling BMW in Europe at all times.

The best selling 5 series in Europe is, was and will be (if there will be a 520i that is) the 520i, offering again similarly with the 318i, the best handling/performance combo. The small sixes helped alot in that too.