BMW BLOG

With all these recent mergers talks – Fiat with Chrysler and Opel, VW/Porsche and Saab with everyone else –   one cannot wonder if some of the oldest and traditional luxury carmakers will join this bandwagon. New York Times reached out to Friedrich Eichiner, BMW’s chief financial officer for an extensive interview.

Herr Eichiner told NYT that BMW values their independence even through this painful economic climate. While Eichiner lists mostly the advantages of staying independent as a company e.g customers willing to still pay money for distinctive cars, New York Times articles goes deeper into this matter and digs out some concerns or, as we would call it: disadvantages.

By merging with another company, BMW or any other automaker, would have the opportunity to share technology, parts, even research and development with the clear and precise scope of reducing costs and increasing profit margins on their vehicles. As a counterpoint, Herr Eichiner lists the General Motors as being a negative example of that approach: “Size does not protect you from anything”.

What we found interesting in the article is the fact that while it will focus more on premium greener vehicles, BMW will continue to offer superior performance.

The article ends with a great quote:

“I have a lot of sympathy for the idea that a car has good performance and is cleaner,” said Arndt Ellinghorst, head of automotive research at Credit Suisse. “But they have yet to price it so that the customers actually value it.”
For the complete NYT article, follow this link