It’s not secret that BMW’s 7 Series is lagging behind the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, in terms of sales. In fact, it’s way behind. Despite being all-new, the current G11 7 Series isn’t lighting up the sales charts like BMW had hoped. While it’s causing a bit of frustration with the folks at BMW, the Bavarians still have hope.
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“All in all, we have very happy customers, and we clearly have a target to be a leader in that segment,” said Ludwig Willisch, Head of BMW North America. “But that doesn’t happen overnight.”
That’s true, it doesn’t happen overnight but it doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon. BMW sold 2,103 7 Series’ so far this year, while Mercedes-Benz sold 3,648 S-Classes. So it’s about 1,500 units behind already. And it’s pretty clear that BMW is looking at the S-Class more than any other competitor in the segment. “We take all competitors very serious — also the other competitor that has an S in its nomenclature.” said Willisch.
The main problem for the 7 Series’ lack of sales success, when compared to the S-Class, is its lackluster redesign. The new 7 Series is a great car with fantastic technology and impressive luxury. However, it doesn’t look any more special than the previous model and really just looks like any other big BMW. I’d go as far as to say that the new 5 Series is better looking, inside and out. So it’s hard to make a case for spending six-figures on it when the S-Class is flashier and prettier and so is its less expensive sibling.
Personally, I like the 7 Series last time I drove it but I also didn’t send six-figures for it. Someone who’s looking to put their money down might be disappointed in that the 7er doesn’t feel as special as the S-Class.
BMW can point to its technology, Carbon Core chassis and various other points to try and convince customers that the 7er is worthy of being taken over the S-Class but the fact of the matter is it’s design is too dull. And, as much as that may seem superficial, it matters in this segment. According to Senior Analyst at Kelly Blue Book, Rebecca Lindland, the BMW 7 Series’ new design “wasn’t enough of a game changer”.
There’s still time for BMW to regain the sales crown for 2017 over the S-Class but it’s going to have to work hard, offer better incentives and maybe give the 7 Series a refresh earlier than usual. Mercedes-Benz just updated its S-Class, giving it a new, more modern face and some flashier interior bits along with new technology. So it’s only going to get more popular and sell even better. It’s not going to be easy for BMW and its flagship 7 Series.
[Source: Automotive News]
It frustrates me to no end how BMW end up with the exact same 7 series problem each and every time. You’d thing, for the next one, they’ll be doing something a little different – then, nope. Too safe again. I agree that the G11 is not a bad looking car, but nothing special the way this market segment demands.
I still prefer the e38 over all other 7er designs.
Me I always prefer the e66.
Next gen 7 i have a feeling they will learn not to play it safe :)
I think that BMW’s sole focus, for the 7 series, is to make best 7 series ever and then sit on laurels.
Whereas Merc keeps playing with BMW (and all others) by making the best luxury car ever and then let competition play the catch up game.
By the time other car makers are half way in the development life cycle of their next gens, Merc changes the landscape of playing field altogether by launching its latest gen. And this cycle continues and thats why BMW ends up exactly at same place every time. And nowadays BMW’s own identity crisis is further adding insult to injury. I also think that it is more of a problem that BMW created for itself rather than inherited from circumstances.
All this is my personal opinion.
Because the S-Class shits on the pathetic 7 series, just like Mercedes-Benz shits on bmw’s stupid face. ALWAYS!
go cry in your taxi faggot
Always good to see young people on this blog… I like comic relief.
Troll alert.
S class has more sales cause it has so many varients such as coupe cab saloon. 7 is 1 model the 7 has sold well its the best selling 7 series to date. My personal fav was the E65 7er it was a game changer. The next 7 needs that. The tech is perfect in the 7 it beats the S in that but most wanted a huge step in the design for the 7 rather than playing it safe.
I think everyone was expecting the Future luxury vision concept. That car would shit on the S class for 2 generations.
Hopefully next design will be a brand new design for the 7 inside and out Or a 9 series FVL concept should come to eat maybach sales.
Good point. 8 Series Coupe will help to grow sales of that model line.
There’s the long-wheelbase version. So there are two versions.
It depends on the market, in China and North America the G12 is the only version.
So if they really want to get to S class sales, they need to make new 7er distinctive looking. That was e65 last time and everybody were blown away. LCI of g12 wont help. I can understand BMW. Their goal is not to make another “Lexus LS”. Bangle was really genius of that time…
I agree… however, distinctive can be beautiful also. Imagine BMW honing the E65 shape – what it might have looked like today.
Yes, but BMW is very conservative. Their reputation is luxury that doesn’t look luxurious. So the 7 is bound to sell less than the S Class.
Thanks for putting words straightforward, Nico.
It has become a kind of a repetitive pattern with BMW 7 series. Creates a bit of noise at launch and then gradually tapers off by the end of 3rd life cycle year. As far as i see the things, current year will be the one when this 7 series will be raking its highest number and it will be all downwards post it. i also feel that next gen A8 is going to give BMW a proper run for its money.
And why this shouldn’t happen? If you are going to make a mundane looking car that doesn’t look more than halfhearted facelift after 7 years of previous mundane generation and this current mundane design is expected to carry another 7 years then not even god can help.
During the release events, BMW designers explain the design details of the cars so intricately that it seems there is some philosophical inclination to all this. In reality, other than BMW designers no one seems to understand, let alone enjoy, their intention behind the design. Or probably we are mere mortals who just can’t understand what sort of depth a mundane design actually carries and it is only for those with an eye to see things that aren’t visible ordinary people like us. Even if this is the case, them i am pretty sure that there aren’t many out there who has got the special talent of making something significant out of nothing. (I am so thankful to god that i am person with straight forward approach to life)
How can BMW top Honchos keep hoping for sales success ( Even though that is the only thing they are behind since last decade, automotive excellence and legacy of BMW be damned) by putting out such inexplicable work of art? Its generally the first 2 years that a new models carries maximum momentum and when nothing extravagant has happened in those 2 years, isn’t it foolish to expect a miracle now? They may sustain the same numbers by offering various incentives, deals, schemes etc. but what would happen to the image of the car. As it is, this 7 hardly feels like how a limousine should feel. It is one inexpensive looking thing.
Its high time for BMW to start acting on things that they have forgot to act on. Put more automobile loving people amidst of money making people as it is the hard work of those people that made BMW an aspirational brand at first place ( and money making people are doing nothing but putting multiple models to cash in that aspirational appeal). Let creativity flow and allow distinct designs to come into picture. Let people clearly know what BMW stood for and stands for. At this moment, it just not clear what you guys are upto. And pl. get a new marketing team. Trying to woo customers by putting a carbon core badge, demonstrating that detachable Samsung tab and gesture control feature sets it apart from the competition; all this is just too cheesy for luxury car maker. Instead show us how much you have improved where it actually matters.
Next gen 7 series should have E38 retro design styles.
I agree on this – I own a 2001 740i Sport in Anthracite Gray and when it’s clean, I get offers left and right when I go anywhere. It’s a gorgeous car. It’s simply good design.
What are sales figures for mb s class saloon only?
nearly the same as the 7
So mercedes isnt leading in sales in fact
ya and then merc will say lets look at our Total and then they include every other coupe cab maybach version into the list lol
IF BMW were holding out hope that they’d catch the numbers of the S-Class Saloon, Coupe and Convertible, along with Maybach variants, in the launch of 1 generation, they were foolish. S-Class has an entrenched and loyal customer base, the 7-er needs to capture people as they arrive in the segment, then maintain their loyalty. This could easily require two generations of product to accomplish, and both need to be as good as the S.
Though, personally, I think ANE is making more of a couple of quotes than was really there.
BMW doesn’t do luxury well. So, the bigger the car, the more of a challenge it is for them to compete with other companies that are all about luxury, style, beauty.
Read the reviews, BMW has achieved 95% of what it needed to match, and even best the S-Class in some cases, not to mention the experience they have at their fingertips with Rolls Royce… so to say BMW doesn’t do Luxury well is frankly, arse. This dogmatic attitude about what BMW is *supposed* to produce is half the reason why it’ll never catch the S-Class… people make their minds up about it before they even driven the thing. I’m not saying the 7-er is as good as the class benchmark – but typical internet-keyboard-warrior-car-expert hyperbole makes the difference out to be much more than it is.
BMW should stick to sports cars. There’s an inherent conflict between wanting to make no-frills, sporty interiors, and then saying that you make the ultimate luxury sedan. Mercedes has the same mission across the model range. Make something luxurious, beautiful, and stylish. It’s an easier mission.
If I had 7 series money, I would buy a Panamera. Porsche is the new BMW.
Not the first time i’ve seen that, doesn’t make any sort of sense to me. Porsche does cars like they’ve always had, and they are way too upmarket to represent what BMW is. Porsche is Porsche.
If anything you could say that Alfa Romeo is the new BMW but that would be pretty ironic considering that they did what BMW does before BMW…
Where is Bangle when you need him!
What’s killing BMW, MB and even Lexus’ sales is the elephant in the room – Tesla Model S. Tesla sold almost 29,000 Model S in 2016 and for the first quarter of 2017 around 6100. That’s almost double MB’s S Class sale of 3648 cars and almost triple the 7 Series sale of 2100 cars. If you think that’s bad, wait until the new Tesla Model 3, it’s going to give the 3 Series and C class a run for their money….
Personally, I’m going to bottom feed and when the 400K people on the Tesla Model 3 wait list start selling off their BMWs and MBs, I’m going to looking to buy one cheap! Good Luck!