BMW Performance Parts Manager Talks LSD, M3 Parts, N54 N55 Performance Power Kits

[S54dan]

Here is an interview I had with Eric Riehle (BMW Performance Parts MGR) while we were at BMW's annual Aftersales Conference (End of March).

Please excuse the birds. We wanted the setting to be at BMW's Auto-X event, so it was noisy.

I attempted to compile some of the questions Bimmerpost members had into a 15 minute time-frame (that's all the time we had to create this video), so if I missed your question, I apologize.

TOPICS:

- Limited slip differential
- Lease residualization program
- New electronic performance steering wheel
- M3 performance parts (M3 may gets unique performance steering wheel)
- Coming: Stage 1 and Stage 2 BMW Performance power kits for both N54 and N55 - Stage 1 (software only) / Stage 2 (software + hardware)

Best regards,
Daniel Miles
unitedBMWonline.com
678-832-4667

[3XTR3M3]

Great stuff, Dan. Thanks!

[kmarei]

you should have shot those damn birds squeeking in the background!

[tlp]

The M3 could have it's very own Performance Steering wheel. No release date yet.

[wadny]

Are you having website issues at United BMW? The link to the performance parts page is broken.

[S54dan]

Yikes - thank you for the heads up. I have gone into the system and attempted a fix. Please try again in 10 minutes or PM me with an inquiry.

[oman135]

i hope the power kit produces good amount of hp and torque

[1SerieStud]

1 minute into the interview I stopped it and I have no interest in listening to the rest of what this guy had to say.

1) Go back and start working on something specific to older models? What the heck is he talking about? Doesn't he know that the current 1M/M3 rear end would be a direct bolt-on piece for the 135i? Just produce them, and they will sell like cakes given appropriate pricing.

2) Way to stick a middle finger in the faces of 135i owners. In short, "guys, I know you have a great car that could potentially be much better given the opportunity to swap an LSD on it, however, we have better things to worry about such as future cars." Sucks how little support they provide the 1-series community specially when they have been asking for specific parts for years!

[jkoral]

Originally Posted by 1SerieStud

1 minute into the interview I stopped it and I have no interest in listening to the rest of what this guy had to say.

1) Go back and start working on something specific to older models? What the heck is he talking about? Doesn't he know that the current 1M/M3 rear end would be a direct bolt-on piece for the 135i? Just produce them, and they will sell like cakes given appropriate pricing.

2) Way to stick a middle finger in the faces of 135i owners. In short, "guys, I know you have a great car that could potentially be much better given the opportunity to swap an LSD on it, however, we have better things to worry about such as future cars." Sucks how little support they provide the 1-series community specially when they have been asking for specific parts for years!

Yup, IOW, the answer is no. Answered like a marketing person (or politician).

[1SerieStud]

Originally Posted by jkoral

Yup, IOW, the answer is no. Answered like a marketing person (or politician).

I don't care who he is or who he manages, his responses were so weak that he immediately became completely incompetent in my eyes...obviously as manager of the Performance line he's not keeping customers happy. I wonder how he got the job.

[soulbro]

Oh well...there's always Dinan....

[Boosted1]

I just hope they DO actually release the new performance steering wheel... They been telling us it would be ready since a couple of months ago... Cant wait to have it

[Prof T]

Thanks Dan

[Walt White Coupe]

Dan,
Just for future information on video production. In this video and most videos the predominant source of information is in the audio not the video. Without a mic directly on the person talking, you should move the camera and therefore the camera mic as close to the person talking as possible. That would have reduced all the background noise substantially and improved the overall video. Thanks for your efforts.

[Prof T]

+1 for Walt...good to know.

[1speedbike]

Originally Posted by 1SerieStud

I don't care who he is or who he manages, his responses were so weak that he immediately became completely incompetent in my eyes...obviously as manager of the Performance line he's not keeping customers happy. I wonder how he got the job.

Exactly. He's obviously doing such a great job managing the performance line (sarcasm). Says a lot when the performance line mostly consists of (cosmetic) carbon fiber parts which do nothing for actual performance. Took long enough to get a "performance power kit" and it adds minimal horsepower for a lot of money. The only benefit is the additional oil cooler.

lately, BMW has had me scratching my head. ///M SUVs? An X6? A Z that's a heavy, not-as-nimble-as-you'd-like touring car and not a sports car? Limiting 1M production and not giving it a unique motor, unique suspension, and making it butt ugly? They got the 1 (mostly) right, but I'm losing my faith..