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03-16-2014, 10:06 AM | #1 |
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BMW plans significant announcement on March 28
BIMMERPOST NEWS BMW plans significant announcement on March 28 BMW want to make a annoucement on the 28th of March at their US plant in South Carolina, and they say it will be significant. Just looking at the list of people who will be there should tell some of the story. BMW Group Chairman Norbert Reithofer, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, Gov. Nikki Haley, Harald Krueger, head of the company's global production network, and Manfred Erlacher, president of BMW Manufacturing Co will headline the event. So looking at who is going to the event, we have the chairman of BMW, meaning the annoucement is important to BMW from a financial and product standpoint. Both the US Secretary of Commerce and the Governer of South Carolina will be there, meaning there must be a political dimension ie. Jobs. Now let's drill down some more, we have the head of BMW's global production network and president of BMW Manufacturing Co, pointing us to a manufacturing related announcement. BMW hasn't highlighted any product people or marketing people as part of the announcement which is also significant. The facts we have are as follows: this is likely an announcement which will have a great deal of financial importance to BMW, relate to Jobs in the USA and will involve global BMW production and US manufacturing specifically. BMW has already been hard at work on its $900 million expansion into the Spartanburg, South Carolina plant, in order to accommodate increased production volume and the addition of the X4 to the production line there. This annoucement could be one to highlight this expansion and tout its potential success, especially as BMW plan to start hiring for the new expansion, an expected 300 new jobs. However, this could be something even more significant, and one we are speculating here involves the movement of another line of BMW cars to the US. New production of the 3-series or 5-series in the USA, would for example be hugely significant. Other rumors also include creation of a new engine plant in the USA, but this has been ruled out by BMW Manufacturing Co. spokeswoman Sky Foster. That leaves the final possibilty of simply an all new model, say an X7? This just seems less likely, due to the lack of marketing and product people, but maybee it will just be an announcement of intent without showing an actual car. In any scenario, this comes down to increasing production volume for BMW, as of course we know there is a fierce volume rivalry going on between BMW, Mercedes Benz and Audi. Mercedes Benz has been making great gains this past year with their new CLA sales in the US, so any move to increase US volume will be likely. Remember, Mercedes-Benz does have significant production of their C-Class at their Alabama plant, which also started life with ML production, so its not such a far fetched idea to think BMW would want to bring some 3-Series production to the USA. Make sure to keep tuned to BIMMERPOST on March 28, as we will bring you the news on this announcement as it happens |
03-16-2014, 11:03 AM | #2 |
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All BMW models will be FWD after 2015!
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03-16-2014, 11:06 AM | #3 |
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They're going to allow the US customers order whatever they want, any spec and trim with just about any engine available, just like Europe :-)
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03-16-2014, 11:07 AM | #5 |
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I'm going to guess electric car production expansion...
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03-16-2014, 11:12 AM | #7 |
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Steer by wire for all models!
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03-16-2014, 11:12 AM | #8 |
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HAHAHAhahahahaha
The current person at CEO is the chairman that i hate the most out of everybody else in BMW . profit profit profit and profit . They will announce some electric related expansion , i am sure about that |
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03-16-2014, 11:12 AM | #9 |
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Perhaps all of the above...
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03-16-2014, 11:13 AM | #10 |
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Go Nikki Haley!!!
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03-16-2014, 11:13 AM | #11 |
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Off course it`s about expanding production in the US !
Economics it is, no more no less, all the German car manufacturers have the same problem; the export to the US is too expensive due to the ratio € vs $ (1 : 1,39) |
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03-16-2014, 11:15 AM | #12 |
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Probably elimination of the manual transmission altogether due to declining demand.
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03-16-2014, 11:21 AM | #13 |
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Let's see... you already sell 100,000+ 3-Series, and 50,000+ 5-Series annually in the USA. The X7 should be obvious at this point as the GL is eating your candies in that market with impunity, and such model is as easy as 3 more inches of wheelbase on an X5.
Yes, all of the above indeed. |
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03-16-2014, 11:28 AM | #15 | |
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This makes sense. Don't forget Canada, Mexico and South America sales figures as well. |
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03-16-2014, 11:32 AM | #16 |
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Brand new Plant Spartanburg construction that has started within last two weeks. The areas now under construction are net new area's....i.e. Previously undisturbed land... And not related to original $900 Mil Expansion for X4 and to prep Plant Spartanburg for 300k in unit volume.....Whatever is afoot is big... I would still not discount Engine Plant... Only missing local Manufacturing Component for full standalone Auto Production. Food for thought...Toray Industries, a Tokyo based Carbon Fiber Manufacturer just announced a $1 Billion dollar Plant in Spartanburg County South Carolina ( Same County as South Carolina BMW Plant) Coincidence..... I think not. I realize for now....BMW supplies it's own Carbon Fiber.... Carbon Fiber Supplier in your backyard.....?? For sure stay tuned... Thanks. PalBay
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03-16-2014, 11:48 AM | #19 |
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I agree with the idea of producing an existing vehicle. And looking at timing I see highly unlikely that they will do the 3er. Most likely they'll do the 5er since it's past the mid-life renovation so the new generation should be already done design wise and ready for Manufacturing tooling and process design. I don't believe they will make a great investment to produce the 3 series and spend millions in tooling that will be obsolete couple of years later.
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03-16-2014, 11:54 AM | #20 | |
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03-16-2014, 11:58 AM | #21 |
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I'm thinking engine foundries here in the USA
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03-16-2014, 12:09 PM | #22 | |
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Its the manufacturing facility for the new BMW and Toyota partnership on the future sports car to be built in the US...remember the Z3 and Z4 were built in Spartanburg. |
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