BMW's chief executive officer Norbert Reithofer has revealed that the company has axed plans to build a larger sport-ute to top the range currently inhabited by the X3, X5 and X6 crossovers. Reithofer cited economic problems in the United States and Europe as the main reason for the cancellation of the program, i.e. sales of SUVs are dropping like a rock.
Meanwhile, other reports suggest that the green light in Munich has been given instead to a smaller crossover to be based on the 1-Series platform, which would enable BMW to expand its X range with an X1 instead of an X7. Smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient is probably a smarter direction to head in these times than bigger, heavier and greater guzzler.
[Sources: Automotive News Europe (subs. req'd) and The Hollywood Extra]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Marques @ Aug 4th 2008 2:32PM
Too bad American companies don't pick up as quickly.
MemphisNET @ Aug 4th 2008 2:44PM
It's not the automakers fault; people were buying the SUV's and trucks. In Canada, we're still buying them in record numbers.
Marques @ Aug 4th 2008 2:57PM
Yeah, but sales have been declining for some time now and instead of slowing production, they kept churning them out at the same rate.
Alex @ Aug 4th 2008 3:48PM
You must not read Autoblog very often...
GM has shut down 4 truck/SUV plants.
Ford is retooling theirs to handle small/mid sized cars.
Redesigns of the next generation trucks are on a lengthened timeline if not on hold all together. If anything BMW is the slow to the game considering that they are still mulling over a large SUV at all.
MONTE @ Aug 4th 2008 5:24PM
You feeling ok? I believe that GM has already been shutting down plants and that is now old news. Somehow BMW talks about it today but have their finger on the pulse of the automobile market? SUVs have never done anything for me really because I use trucks to haul big stuff and cars to haul people, it just works out nicely.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Aug 4th 2008 8:05PM
What are you talking about? It was already announced GM shut down many plants and canceled the next refresh of their large SUVs.
No company has been churning out SUVs at the same rate as before. Because it costs money to make them and store them. They'd run out of space to park them.
The SUV makers (including Toyota, Honda, Mercedes AND BMW) may not have handled this terribly well up front, but all of them are dealing with it as they can by cutting production to match demand.
Alex @ Aug 4th 2008 2:34PM
Sounds like the first rational idea from BMW of late.
3seriesisking @ Aug 4th 2008 3:02PM
I agree. I don't know why anyone would need another X.
FFS @ Aug 5th 2008 9:29AM
what ? you didnt like the cloth body car ?
zamafir @ Aug 4th 2008 4:17PM
x3
Joce03 @ Aug 4th 2008 4:51PM
x4
John @ Aug 4th 2008 2:36PM
With high gas prices, the consumer has spoken.
And we didn't need a bunch of CAFE laws to get to this point. Supply and demand always balances things out on it's own.
johdaxx @ Aug 4th 2008 2:39PM
How about a Zero-series? Or just keep my e30... %-/
RightCoastBias @ Aug 4th 2008 3:44PM
+1
91' 318iS. Best car BMW has ever made.
OP: Are they speaking of the X6?
fizzandpop @ Aug 4th 2008 4:21PM
Nah, '89 325i (but only if you put a rack on it and some stickers).
jg @ Aug 4th 2008 4:56PM
86 325e.
eta rules all.
dave @ Aug 5th 2008 8:57PM
Personal opinions aside, the best BMW, judging by looking at many different forums/opinions/sales/etc. is the E39.
dave0mary @ Aug 5th 2008 9:03PM
One can give opinions, or one can give facts. Fact is: E39's are the best. Just ask ... uhm ... me.
martin @ Aug 4th 2008 2:48PM
im not sure we need an x1 either.. freelander still sells so i guess theres a market for that size
Adam @ Aug 4th 2008 3:09PM
"...other reports suggest that the green light in Munich has been given instead to a smaller crossover to be based on the 1-Series platform..." By 'other reports' I assume you mean the official BMW press release announcing the program several months ago...?