Quote:
Originally Posted by e85sbm
Either BMW adapts and creates smaller, more efficient engines, or they pay massive taxes and fees, eventually going out of business. Does this really sound like something you guys want; BMW closing its doors forever?
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Come on, now. That's a bit overdramatic, don't you think? Of course there's nothing wrong with BMW developing new, more efficient engines and stuffing them in their mainstream cars for those drivers who don't care as much about the details. There are many ways to balance the issue so BMW can meet the mainstream mileage and emissions goals while maintaining an enthusiast presence for those of us who care.
The regulations don't preclude BMW from continuing to offer enthusiast drivetrains, they'll just cost more and I'll pay the difference. If they're produced in high enough volume, BMW may incur some penalties which they'll all pass along -- I'll eat that to. It'll be similar to the gas guzzler tax today in the U.S. -- it's just the cost of doing business for some cars.
I fear that BMW will end up offering only 3 basic engines in the U.S. -- a turbo 4, a turbo 6 and a turbo 8 -- and the M cars will just have tweaked versions of these engines. That would be a huge disappointment, but if you think about it, that appears to be where BMW is headed in the U.S.
Quick, name a 2011 Honda that you really want to drive on a fun backroad. BMW should do it's best not to become a volume producer like Honda who prioritizes efficiency to the extent that they kill any red-blooded interest in the brand. Regulations and fear can't be allowed to dominate BMW's product development efforts.
Simply stated, BMW can't afford to sacrifice the sizeable performance enthusiast portion of their customer base or the brand will eventually erode and they'll lose their ability to charge premiums over other brands.