BMW to Create a Fourth Brand?
Our friends at Jalopnik are reporting that BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer will present a new corporate strategy that outlines plans for the launch of a new brand within the BMW Group. As Jalopnik theorizes, this could mean a great number of possibities. And is this brought on by the EU’s new proposed CO2 regulations (and thus a new small car brand) or the need to move further up-market to compete with Aston and Porsche?
As we reported last week, there have been rumors swirling lately about a smaller, more fuel efficient MINI. Could these rumors actually relate to this new brand, something even smaller and more efficient than even the Cooper D?
We’re actually not so sure BMW will create a new brand from the ground up. In fact we’re thinking some wires got crossed in the translation and “new brand” was meant to be “new division” (two new internal divisions were indeed named today by BMW). But we can’t help but find the question incredibly interesting. So let’s hear your take. If BMW were to introduce a fourth brand, what should it be?
Updated: Many of you may remember our reports two years ago about BMW potentially bringing back the Triumph brand. With today’s news, it may be worth checking those articles out again. You can find them below:
Related:
[ First MINI Now Triumph? ] MotoringFile
[ More Rumors on the MINI/Triumph Concept ] MotoringFile
[ US Connection for MINI’s New Rumored Roadster? ] MotoringFile
If they’d bring back the Isetta, with some level of safety features that the original lacked, I’d buy one in a heartbeat.
The design of the whimsical Isetta was fun, and for a different time. It is probably the most unsafe car I’ve ever seen, in relation to a front-end collision. Luckily, it didn’t go very fast.
Could rumored 2 seat MINI be the Isetta? Sounds interesting, and they could definitely take on Smart with this line – like crossbreading an Isetta and a twofour.
I was hoping for the Triumph runor to come back from the dead, but with the low wnd roadsters and 1 series this seems dead.
Smaller? More efficient? This rumor certainly bears watching!!
<i>BMW to Create a Forth Brand?</i>
Why stop there? Let’s go for a fif!
Hehe! Good old Luigi – slapping on a number & strapping on his daily driver Iso-bubblecar to leave a day or two before the real cars, so he could claim he completed the Mille Miglia. 😉 A thousand miles of pain, I’m sure – let us hope this isn’t the direction BMW is headed, as it wouldn’t be practical nowadays.
Oopsie – I meant a day or two after the real cars.
Stanley Steamer
I’d buy a “Skinny” – the MINI-branded motor scooter from two April 1st ago 😉
A Automotive News writer has made the case that a revival of Triumph could work: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/27/bmws-fourth-brand-triumph-ftw/" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/27/bmws-fourth-brand-triumph-ftw/</a>
Also, see my post on NAM: <a href="http://northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115310" rel="nofollow ugc">http://northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115310</a>
I think BMW also still owns the Riley brand name. The rest (such as Austin) got sold to NAC-MG (Nanjing).
Riley is a fine old name, but it doesn’t have any history in the US. I hope a revival of Triumph is in the works to take BMW up the scale in performance.
A rwd Triumph 2 seat coupe and vert would be a great way for BMW to share platform with an 0 Series 4 seat hatch. That would result in a range of small cars with very little overlap.
If the Smart car can do it so can BMW with the new Isetta.
I think a resurrection of the TR6 on a shortened 1-series platform with the engine from a 335i would be killer. Just please keep its price closer to a Miata than a Z4.