In defence of BMW’s controversial new designs, the company’s chairman Helmut Panke this week said the Munich-based manufacturer would never produce a boring car, even if meant missing out on higher sales in the short term.
In defence of BMW’s controversial new designs, the company’s chairman Helmut Panke this week said the Munich-based manufacturer would never produce a boring car, even if meant missing out on higher sales in the short term.
Addressing the Automotive News World Congress as a keynote speaker, Panke lashed out at manufacturers “responsible for badge engineering”, as was most recently seen here with the Chevrolet badge being transplanted on certain Daewoo models and previously on similar-bodied Ford and Mazda cars.
“If you put a fancy ball gown, makeup and lipstick on a dog, it will still walk like a dog and bark like a dog because, in the end, it is still a dog,” was Panke’s scathing remark.
As far as the future of the manufacturer is concerned Panke, said the BMW brand would never offer a front-drive car or a MPV. According to him, a front-drive car cannot offer the handling and driving experience of a rear-drive car while “a van does not fulfil any of BMW’s brand values.”
And though he said the company continues to explore more versatile and functional concepts, none have fulfilled the company’s expectations of what the BMW brand and its values stand for.
“We will never produce a boring car, even if this gives us a short-term opportunity for higher sales,” he promised.
“To do so would cause our brands to lose their clear profile, and this loss of profile to our brands and their products would do much greater harm in the long run than any possible short-term gain.”
Panke said that it was key to remain focused and to continue to target the company’s strengths as was done with the addition of the Mini and Rolls Royce brands to add to BMW’s premium status.
