[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by BMWGirlFL

I believe that YouTube video came from BMW India. Just the other day I saw one on TV for the new Mercedes roadster, how about something actually broadcast on TV in the US for the Z4?

[BMWGirlFL]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

I believe that YouTube video came from BMW India. Just the other day I saw one on TV for the new Mercedes roadster, how about something actually broadcast on TV in the US for the Z4?

Highly unlikely is my bet.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by BMWGirlFL

Highly unlikely is my bet.

One would think they would do targeted marketing for the Z4 and advertise on TV in certain markets where you have year round weather that is conducive to driving a convertible.

At the very least show all of the convertibles that BMW offers including the Z4 in the same ad.

[BMWGirlFL]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

One would think they would do targeted marketing for the Z4 and advertise on TV in certain markets where you have year round weather that is conducive to driving a convertible.

At the very least show all of the convertibles that BMW offers including the Z4 in the same ad.

We differ on this. I don't think Z4 advertising is economically viable, even under better world circumstances.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by BMWGirlFL

We differ on this. I don't think Z4 advertising is economically viable, even under better world circumstances.

Even if the Z4 was part of an ad showing the entire convertible lineup?

[BMWGirlFL]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

Even if the Z4 was part of an ad showing the entire convertible lineup?

Limited production & allocations - whether factory, regulatory or business related or some combination thereof. I stop there. The issue, in my mind, is lack of supply not lack of demand.

[Rob_G77]

Originally Posted by BMWGirlFL

Limited production & allocations - whether factory, regulatory or business related or some combination thereof. I stop there. The issue, in my mind, is lack of supply not lack of demand.

Here in Canada I would say there's certainly a lack of demand. People either want a truck or SUV. Nobody asks for a Z4 at my dealership.

Rob

[BMWGirlFL]

Originally Posted by BMWGirlFL

Limited production & allocations - whether factory, regulatory or business related or some combination thereof. I stop there. The issue, in my mind, is lack of supply not lack of demand.

Originally Posted by Rob_G77

Here in Canada I would say there's certainly a lack of demand. People either want a truck or SUV. Nobody asks for a Z4 at my dealership. Rob

Someone pointed out that 2023 X3s are being imported to the US from South Africa.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by Rob_G77

Here in Canada I would say there's certainly a lack of demand. People either want a truck or SUV. Nobody asks for a Z4 at my dealership.

Rob

So basically when someone in Canada drives a Z4 they are in the "ultimate unicorn"!

[COKen]

Be careful about what you read -

Where Are BMW X3 Being Made?

The BMW X3 is made in three locations: the Spartanburg plant located in the city of Greer, Southern California U.S.A., Plant Rosslyn in Pretoria, South Africa and the Dadong Plant in Shenyang China.

Excerpt from Engine Patrol web site.

[BMWGirlFL]

Originally Posted by COKen

Be careful about what you read -

Where Are BMW X3 Being Made?

The BMW X3 is made in three locations: the Spartanburg plant located in the city of Greer, Southern California U.S.A., Plant Rosslyn in Pretoria, South Africa and the Dadong Plant in Shenyang China.

Excerpt from Engine Patrol web site.

He picked up on this.

Originally Posted by B. Olson

With regards to this Order Guide, X3 (G01), Page 97, can anyone clarify what is the difference between “X3 xDrive30i and X3 xDrive30i SA”? Please and thank you in advance.

Originally Posted by BMWGirlFL

Built in Spartanburg (VIN begins 5UX - 11th position is 9) or Rosslyn, South Africa (VIN begins WBX - 11th position is N)

May explain this:
https://www.bmwblog.com/2022/04/23/b...uction-mexico/

[BMWGirlFL]

[SMD001]

That kind of sales attrition does not justify 3 more years of production. It does justify me buying at the end of the lease. Pretty sure the residual will still be well under market.

[ebirotedu]

https://www.bmwblog.com/2022/07/05/b...uture-classic/

[BMWGirlFL]

Originally Posted by ebirotedu

https://www.bmwblog.com/2022/07/05/b...uture-classic/

I think so!!

[Westside Guy]

The pandemic, the chip shortage and a lack of advertising here in the US definitely hurt the sales on the Z4.

[CeEl]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

The pandemic, the chip shortage and a lack of advertising here in the US definitely hurt the sales on the Z4.

I tend to agree with your opinion on advertising. Not even people who are somewhat familiar with BMW's lineup (familiar as in they make sedans and SUV's and they have sportier versions of some of their cars (aka M)) know that there is a Z4.

Started a new job. Drove my Z4 to work once the weather was nicer. Lots of comments, people stopping me in the hallway - many were surprised it's a BMW. Didn't even know Z4 existed. One or two drove BMW's themselves.

[BMWGirlFL]

Worldwide:

[Westside Guy]

Sales are down on virtually everything and hopefully the addition of a MT accompanied by some real advertising on the Z4 will improve the numbers.

[jdhiro]

I want to point out that Porsche sold nearly 3x as many 718s in the same Q1 timeframe.

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en_US/2...022-27911.html

If you make a great car, that people talk about, and you market it - it sells.

BMW, being more accessible, more affordable, could and should have higher numbers than a competing Porsche.

IMO the Z cars are really a self-inflicted wound for BMW. They've kind-of phoned them in for decades, compared to the rest of the the lineup. Then they say people aren't interested in roadsters, so they don't invest in them. Then their lack of investment means people are even less interested.

This is an enthusiast car. Give the enthusiasts the transmissions they want, the engines they want, the sharpness they want, and it WILL sell. To me, any 2 seater-BMW should be coming straight out of the M division.

[ebirotedu]

Agree. The huge disparity in sales numbers doesn't seem to have merit based on the actual characteristics of the cars themselves.

The Boxster has some advantages though:

1 - brand prestige
2 - more marketing dollars supporting the Boxster
3 - better track performance
4 - clear continuity of styling from generation to generation that can't be mistaken for anything but a Porsche
5 - the echo chamber of online & print media reviews nearly all of which that claim the Boxster is the best thing ever and worth its price premium.

When I net all of the above out, the conclusion I come to is that Porsche is fully invested in the success of the Boxster (the Boxster saved Porsche from declining 911 sales and irrelevance 25 years ago).

OTOH, BMW's investment in the Z platform has always seems less certain, and more haphazard (like you said, it feels phoned in: i.e., frequent model year gaps in production between iterations; lack of range topping M model for some versions; sometimes a coupe version is available, sometimes not; requirement to partner with another manufacturer to contain costs for most recent car; lack of styling continuity; etc.). Probably because the company didn't then and doesn't now view the Z car's success as critical to the success of the brand.

I suppose the inescapable conclusion regarding the current Z4 is that at the margin, every dollar of marketing money spent on some other models (like 3/4/5 and X3/4/5/6) yields a higher rate of return than money spent on the Z4.

If Porsche killed off the Boxster/Cayman, I suspect that would be like amputating an arm in terms of the damage done to Porsche brand identity. Hard to imagine that many people will feel the same way about the Z4 when BMW drops it from the line-up in 2025.

Originally Posted by jdhiro

I want to point out that Porsche sold nearly 3x as many 718s in the same Q1 timeframe.

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en_US/2...022-27911.html

If you make a great car, that people talk about, and you market it - it sells.

BMW, being more accessible, more affordable, could and should have higher numbers than a competing Porsche.

IMO the Z cars are really a self-inflicted wound for BMW. They've kind-of phoned them in for decades, compared to the rest of the the lineup. Then they say people aren't interested in roadsters, so they don't invest in them. Then their lack of investment means people are even less interested.

This is an enthusiast car. Give the enthusiasts the transmissions they want, the engines they want, the sharpness they want, and it WILL sell. To me, any 2 seater-BMW should be coming straight out of the M division.

[jdhiro]

Originally Posted by ebirotedu

When I net all of the above out, the conclusion I come to is that Porsche is fully invested in the success of the Boxster...

Yup, I think that summarizes the key difference right there.