It seems that BMW exec, Key Seglar, was recently quoted to have said that there are no plans to bring the M7 model to market.

He then went on to say that the AWD BMW 760 has enough power to please those who are looking for an M7. This is quite the bummer considering pretty much every vehicle BMW slaps the M branding on turns out to be awesome year after year.

According to WorldCarFans, Seglar notes the prominence of the M series in the US market going on to say that out of 24,186 vehicles sold in 2008, 9,738 were sold in the US alone. Perhaps once the economy recovers we will see the M7 come to market but until then, we’ll have to be satisfied with the 760.

Tags: economy, key seglar, m series, m7, performance, premium brand, recession

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Among the new bumper crop of vehicles out in the market, there are certain features that people would love to change among them. But if there are two cars which have the least number of attributes that potential car buyers would change, two familiar brands popped out above the rest. The two car brands are Porsche and Ford which topped the 2009 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA). The IVAs are based on owners’ ratings of their new 2009 model year cars and trucks across 15 key vehicle attributes.

“In today’s economy, car buyers take many factors into consideration – styling, safety features, fuel economy and more,” says George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. “IVA winners deliver the most of what consumers are really looking for in their vehicles.”

The selection doesn’t seem that easy. Most cars offer great features while others leave it up to the buyers to modify. The Porsche and Ford Motor vehicles are equipped with one of the common and yet unique features which some would leave if the survey is any indication.

But basing it on tradition, these two car models have lived up to their name and such a selection should not really be surprising. For 2009, the top-rated premium brand is Porsche, outscoring Buick and Jaguar for the most ideal premium vehicle brand honors. The top-rated mainstream brand is Ford, outscoring Mercury for top mainstream brand results. Porsche and Ford were also the highest scoring premium and mainstream brands in the 2008 IVA rankings.

(Source) Press

Tags: attributes, Buick, bumper crop, car brands, car buyers, car models, economy car, ford motor, ford motor vehicles, fuel economy, george peterson, ivas, jaguar, mainstream, Mercury, Porsche, premium brand, safety features, two cars

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While we are all in this age of recession, it is surprising to note how some BMW dealers are investing heavily on the future. In fact a projected $300 million is expected to be invested on, made up new and modernized equipment.

Over the last nine years, the BMW network has invested $2.2 billion as part of a comprehensive plan to develop the best facilities of any premium brand. The current $300 million investment continues this direction. By the end of 2009, most of the 338 dealerships will have undergone modernization of facilities.

In the current demanding and difficult automotive environment, BMW dealers have maintained their strong and stable franchises. “Our dealers have led the way with a stronger emphasis on the used car business and it has helped buffer the consequences of declining new car sales in the US,” said O’Donnell. “Early on, we and our dealers recognized this opportunity and the used car business has become an even more important part of our strategy for our US success.” O’Donnell also noted this action is bringing new and younger customers into the BMW family, even in the current economic climate.

In 2008, BMW sold more than 104,000 Certified Pre-Owned vehicles (16.4 percent more than 2007), making the brand the largest used vehicle operation within the premium segment and outselling its closest competitor by more than 60 percent. Results from the first quarter of 2009 indicate CPO sales are on track to increase an additional 15 percent for the full year.

Also important is top-of-industry customer retention through BMW’s Ultimate Service program that includes a 4-year / 50,000 mile vehicle maintenance plan with the purchase of any new BMW. As a result, through the first ownership period, 97 percent of BMW vehicles have all of their service performed at certified dealers, as opposed to the industry average of about 50 percent, helping to fully utilize BMW dealer service centers.

(Source) Press

Tags: bmw dealer, bmw dealers, bmw vehicles, car business, certified pre owned vehicles, customer retention, economic climate, maintenance plan, modernization, new bmw, new car sales, nine years, premium brand, ultimate service, vehicle maintenance

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