For marketing only? Another BMW hybrid
The 5-Series goes hybrid
Not about hybrid sales
Here comes another luxury hybrid. BMW has announced that it will offer a 5-Series hybrid by 2011, with a 3-Series hybrid to follow.
As a hybrid fan, of course that’s great news.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to get too geeked about BMW’s new hybrid cars when the company openly states the new hybrids are more about perception than fuel economy.
“The public perceives hybrid as a sign of eco-friendliness, despite the fact that diesel engines are often much more efficient,” stated BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer. “Sales of hybrid vehicles in Japan have skyrocketed. If you don’t have a hybrid in your portfolio, soon you might not be selling any cars in Japan at all.”
Anyway, the new BMW 5-Series hybrid will be full hybrid and it will be first hybrid to utilize BMW’s inline V-6 engine. Overall, BMW expects the hybrid version to offer a 10 percent improvement over the gasoline powered 5-Series. So, obviously, fuel economy was not a significant focus for BMW as other luxury hybrids have provided better increases in fuel economy.
At least BMW commercials will sound more green, and that’s what’s really important.
Dach – I read the sacarsm in there. Let’s see if anyone else catches it. ha!
This continues the sad news out of BMW, a car company I used to love. I’ve owned two 3-series cars and they were both terrific automobiles. But 20th century. We need to get with the future, and green-washing with very ineffectual hybrid systems is not the future.
I drive a Lexus hybrid and my wife drives a Prius. I am eager (and able) to buy a true luxury car – but it must be less fossil-fuel dependent than any of the German makers’ offerings.
losfelizride-
sounds just like Audi as well. as ceos and presidents, i don’t understand why these guys have such a limited grasp of their role in marketing their companies. you don’t launch a new product and claim at the same time that it doesn’t really make sense and that you are only building such vehicles to appease the perceptions of an important minority.
even if it is true, you simply don’t say it.
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anyway, any luxury hybrids out there, or upcoming, that have piqued your interest? any thoughts on the new Lexus CT hybrid upcoming? too small? too prius-like? just right?
Great design man, sometimes I just find myself watching your reviews when I got nothing to do. Keep it up.
Thank you.
I love it!