BMW to have aggressive model roll out till 2019
The BMW Group has promised to roll out more than 40 new or updated models across its three luxury brands – BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce – by the end of next year. The primary objective of this strategy is to reclaim the luxury sales crown from Mercedes through focusing on the entire SUV portfolio. It’s interesting to note that in 2016, one in every three BMW’s sold globally were SUV’s.
Mercedes has been on the offensive since late 2015 and now has one of the strongest SUV line-ups in the industry, ranging from the entry-level GLA-class to the 7-seater GLS-class, with two other classes in-between. BMW noticed this offensive and addressed it with the new BMW X4, but one new model was never going to be enough, especially against such fierce competition.
The final quarter of 2017 will see the launch of a new X2 SUV, alongside an all-new X3 line-up, but 2020 looks to be the most exciting year with the flagship X7 SUV expected to be released. As the name suggests, the X7 will share a lot with BMW’s top-of-the-range 7-series sedan and will compete with the likes of the Mercedes GLS-class.
The SUV fever is also extending its reach into one of the most prestigious manufacturers in the world, Rolls-Royce, with the launch of the Cullinan SUV around the corner. Accompanying the Cullinan will be the all-new Phantom, which was spotted doing some final testing around South Africa.
“We intend to launch more than 40 new and revised models of our three premium brands on the market during 2017 and 2018,” said Harald Kruger, chief executive at BMW. “The new product offensive began successfully with the launch of the new BMW 5 Series in February, further raising the bar in the business sedan segment.”
Kruger also confirmed that BMW would be launching the second phase of their new electrification strategy through new, all-electric derivatives of the MINI hatch and the BMW X3. BMW is also expected to launch a brand-new platform called “iNEXT” by 2021, which will take the shape of a Tesla rivaling i5 saloon, featuring levels of autonomous technology never before seen on a production car.
