The Ultimate Niche Machine: BMW Considering X4
You can already buy a BMW 3-Series in sedan, coupe, station wagon and X3 “cute-ute” bodystyles, and for some automakers that might be enough. For niche-crazed BMW though, it’s just the beginning. A 3-Series GT is planned in the mold of the 5-Series GT, as a midway-point between the coupe, sedan and station wagon versions. You know, in case you can’t decide which you want. “This has never existed!” screamed Autobild… back in 2008. Of course, now it does exist in the form of the 5-series GT, which could actually end up replacing the 5-series wagon in the US market. And as the march of the niche vehicles rolls onward, there’s one more segment that the 3-series architecture still hasn’t capitalized on: the jacked-up midway point between coupe and SUV. That’s right babies, the X4.
But don’t blame BMW for considering a baby X6, which will likely resemble a jacked-up, slightly coupe-ier version of the 3er GT. After all, the Bavarians have sold over 80k X6s since launch, or twice the projected volume.That, BMW sources tell Autocar, makes an X4 far more likely to happen:
We haven’t made any firm decision. However, the X6’s success shows there is a continued demand for sporty off-roaders.
Of course, the relatively small difference between the current 1-series and the 3-series makes the niche spacing even more of a tricky task. Seriously, what are the differences between buyers of an X1, a 3er GT, an X4, and a 3er Wagon? Do we need to start making up Venn diagrams of these buyers’ priorities? Or is BMW trying to prove a kind of automotive Zeno’s paradox, in which niches can be infinitely subdivided? Where is the focus?
More by Edward Niedermeyer
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I'm gonna wait for the 3.14
For the record, I think the 3GT looks good, too: I already like the 5GT, and loved the X1 when I saw it at BMW Weld over the holidays. I love choice. While I'm sure some lament the lack of a "pure" hatch, I could care less: having never needed a hatch or wagon in 16 years of driving, I'm happy choosing between the current offerings. But if Bavarians were to next add hatches (or the rarely whispered 4x4 rolltop convertible phantom-hatch with both hill climb and track day packages), I wouldn't mind that, either. Choice, people: choice - buy what you want, leave the rest.
There's not really any question of self-sales cannibalization. As long as the customer walks out the door with the keys to one of your cars, that's one more for you, and one less for the other guy. A lot of people would love to get a 1-series, but it's too small. Too small, you say? May I interest you in a 3-series? Too low. What about an X1? Perfect. Where do I sign? There are always people who fall in-between the buyer demographic groups... and covering all your bases means these buyers aren't going to automatically go next door to Audi. BMW's incredible niche fetish is also its way of making up for the fact that it doesn't have a hell of a lot of platforms and brands to play around with, not like other automakers. Thus, it needs to capitalize on what it has to the fullest extent. To our eyes, it seems like BMW is making a zillion models. In reality, it's still making cars on just two or three platforms (the new 5 is on a 7 platform) with the same engines... lots of cars... which means bigger sales volume. And while an X4 might eat into 10% of X1 sales on one side and 10% of X3 sales on the other, but if it takes away 20% of Q5 and GLK sales while doing so, it's worth doing for BMW. In the end, the madness ends when the selling stops. And the selling just never stops.
Audi doesn't need to follow BMW down this insane path. They can leave that sort of nonsense to the umpteen other VW group brands. This is the prime disadvantage to being a complete full-line single brand. BMW and Mercedes have to try to do anything and everything - SUCoupeLuxurySportHatchWagon4x4Convertibles are probably next. Audi can concentrate on the core products they do so well, and expand only when and where they feel the need to. And make R8s.