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BMW thinking of a green brand?

By Alborz Fallah |

The new U.S. fuel economy standards are beginning to worry manufacturers. It has become a real challenge for many of the world’s leading car makers to meet the emission ratings coming into affect in 2020.

BMWIt wouldn’t be an American legislation if there wasn’t a loophole, and there is. Manufacturers can tally up their CO2 emissions across the range, for example, BMW can use the lower emissions of Mini (which it owns) to offset its own emissions (similar to the system coming into affect in Europe).

Nonetheless news from BMW suggests that the German company is thinking about a green brand to sell ecologically friendly cars, simply to comply with new emissions ratings.


The problem BMW face is similar to the majority of the German luxury brands, going green will have consequences. Stefan Krause, BMW’s board member for sales and marketing says the company must go green without affecting the image and reputation of its current brands, BMW, Rolls-Royce and Mini.

“We cannot take the blue out of BMW and change it to green,” said Krause. “Maybe we could add a fourth brand.”

Mini LogoIn order to achieve this goal, a fourth brand is being considered, expected to be full of front-wheel-drive cars and crossovers.

So now you might be thinking, why not use Mini? Apparently that has already been considered and rejected, BMW says it doesn’t want to risk diluting Mini’s quirky appeal by adding too many models.

BMW had also considered buying either Saab or Volvo, but both brands were rejected as they didn’t solve the green issue.

bmwhybrid.jpg

So what will the fourth brand be called? Surely BMW will not start a whole new brand? As we reported a while ago, BMW was considering reviving an old British brand but that too has been rejected – yet another  letdown for Riley and Triumph fans.

The deeper issue here isn’t what the brand will be called or how it will work, rather it is whether BMW  really wants to have a green brand. BMW executives are in two minds if their customers want fuel-sipping vehicles.

“People go to cocktail parties and talk about being green and then drive home in their M6s,” Krause said.

BMW chief executive Norbert Reithofer has admitted that there are at least two executives dubbed the “greenies” on the company’s six-member management board, so perhaps a green brand is not that unrealistic.


 
  • No Name

    V interesting. Its not only BMW up against the emissions hammering what about Porsche. Lamborghini has Audi, Ferrari have Fiat to obtain their quota.

    I somehow don’t think the name Riley is will win any friends, Triumph might but there may be problems using the name bearing in mind Triumph Motorcycles.

    My guess is they’ll stick Hybrid motors in the X5 and others. BMW are already well advanced in Hydrogen Power but thats years away in cost terms.

  • No Name

    “People go to cocktail parties and talk about being green and then drive home in their M6s,” Krause said.

    Love that its totally correct. The better off you get the more you polute. The various government will be taxing us shortly for poluting. Cep’t you Aussies of course, Whats global warming…yeh I know something that the Europeans have.

  • Lcat

    I doubt if BMW is the only manufacturer thinking about creating a ‘green’ brand under the corporate umbrella.
    My bet is Toyota will do the same & elevate Prius to become a distinct brand name that will spawn a whole range of hybrid vehicles.

  • Bavarian Missile

    Please no……..you’ve just built the latest M3 around America wants and needs……..please don’t cave in just because they demand it again!

  • No Name

    Hey Brazilian Missile (tee hee) you should be marketing the pedal cars as a grren option.

    Can’t really imagine BMW will produce a lightweight city car somehow just to satisfy the Yank W8nks

  • Bavarian Missile

    Evening No Name……..mmmmm…I guess! We have a distributor now in the USA…….so I guess they pass emission levels! hahaha

    Gee you would think or should I say hope not! Had being forced feed something thats made for one market….not for me! I may have to jump over to diesel if thats the case …..

    Send me a PM or go to our web site and email me….that way I can cc you in on every thing else I send the guys…..Have a good night…..xxx

  • Bavarian Missile

    Hey No Name a Brazilian M3………no way to treat a car though! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0bPlQ-K8MQ

  • No Name

    Not yours I hope. Thats when the RWD is more fun. Just think about the bill for the Pirellis.

  • Bubba Ganush

    “Stefan Krause, BMW’s board member for sales and marketing says the company must go green without affecting the image and reputation of its current brands, BMW, Rolls-Royce and Mini.”

    I dont understand why they are scared to push paradigms. I would love to have a enviromentaly friendly vehicle that looked the part and performed as well. If they are worried about reputatation then chuck the price up a couple of thousand

    Charlton: “Ah Jamison Ive just purchased the new M5 cost me 100,000k!”

    Jamison: “is it the hybrid?”

    Charlton: “no?”

    Jamison: ” well i would of been impressed if it was a hybrid but oh well you can only make do with what you have got i suppose