BMWNA October Sales

BMW also target expensive SUV's and both Lexus and Infiniti do as well.

The Infiniti G35 coupe and sedan are precisely targeted at the 3-series
market. Precisely.

I'm shocked you would mention Cadillac. How serious can Cadillac be if they
mount a foot-operated parking brake in the manual-only CTS-V? Duh? GM is
still not really serious. Maybe some day. Maybe.

George Litwinski
"Ramone Cila" > wrote in message
...
>
> "GRL" > wrote in message
> ...
> > How about comparison with Lexus? Or Infiniti?
>
> I don't see Lexus or Infiniti targeting similar balance between
performance
> and luxury in the way the German makes are, so I don't see the relevance
in
> comaring sales figures with the Japanese makes. Though Caddy might have
been
> a good one to include, despite the great disparity in selling price.
>
> The bottom line is that in a very competitive and decidedly "down" market
> BMW is doing quiet well, indeed record well, with both it new models and
> it's older ones. I like seeing that.
>
> > George Litwinski
> > "Ramone Cila" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > In it's last year the 3 series is down about 4% year to date. In terms
> of
> > > market performance...what a product! The A4 is down 10% year to date
and
> > the
> > > C Class is down 3% but selling far fewer units that the E46.
> > >
> > > The 5 is doing great and appears be the second best 5 series year
(2003
> > E39
> > > being the best) ever, and despite having two full months to go is
> already
> > > better than the first full year of E39 sales. The E-Class still
outsells
> > > everybody in this segment in the US. They are down for the month but
up
> > for
> > > the year. The A6 is way off track and down 20% year to date.
> > >
> > > 7 sales are down 19% for YTD but so is the market. Merc S Class sales
> are
> > > down 37% for the month and 12% for the year. By comparison Audi sells
> very
> > > few A8's..but their numbers are up about 68% 2004 vs. 2003.
> > >
> > > Z4's are off 2003 numbers by 23%, But so is everyone else's roadster
> > > numbers. There may be too much competition for the market levels. By
> > > comparison Boxster numbers are off by 37% for 2004 vs. 2003. TT's off
> 31%,
> > > SLK's off 17%.
> > >
> > > Production must have ramped up for the 6 because like the 5 those
sales
> > > numbers are growing.
> > >
> > > 2004 X5/X3 combo has outdone the 2003 X5 numbers by 23,000+ year to
date
> .
> > > And given the sales figures for the sedans it sure doesn't seem like
> many
> > of
> > > those buyers were cannibalized from the 3 and 5 series cars. No one
else
> > > comes close to BMW in success with an SUV, but Porsche is selling the
> > living
> > > crap out of the Cayenne.
> > >
> > > If my math is worth a **** BMW is having their best year ever and
> > outselling
> > > Merc in the US. Despite all the commotion over design and i-drive BMW
is
> > > doing great. And where BMW is suffering unit sales losses in certain
> > > segments, so are their competitors, which seems to indicate it is the
> > > market, rather than anyone's particular offering, that is dictating
the
> > > those reduced sales.
> > >
> > > Despite bad press about design and almost constant criticism in forums
> > like
> > > this, BMW can only be happy about their performance this year and
> > > particularly ecstatic about their performance compared to competitors
in
> > > various market segments that are suffering across the board.
> > >
> > > Unlike some of the posters on this ng, I am really happy to see BMW
> > selling
> > > cars and pumping money.
> > >
> > > http://www.germancarfans.com/news.cf...008/bmw/1.html
> > >
> > >
http://www.germancarfans.com/news.cf...porsche/1.html
> > >
> > >
http://www.germancarfans.com/news.cf...ercedes/1.html
> > >
> > > http://www.germancarfans.com/news.cf...06/Audi/1.html
> > >
> > > http://www.e60.net/information/ click "US Unit Sales"
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

"GRL" > wrote in message
...
> BMW also target expensive SUV's and both Lexus and Infiniti do as well.
>
> The Infiniti G35 coupe and sedan are precisely targeted at the 3-series
> market. Precisely.
>
> I'm shocked you would mention Cadillac. How serious can Cadillac be if
they
> mount a foot-operated parking brake in the manual-only CTS-V? Duh? GM is
> still not really serious. Maybe some day. Maybe.
>
If you've been reading/watching reviews from people that don't just pander
to the manufacturers, they're just this side of shocked at how well
Caddillac has been doing in producing serious competitors in this market
space. Sure, you can write them off for a handbrake, but they're getting
very, very close, oftentimes at a substantial discount compared to the
Europeans. As are the Japanese for that matter.

-Russ.

"GRL" > wrote in message
...

> BMW also target expensive SUV's and both Lexus and Infiniti do as well.

Sorry, I don't know what you are getting at.

> The Infiniti G35 coupe and sedan are precisely targeted at the 3-series
> market. Precisely.

That's true, but they do not strike a similar balance between luxury and
performance across their entire lineup of sedans/coupes. So it is a
fruitless exercise to compare LS sales with the 7 series, or GS sales with
the 5.

> I'm shocked you would mention Cadillac.

In a matter of one model they have come quite close to BMW in performance
and luxury. Their new models are very good automobiles and despite Audis
claims to being the maker who will steal BMW's thunder, I think Caddy has as
good a shot as anyone. If they stick to the program they are going to sell a
lot of cars based upon performance, luxury and content....not to mention
price and loyalty.

> How serious can Cadillac be if they
> mount a foot-operated parking brake in the manual-only CTS-V? Duh?

****, I'd much rather have a footbrake or button brake than a lever mucking
up the console space. I've never thought a hand lever around the console
area was a good move. Cheap move maybe, but not a good one. I don't know
what your gripe is or what it has to do with performance and luxury.

> GM is
> still not really serious. Maybe some day. Maybe.

Caddy is deadly serious and it is evident in the driving. If you didn't
notice or realize it when you took you drives in the CTS then I don't know
what to say. Those are good cars. I was extremely impresssed with the V8
CTS. It is a fine automobile in a number of ways that matter to me..a 5
series owner and driver for more years than I care to remember. It isn't an
E60, but it is very close to an E39. In fact I think the CTS V8 drives
better than the 540, thought the E39 530 is still the better 6 cylinder
automobile. Once you decide to forsake and alienate your traditional market
(56 years old +) in exchange for more dynamic automobiles no one can claim
you aren't serious.

Caddy has taken a bold step...and they have designed and built bold cars.

"Ramone Cila" > haute in die Tasten:

> I agree...how many of us use the handbrake for driving tricks? Yeah, if I
> was that kind of driver it would matter but given advances in traction
> control I don't need it for slippery conditions and I don't need it for
> pulling movie star 360's on Colfax Avenue.
>

A foot operated park brake on a manual shift car is a PITA. When you want
to start at a steep hill, you need your two feet for accelerator and
clutch, and you do not have a 3rd foot for the footbrake. This is extremely
sh*tty, when you have to start and slowly drive for some yards and then
stop again. Just imagine fiddeling such a car in and out of a parking gap
in San Francisco;-)

Does anybody know a car which has a foot operated brake when ordered with
auto trans and a handbrake when ordered with manual trans?

Frank

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Performance???

http://showrooms.volkswagen.de/caddy/

;-)
DAS
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---

"Ramone Cila" > wrote in message
...
[...]
> I think Caddy has as
> good a shot as anyone. If they stick to the program they are going to sell
> a
> lot of cars based upon performance, luxury and content
[...]

"Ramone Cila" > wrote in message
...
> I agree...how many of us use the handbrake for driving tricks? Yeah, if I
> was that kind of driver it would matter but given advances in traction
> control I don't need it for slippery conditions and I don't need it for
> pulling movie star 360's on Colfax Avenue.

Proper performance driving doesn't involve the handbrake... tricks do,
rallying maybe, perhaps even autocross I don't know, but the type of road
course, apex chopping moves that BMW's were bred for has nothing to do with
the hand brake.

In fact, with full time viscous AWD in my iX, I can't do any hand brake
tricks anyway, even if I wanted to. They just don't work. A foot pedal
would be fine by me.

-Russ.

"Frank Kemper" > wrote in message
...
> "Ramone Cila" > haute in die Tasten:
>
> > I agree...how many of us use the handbrake for driving tricks? Yeah, if
I
> > was that kind of driver it would matter but given advances in traction
> > control I don't need it for slippery conditions and I don't need it for
> > pulling movie star 360's on Colfax Avenue.
> >
>
> A foot operated park brake on a manual shift car is a PITA. When you want
> to start at a steep hill, you need your two feet for accelerator and
> clutch, and you do not have a 3rd foot for the footbrake. This is
extremely
> sh*tty, when you have to start and slowly drive for some yards and then
> stop again. Just imagine fiddeling such a car in and out of a parking gap
> in San Francisco;-)
>

I don't get it...

Right foot on brake, shifter in Neutral
Release parking brake with left foot, or right hand as appropriate.
Clutch in left foot, shift to appropriate gear
Heel and toe gas and brake, release clutch to drive off.


I have never used my parking brake for anything but being parked. (except
for tricks in the snow when I was younger I couldn't care less if it is
foot or hand operated. I take it you are using your handbrake during
parking manouvers? Why not use the car's brakes instead?

-Russ.

"Somebody" > haute in die Tasten:

> I don't get it...
>
[snip}
> Heel and toe gas and brake, release clutch to drive off.

Cars which force you to use Heel and toe for proper operation - are you
kidding?

Frank



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Why not just get an automatic?

Just kidding...

I use the handbrake in extreme situation, such as parking on a very steep
heel into a tight parking spot.
Using the "heel and toe" technique would be more detrimental to the car,
plus, not everyone has the skill...

I would definitely not buy a manual stick car if there was no handbrake, but
a footbrake instead!


"Somebody" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Frank Kemper" > wrote in message
> ...
>> "Ramone Cila" > haute in die Tasten:
>>
>> > I agree...how many of us use the handbrake for driving tricks? Yeah, if
> I
>> > was that kind of driver it would matter but given advances in traction
>> > control I don't need it for slippery conditions and I don't need it for
>> > pulling movie star 360's on Colfax Avenue.
>> >
>>
>> A foot operated park brake on a manual shift car is a PITA. When you want
>> to start at a steep hill, you need your two feet for accelerator and
>> clutch, and you do not have a 3rd foot for the footbrake. This is
> extremely
>> sh*tty, when you have to start and slowly drive for some yards and then
>> stop again. Just imagine fiddeling such a car in and out of a parking gap
>> in San Francisco;-)
>>
>
> I don't get it...
>
> Right foot on brake, shifter in Neutral
> Release parking brake with left foot, or right hand as appropriate.
> Clutch in left foot, shift to appropriate gear
> Heel and toe gas and brake, release clutch to drive off.
>
>
> I have never used my parking brake for anything but being parked. (except
> for tricks in the snow when I was younger I couldn't care less if it
> is
> foot or hand operated. I take it you are using your handbrake during
> parking manouvers? Why not use the car's brakes instead?
>
> -Russ.
>
>

"2001E46CI" > haute in die Tasten:

> I would definitely not buy a manual stick car if there was no
> handbrake, but a footbrake instead!
>

Full ACK. I deliberately drive automatics, but I prefer a handbrake
nevertheless.

Frank

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