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Ashok Leyland, AvtoVAZ, BMW Group, China FAW Group Corporation, Chrysler LLC, Daimler AG, Eicher Motors, Fiat Group, Force Motors, Ford Motor Company, Fuji Heavy Industries, GAZ, General Motors, Hindustan Motors, Honda Motor Company, Hyundai Motor Company, Isuzu Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, MAN Nutzfahrzeuge, Mazda Motor Corporation, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Navistar International Corporation, Nissan Motor Company, Paccar, Porsche, Proton, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault, Scania, Ssangyong Motor Company, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Tata Motors, Toyota Motor Corporation, Volkswagen, Volvo

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Background

The BMW Group produces premium passenger cars and SUVs, and motorcycles under the BMW brand; it also owns the Mini and Rolls-Royce brands. The BMW Group sold 1.44m cars in 2008. In 2007, its sales of 1.5m units made it the world’s eleventh largest vehicle manufacturer.

In 2008, BMW Group posted sales revenues of €53.2bn (US$68.73bn), down 5% compared with revenues of €56.02bn recorded in 2007.Of this total, the Group’s Automobiles segment contributed revenues of €48.78bn, translating into a 9.4% decline from 2007, when the segment posted sales of €53.82bn. This reflected lower sales volumes in 2008, which fell by 4.3% year-on-year to 1,435,876 vehicles under the BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands. In 2007, the Group achieved sales volumes of 1,500,678 vehicles. Despite this 4.3% decline in sales, 2008 was still the second-best year in terms of annual sales, after 2007.

The Group’s workforce in 2008 stood at 100,041 employees, a fall of 7% when compared with 107,539 in the previous year.

Despite conceding in November 2008 that its profitability targets for 2008 were no longer achievable, BMW continues to aim for a return on sales of at least 6% in 2010. The profitability targets for 2012 set in conjunction with its ‘Number ONE’ strategy also remain in place.

Whilst remaining true to its south German roots, BMW is becoming a global vehicle manufacturer. The tag “Made by BMW” has replaced the earlier the once-prestigious “Made in Germany”. In addition to its German plants, BMW builds cars in the UK, Russia, India, South Africa, the US and China.

For decades, BMW made its name with one brand and three core models - the 3, 5 and 7 Series. These models remain the backbone of the company, but BMW has now extended its model range by entering into the SUV segment, and introducing the entry-level 1 Series model. In addition, its ownership of the Mini and Rolls-Royce brands gives it coverage in most vehicle niches. For BMW, the concept of premium is key; the company only enters new market niches if it can compete at the top end with a premium product. In its 2007 annual report, the company states that its mission statement up to 2020 is to be the world’s leading provider of premium products and premium services for individual mobility.

Structure

BMW is listed on the stock exchange and is making considerable efforts to make its shares more generally available and to spread the shareholder base outside Germany. The equity base has been stable for several years, but in 1998 the company increased its capital base by about DM2bn (€1.02bn) by first issuing bonus shares in a 5:1 ratio and then offering subscription rights to new shares at a ratio of 12:1.

The equity was increased again in 1999, but by a much smaller amount - essentially for technical reasons. The introduction of the Euro made it necessary to convert the share capital to the new currency and the opportunity was taken to introduce shares with a par value of €1.00. After increasing the capital by 1.7%, taking the money from company funds, it was possible to do this by splitting the shares 1:26. Consequently, the old DM50 shares were restated as €1.00. There are no longer printed share certificates - all shareholders are registered electronically.

At present, there are ordinary and preference shares. Preference shares were first offered to employees in 1989 and have been available since then.

In 2005, shareholders of BMW authorised the Board of Management to buy back up to a maximum of 10% of the share capital of the company. Under this programme, 20,232,722 shares of common stock, representing 3% of the share capital, have been bought back at an average price at the stock exchange of €37.47. Those shares were withdrawn from circulation by decision of the Board of Management from February 2006.

Under the share buy-back programme, BMW also repurchased 750,000 shares of preferred stock issued to employees at an average purchase price of €45.48 per share.

Share structure

BMW’s share structure at the end of 2007 was as follows:

Ordinary shares: 601,995,000 at a unit value of €42.35

Preference shares: 521,960,000 at a unit value of €36.30

Identity of the various shareholders was a closely guarded secret until 1995, when an overhaul of insider trading laws forced the Quandt family to reveal that it owned just under half of the company. The Quandt family shareholdings at the end of 2007 were as follows:

Stefan Quandt: 17.4%

Johanna Quandt: 16.7%

Susanne Klatten: 12.5%

Total Quandt holdings: 46.6%

The family interests are now in the hands of three family members: Johanna Quandt and her two children, Susanne Klatten and Stefan Quandt. The holdings are run from Bad Homburg, a wealthy dormitory town just outside Frankfurt. Johanna, now in her late-70s, has a strong emotional attachment to the company that goes far beyond the bottom line. Keeping the company that Herbert Quandt had saved and then turned into a world-beater is still very important to her. She is reputed to still have a strong influence in all decisions, even though she and the family executor, Hans Graf von der Goltz, gave up their seats on the BMW supervisory board in 1997 in favour of her two children, Susanne and Stefan.

Susanne Klatten has worked on the factory floor at BMW and also in a bank, but most of her experience is in advertising. She inherited 50.1% of Altana AG, one of Europe’s most profitable pharmaceutical and chemical companies, from her father, Herbert. A trained economist with an M.B.A. from the IMD business school in Lausanne, Switzerland, Klatten is credited with helping transform the company into a world-class corporation. Klatten, who now exerts her influence through a seat on the supervisory board, is the richest woman in Germany. The notoriously reclusive family found itself in the media spotlight in October 2008, when Susanne Klatten was the victim of a high profile blackmail incident.

Klatten’s brother, Stefan Quandt, a billionaire, once worked at Boston Consulting Group but more recently joined the family’s Datacard Corp, a manufacturer of chip cards based in the United States, before returning to Bad Homburg in 1996. He controls Delton, which owns stakes in pharmaceuticals, logistics, fashionware, electricity distribution and packaging companies. He, too, is on the supervisory board of BMW.

The Quandts still claim that they will not sell their shares in BMW and that they want the company to remain independent. While this solidarity remains in evidence, there is no possibility of BMW being acquired against its will. There is a belief in the financial community that other family members sold a 3% shareholding to a group of Arab investors in 1995, but it was sold with the proviso that the shares cannot be resold until first offered to the family.

Strategy

BMW is generally acknowledged to have the best overall brand image of any brand in the automotive industry. Its customers identify with the slogan ‘the ultimate driving machine’, and like to think that it applies to them as drivers as well as the cars. However, it has developed this image, if not by accident, by concentrating on engineering.

The BMW operates three car brands – BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce.

BMW

Not content with introducing new brands both above and below its existing range, BMW has also decided to both widen and extend its core brand. A number of years ago, the company stated categorically that the BMW range would not be extended, but circumstances have changed. Even when the company owned Land Rover it decided to design an SUV, although it delayed the introduction by several years. Now that Land Rover has gone, it has made the decision to produce a family of SUVs, and the X5 has been joined by the smaller X3 model and the new X6. The X1 was shown in concept form at the at the 2008 Paris Motor show.

Meanwhile, at the lower end of the market BMW has introduced the 1 Series, which sits in the same segment as the Audi A3. The 1 Series is aimed at the upper-end of the lower-medium market. The task for BMW has been to position and retain the car in the premium element of this segment.

However, BMW faces the same challenge that both Audi and Mercedes-Benz have already come up against with these less expensive models - it must build a lower-medium model that upholds the brand’s character yet has a cost base low enough to compete in price and profitability with the Volkswagen Golf. As with other premium producers, the task for BMW as a brand is to retain the status that allows a premium price to be charged, while significantly expanding total sales and market share.

Although it sold the Rover and MG brands to Phoenix and Land Rover to Ford, BMW still retains Austin, Morris, Triumph, Riley, Wolseley and Standard. The company has stated that it definitely wants to keep them in case it chooses to expand its brand portfolio at some later time.

The M badge

An important feature of the BMW brand, and one emulated by other vehicle manufacturers now, is the use of a ’sporting’ badge for high-performance versions of its cars. Again, this has been very successful for the company. In the case of Mini, the ‘Cooper’ tag takes this role, while in the case of Rolls-Royce such a distinction is unwarranted (though traditionally of course it was Bentley - now owned by Volkswagen - that was the sporting brand in the Rolls-Royce group). This is effectively a form of ‘brand stretch’ by BMW, and to some extent the M badge now caters for those who seek distinctiveness and ultimate performance from a BMW product.

BMW created its M division in 1978 when it launched the M1, a supercar co-developed with Lamborghini and styled by Italdesign Giugiaro. Currently, BMW sells the M3, M5 and M6.

The success of the X3 and X5 SUVs shows that BMW can break out of its traditional segments. However, this is always a dangerous strategy, because of the way in which the brand can be diluted. That is, the badge must be supported by substantive and obvious engineering differences from the standard cars, and should not be reduced to a few style features of limited technical value.

On the other hand, BMW has much to gain, and has also witnessed the success of the Porsche Cayenne as a high performance SUV. It is also the case that the existing models in the various ranges tend to be high performance anyway, particularly some of the variants with larger engines (e.g the 1 Series with the 3.0-litre straight six cylinder engine). M cars tend to be experimental platforms for new technologies in powertrain, suspension and bodywork, including for example the use of carbon fibre panels.

Moreover, there is always the temptation to offer the cosmetic elements of the M package (styling changes, trim details, etc.) without the fundamental engineering changes.

Again, however, BMW will have noted the trend in leading markets such as the US for customers to opt for such style packages at the time of sale or spend large sums on upgrading and tuning their car thereafter. The US accounts for half of all M badge cars sold by BMW, and therefore dominates considerations on future strategy.

Mini

Despite the failure with Rover, BMW has turned Mini into a highly successful brand. Originally, it had intended to develop this as a speciality car within the Rover range, but the model now plays that role for BMW.

The brand attributes that BMW has captured are the timeless shape, the compactness and the simple ingenuity of the design. It has a sense of chic, which would have been difficult to achieve again because the Mini was so different when it was first introduced - there was no other car like it.

Rolls-Royce

At the other end of the market, BMW has performed a similar operation with perhaps the most famous brand in the industry - Rolls-Royce. This time, it is not trying to resurrect the brand, but it is attempting to continue the tradition in as seamless a manner as possible.

However, it has to do this with a completely new design team, a brand new factory and an inexperienced workforce. This is a high-risk strategy, but BMW had no option, having been unwilling to outbid Volkswagen for the company, but then buying the license to the name in a separate transaction. The all-new model is made in the new Rolls-Royce factory at Goodwood. However, competition for the new car is intense as Rolls-Royce is facing not just a re-invigorated Bentley, but Daimler is also competing with its Maybach luxury car.

BMW brand strategy here has been to emphasise the bespoke nature of the product, with a very high proportion of cars built with customer-specified trim features. In this respect, the robust engineering of the cars merely provides the solid base upon which customisation is delivered.

Project i

BMW’s Project was established by BMW as a channel through which to develop low-emission city cars. In March 2009, BMW chairman Norbert Reithofer told the company’s annual financial results press conference that a ‘Megacity’ vehicle will be the second specific vehicle to come out of the company’s ‘project i’. The first vehicle was the battery-electric Mini E.

According to Reithofer, customers will have the choice between a fully electric drive and a high efficiency combustion engine. Large scale production could start in the first half of the next decade. However, no decision has yet been taken on the final design of the car, nor whether it would form the basis of a fourth BMW brand.

In the context of current Mini E consumer trials, Reithofer said, echoing comments by other OEM executives including VW of America’s Stephan Jakoby: “Electric cars do not meet all the different mobility demands and there are still too many open questions regarding affordable technology, battery lifecycles and infrastructure.

“Currently all manufacturers - and our society for that matter - are going through a learning process. There are still lots of areas to be defined when it comes to electric mobility. Political decisions have to be taken at EU level at least.”

Financials

Net profit at BMW Group dropped 89.5% year-on-year for the full year 2008. The Group recorded a net profit of €330m (US$425.19m) last year, a figure that was down sharply compared with the €3.13bn recorded in 2007.

The fall at BMW started with Group revenues for 2008, which fell 5% from €56.02bn in 2007 to nearly €53.2bn. This fall in revenue resulted in the company’s EBIT declining by a massive 78.1% to €921m last year, whereas a year earlier, the Group’s EBIT stood at €4.21bn.

Earnings for last year were adversely affected by exceptional expenses, totalling €2.42bn. This included additional risk provision expense for residual value risks and bad debts totalling €1.97bn, and one-time personnel expenses of €455m. Adjusted for these factors, EBIT would have been €3.34bn, while adjusted EBIT margin would have been 6.3%. However, unadjusted, the Group’s EBIT margin was down at 1.7%.

For 2008, the Group’s liquidity improved by 86.3%, reaching €8.11bn in cash funds and marketable securities, up from €4.35bn in 2007. Net interest-bearing assets in the Group’s Automobiles segment increased from €7.35bn up to €9.04bn last year.

Income from sales at the Automobiles segment fell by 9.4% to €48.78bn (€53.82bn in 2007). The resulting fall in segment EBIT was significant, at 80% year-on-year, to €690m (€3.45bn). Posting its second-best annual sales figure in its history, BMW Group accounted for sales of 1,435,876 BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles, down 4.3% on 2007 figures of 1,500,678 units.

Out of the total sale volume last year, BMW brand vehicles made up 1,202,239 units (-5.8%); Mini managed sales of 232,425 cars (+4.3%), and sales of Rolls-Royce branded cars rose from 1,010 units in 2007 to 1,212 cars last year.

A risk provision expense of €1.06bn for residual value risks and bad debts negatively impacted the Group’s Financial Services segment. Despite a 12.8% increase in revenue, from €13.94bn to €15.72bn, this segment swung to a loss before tax of €292m, whereas in 2007, it had posted profit before tax of €743m. New retail customer contracts rose by 3.1% in 2008 to €29.34bn.

Capex at BMW Group dropped from 2007 levels by 1.5% to €4.2bn. Apart from infrastructure investments, the bulk of capital expenditure was focussed towards product investments on production start-ups of models, such as the BMW 7 Series, the Z4, the X1, and the Mini Convertible. Capex for property, plant and equipment, and other intangible assets, however, increased 1.6% last year to €2.98bn.

The Group had 7% fewer employees as of 31 December 2008, compared with a year ago. The number of employees fell from 107,539 in 2007 to 100,041 last year.

To improve its financial position, BMW Group says it has made improvements at an operating level. Cost structures have been further optimised, and the company has witnessed rigorous management of free cash flow, said Reithofer Norbert, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG.

Models

Future Fact:

BMW engine capacities will no longer keep rising. Instead, BMW is gradually re-introducing turbocharging across its ranges, with the I6 turbo in the 3 Series heralding the start of a new family of low-emissions/low thirst gasoline turbo engines. The new 7 Series is also notable for the lack of a V12 gasoline engine and an all-turbo line-up, as is the X6 range.

Sedans: 1 Series, 3 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series

Hatchbacks: 1 Series

Wagons: 3 Series, 5 Series

Coupes/Convertibles: 1 Series, 3 Series, 6 Series, Z4, Z9

Crossovers: X1 (& X2), X4, X5, X6, V7

EUROPEAN BUILD

The following models are built in Europe (some models are also built or assembled outside Europe):

1 Series

Place of build: Regensburg (Germany); Leipzig (Germany)

Codename: E81 (five-door), E82 (four-door sedan), E84 (two-door sedan), E85 (convertible) E87 (Touring)

Platform: BMW E80/E90

Segment: Lower Medium

Drive: RWD

Engines: 1.6-litre I4, 2.0-litre I4, 3.0-litre I6, 2.0-litre I4 turbodiesel

Lifecycle: 2004-2011

Next model action: Details and images of the five-door 1-Series were released in March 2004. European sales started six months later. The range initially comprised five versions: 116i (115bhp 1.6-litre), 120i (150bhp 2.0-litre), 118d (122bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel) and 120d (163bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel), with the 118i (129bhp 2.0-litre) arriving at the end of 2004 and the 258bhp 3.0-litre 130i at the 2005 Geneva show. The 130i went on sale in July 2005. Following the release of the facelifted range and a three-door 1-Series at the Melbourne motor show in March 2007 (five-door sales started across Europe later that month with three-door variants added two months later), a two-door coupe debuted at the Frankfurt IAA in September 2007. It was the first 1-Series bodystyle for the US and Canada (April 2008). Eventually, production at both Munich and Leipzig will join that at Regensburg (all three-door build is at Leipzig, as is all coupe build). The latest range is as follows: 265hp (198kW) 130i, 170hp (127kW) 120i, 143hp (107kW) 118i, 177hp (132kW) 120d and 143hp (107kW) 118d. There is also a five-door only 116hp (87kW) 116i. Slightly more power, thanks to direct injection, was announced for the 116i in June 2007, as was the new 123d (both three- and five-door bodystyles). With the exception of the 130i, the engine in all manual cars now automatically switches off at idle, as long as neutral has been selected and restarts the moment the left pedal is depressed. Regenerative brakes (iGR) also feature, as does electric power steering, another novelty for the 1-Series. All 1-Series model versions now have Dynamic Stability Control with Dynamic Traction Control as standard. The 130i has five additional functions as part of its DSC+ system: Hill Start Assistant, Brake Pre-tensioning, Brake Drying, Brake Fade Compensation and Soft Stop.

Successor: The next 1 Series, due in 2011, is codenamed F20.

3 Series

Place of build: Dingolfing (Germany); Leipzig (Germany); Jakarta (Indonesia); Manila (Philippines); Shah Alam (Malaysia); Pretoria (South Africa); Toluca (Mexico); Rayong (Thailand); Kaliningrad (Russia)

Codename: E90 (sedan), E91 (Touring), E93 (coupe), E94 (convertible)

Platform: BMW E80/E90

Segment: Upper Medium

Drive: RWD/AWD

Engines: 2.0-litre I4, 2.5-litre I6, 3.0-litre I6, 3.0-litre turbo I6, 2.0-litre I4 turbodiesel, 3.0-litre I6 turbodiesel

Lifecycle: 2005-2013

Next model action: The latest-generation 3 Series is larger than the old model, while the platform is the same as that used by the 1-Series. The sedan version was the first bodystyle. It appeared at the Geneva show in March 2005 and went on sale across Europe only days later. The first four engines were as follows: 148 bhp 2.0-litre, 215 bhp 2.5 and 255 bhp 3.0-litre gasoline units, as well as a 161 bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel. Touring versions premiered at the Frankfurt show in September 2005. At the same time, a 318d was announced in sedan and Touring formats (90kW 2.0-litre). Three new sedan and Touring variants were announced in Germany in July 2006, all powered by 3.0-litre I6 engines: 145kW 325d, 210kW 335d and 225kW 335i. In some markets, all-wheel drive ‘X’ variants are also available. The Coupe premiered at the Paris show in September 2006: the first versions were the 218bhp 2.5-litre 325i and the 306bhp biturbo 3.0-litre 335i, followed by the 272bhp 3.0-litre 330i and the 231bhp 3.0-litre turbodiesel 330d. For the US and Canada, there is also a 230hp 328i. There are also all-wheel drive variants of this generation Coupe, for the first time. In late 2007, 2.0-litre gasoline and diesel variants were released. The 3-Series Convertible premiered at the Detroit show in January 2007 and went on sale in Europe two months later, BMW having released details and images in October 2006. Though only the 325i and 335i were available at launch, three other variants followed soon after: (170bhp I4) 320i, (272bhp 3.0-litre) 330i and (231bhp 3.0-litre turbodiesel) 330d. Chinese assembly of the latest shape 3-Series sedan, meanwhile, got underway in December 2005. The most recent news was a facelift for the sedan and Touring in August 2008.

Successor: The next 3 Series is codenamed F30.

5 Series

Place of build: Dingolfing (Germany); Jakarta (Indonesia); Lad Krabang (Thailand); Rayong (Thailand): Shah Alam (Malaysia); Toluca (Mexico); Kaliningrad (Russia); Shenyang (China)

Codename: E60 (sedan), E61 (touring)

Platform: BMW E60

Segment: Executive

Drive: RWD/AWD

Engines: 2.5-litre I6, 3.0-litre I6, 4.0-litre V8, 4.8-litre V8, 5.0-litre V10, 2.0-litre I4 turbodiesel, 3.0-litre I6 turbodiesel

Lifecycle: 2003-2010

Next model action: Following the launch of the 5 Series sedan in 2003, the Touring (wagon) debuted at the Geneva show in March 2004 and brought with it a higher output 525d and the 535d, the latter not a 3.5 but a 272bhp version of the existing 3.0-litre turbodiesel (this one went on sale in Europe in Autumn 2004). Then in December 2004, new variants were announced: the 130kW 2.5-litre 523i replaced the 520i, while there were new engines for the 525i (160kW 2.5) and 530i (190kW 3.0). New also, was a four-wheel drive system. Both sedan and touring versions of the new 525iX and 530iX were announced. Further range additions were announced in July 2005: the 120kW 2.0-litre 520d sedan and Touring, the 225kW 540i 4.0-litre V8 and the 270kW 4.8-litre V8 550i sedan (replaced the 545i), while the 530d’s power rose to 170kW at the same time. CKD build of the 5-Series sedan began in China in November 2003. Long wheelbase versions debuted three years later at the Beijing auto show and went into production in early 2007, with a facelift in November 2007. The new models were the 523Li, 525Li and 530Li. There was then a range facelift, new technology (lane departure warning system, regenerative braking) as well as new engines, in March 2007. The line-up for Europe was announced as follows:

- 367hp (274kW) 4.8-litre V8 550i

- 306hp (228kW) 4.0-litre V8 540i

- 272hp (203kW) 3.0-litre I6 biturbo 530i

- 218hp (163kW) 3.0-litre I6 525i

- 190hp (142kW) 2.5-litre I6 523i

- 286hp (213kW) 3.0-litre turbocharged I6 diesel 535d

- 235hp (175kW) 3.0-litre turbocharged I6 diesel 530d

- 197hp (147kW) 3.0-litre turbocharged I6 525d

- 162hp (122kW) 2.0-litre turbocharged I4 diesel 520d.

The 520d’s engine was then updated in July, and now produces 177hp.

For North America’s 2008 model year (these cars were also carried over for 2009), the facelift, on sale since May 2007, includes the range as follows (550i & M5 also continue):

- 230hp 3.0-litre 528i and 528xi

- 300hp 3.0-litre biturbo 530i and 530xi

Successor: The F10 5 Series is due in early 2010 (sedan), with the Touring (’F11′) to follow six months later.

5 Series Gran Turismo

BMW unveiled its Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March 2009.The OEM calls the concept vehicle the production-destined rendition of the Progressive Activity Sedan (PAS) development idea. The car’s exterior design features include a long bonnet, long wheelbase, couple-like roofline, and the greenhouse moved forward. The concept vehicle has four doors and frameless windows.

With the rear seats in their regular position, the Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo is claimed to offer similar rear legroom as the 7 Series, while headroom is claimed to be equal to that offered by the X5. With the rear seats moved forward to the maximum, the car offers the same legroom as a 5 Series sedan.

Luggage compartment capacity, depending on the position of the seats, ranges from 15.1 cu ft up to 58 cu ft. The car also features a panorama glass roof. The tailgate is of a two-piece design. The car’s dimensions measure 196.8 inches in length, 74.8 inches in width, with an overall height of 61.2 inches. The Concept 5-Series Gran Turismo has a wheelbase of 120.9 inches.

Similar to the 7 Series, the concept features black panel technology. In rest mode, the car’s instrument panel forms a homogeneous black surface, which when activated generates a display of numbers and other symbols electronically.

6 Series

Place of build: Dingolfing (Germany)

Codename: E63 (Coupe), E64 (Convertible)

Platform: BMW E60

Segment:  Coupe, Convertible

Drive: RWD

Engines: 3.0-litre I6, 3.0-litre I6 turbodiesel, 4.8-litre V8, 5.0-litre V10

Lifecycle: 2003-2011

Next model action: The 6 Series coupe, introduced in 2003, featured only a 4.4-litre gasoline V8 version at first. A replacement for this 645i was then announced in July 2005: the then new 650i has been powered by a 270kW 4.8-litre V8 ever since.

The convertible, meanwhile, arrived a few months after the coupe’s debut in 2003. The fabric roof eschewed the fashion for folding metal tops among rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz SL. It debuted at the 2004 Detroit show with a 4.4-litre V8. The six-cylinder 630i was then announced in July 2004 as both a coupe and a convertible - it has a 258bhp 3.0-litre engine and is distinguished by round (not oval) exhaust pipes as well as a lack of silver plastic on the grille surrounds.

The cars’ first facelift was announced in June 2007. Exterior design changes included a new, wider air intake, while the directional indicators now feature LED light units. The luggage compartment lid was also revised and is now more concave, with the additional brake light integrated into the spoiler lip.

Thanks to the introduction of a diesel engine, the former three version range for both Coupe and Convertible bodystyles now number four:

272hp (200kW) 3.0-litre I6 630i

286hp (210kW) 3.0-litre I6 biturbo 635d

367hp (270kW) 4.8-litre V8 650i

507hp (373kW) 5.0-litre V10 M6 

The only change to existing powertrains was for the 650i, which gained a new six-speed automatic gearbox.

Successor: The all-new 6 Series Coupe due in 2011 carries the ‘F12′ codename. It will use the platform of the 7 Series that premiered in 2008.

7 Series

Place of build: Dingolfing (Germany); Rayong (Thailand); Jakarta (Indonesia); Kaliningrad (Russia)

Codename: F01 (swb), F02 (lwb)

Platform: BMW L6

Segment: Luxury

Drive: RWD/AWD

Engines: 4.4-litre turbo V8, 3.0-litre I6 turbodiesel, 4.4-litre V8 turbodiesel

Lifecycle: 2008-2016

Next model action: The fifth generation of the 7-Series was announced in July 2008 and premiered at the Paris show three months later. The platform, codenamed ‘L6′ will also be used for the 5 and 6-Series replacements as well as the 8 Series and a so-called ’small’ Rolls Royce sedan. The new model is the first 7 Series to offer all-wheel drive and will be the first BMW hybrid sedan. An M7 is expected to be part of the eventual model range - this derivative should have its debut at the 2009 Frankfurt show. The initial range, which, incidentally, is an all-turbo line-up, consists of the (3.0-litre I6 diesel) 730d, (3.0-litre I6) 740i & 740Li and the (4.4-litre V8) 750i & 750Li. North America will take only the largest engine. There will be a two-month gap in sales for the US, the car’s biggest market. The new 7 will not reach dealers there until March 2009. Sales of the new ‘7 started in Europe in November 2008.

Successor: TBA.

V7

Place of build: Dingolfing (Germany)

Codename: RFK2

Platform: BMW L6

Segment: Crossover

Drive: RWD/AWD

Engines: TBA

Lifecycle: 2012-2019

Next model action: This 5 Series five-door hatchback, also known as the Progressive Activity Sedan, is due for introduction in 2012. Originally it was to be a rival for the Mercedes-Benz R-Class and introduced in 2009 but these plans have now changed. Expect a concept at the Frankfurt IAA in September 2009.

Successor: N/A

X1 and X2
Place of build: Leipzig (Germany)

Codename: E84

Platform: BMW R50

Segment: Crossover

Drive: AWD

Engines: TBA

Lifecycle: 2010-2017

Next model action: These future small SUVs will be built by BMW at Leipzig. They should share many components with a future Mini crossover. The company is investing €100m in the plant, with much of that going towards a new stamping operation. The Concept X1 at the Paris motor show in October 2008 was a lightly disguised preview of the production model. It has the same 2760mm wheelbase as that of the 3 Series. A low-roofed X6-style and pricier X2 variant should follow the X1’s early 2010 launch in 2011 but sources claim this model may be cancelled due to current cost cutting.

Successor: N/A

X3
Place of build: Magna Steyr, Graz (Austria); Shenyang (China); Rayong (Thailand)

Codename: E83

Platform: BMW E46

Segment: SUV

Drive: RWD/AWD

Engines: 2.0-litre I4, 2.5-litre I6, 3.0-litre I6, 2.0-litre I4 turbodiesel, 3.0-litre I6 turbodiesel

Lifecycle: 2003-2010

Next model action: The X3 first went on sale in 2003 with the choice of 3.0-litre gasoline and turbodiesel engines. A 2.5-litre I6 gasoline version was added at the 2004 Geneva motor show, with a 150bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel following in September 2004 and the 110kW X3 2.0i in July 2005. At the same time, the power output of the existing X3 3.0d rose to 160kW. Assembly in China (Shenyang) started in December 2005, with CKD build in Thailand following in January 2006. Five months later, BMW announced revised 2.5- and 3.0-litre gasoline engines and a new 3.0-litre turbodiesel. There was also a minor styling update. From July 2007 production, the 150hp 1,995cc engine in the X3 2.0sd was replaced by a 177hp version of the same capacity.

Successor: The second generation X3, due in 2010 and codenamed F40, will be built by BMW, not Magna Steyr. Assembly will take place at BMW’s Spartanburg plant in South Carolina. There should also be a low-riding crossover derivative, the X4.

Z1

Place of build: TBA

Codename: E86

Platform: BMW E80/E90

Segment: Convertible

Drive: RWD

Engines: TBA

Lifecycle: 2010-2017

Next model action: A small roadster based on the 1-Series, the proposed Z1 will, if it makes production, have four-cylinder engines only. Cost cutting in 2008 may have led to the cancellation of this project.

Successor: TBA.
 

Z4
Place of build: Regensburg (Germany)

Codename: E89

Platform: BMW E80/E90

Segment: Coupe, Convertible

Drive: RWD

Engines: TBA

Lifecycle: 2008-2016

Next model action: The replacement for today’s Z4 is codenamed E89 and is based on the (E90) 3 Series. It is built in Germany rather than the US, and is pricier than its predecessor to make room for the future Z1 roadster. It was launched at the 2009 Geneva motor show.

Successor: TBA.

Z9
Place of build: Goodwood (England)

Codename: TBA

Platform: BMW L6

Segment: Coupe, Convertible

Drive: RWD

Engines: TBA

Lifecycle: 2010-2017

Next model action: This aluminium-bodied front-engined roadster is believed to be under development and may be built at the Rolls Royce facility. The successor to the Z8, it should come with a folding metal roof and use the future 5 Series platform as its base. Some sources claim this model has evolved into a pricier supercar project but these are yet to be confirmed.

Successor: TBA.

Sales

BMW Group global deliveries fell 24.4% year-on-year in February 2009 to 80,453 units (including BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brand vehicles). The German OEM attributes the decline to the continued economic and financial crisis. In the year-to-date, Group deliveries are down 24.3% at 150,838 units.

Sales of BMW brand models fell 23.9% last month to 68,803 units, bringing year-to-date sales to 129,032 units. Mini brand sales fell 27.2% year-on-year to 11,583 units, pushing year-to-date sales down 30.8% to 21,702 units. The brand is counting on a new Mini Convertible, scheduled to arrive later this month, to boost sales over the rest of the year. The one bright spot came from the Rolls-Royce brand, where sales rose 17.5% in February to 67 units. Year-to-date sales at Rolls-Royce are up 6.1% at 104 units.

By region, BMW continued to suffer sales declines in the more established markets. However, sales in the BRIC countries showed promising growth – sales in China rose 10.1%, sales in Brazil jumped 39.5%, sales in Russia rose 23.4% and sales in India inched up a modest 1.2%. In Japan, BMW sold 1,505 units down 46.6%.

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