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BMW to diversify into people carriers
By John Griffiths in Detroit
Published: January 11 2005 19:23 | Last updated: January 11 2005 19:23

BMW has taken a formal decision to diversify further - into the global market for multi-purpose vehicles, so-called "people carriers". It comes after nearly two years of studying the market's potential.


The company will decide before June which of several already-developed concept vehicles will form the basis of the project.

"We've now moved beyond the 'whether'; it's definitely coming in some form," Helmut Panke, chairman, told the FT.

The decision comes just a few months after BMW launched another big diversification, into the hatchback market with its 1-Series "small" car.

Two vehicles are understood to be under consideration: one based on BMW's already shown RFK1 (Function, Space Concept) concept vehicle, derived from the 3-Series; and the other on RFK2, a larger vehicle based on the 5-Series. Whichever is chosen, BMW is expected to use for its underpinnings the four-wheel-drive SUV versions of the 3 and 5 series, the X3 and X5 built at Spartanburg in North Carolina.

The RFK1-based vehicle is conceived as a premium competitor in the market for smaller MPVs such as General Motors' Zafira and Renault's Megane. The RFK2 would be closer in size to Renault's market-leading Espace.

Both, however, would be high-performance and highly specified, to compete against DaimlerChrysler's forthcoming Mercedes-Benz R-Class people carrier shortly to enter production at Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The R-Class is also based on an SUV, the M-Class, which has been in production at the Alabama plant since 1997 and a new version of which was unveiled in Detroit this week.

"We have got to be careful not just to offer a similar style to everybody else. It has got to drive and handle like a BMW," said Mr Panke. He declined to comment on what projected sales volumes were used in deciding at what point the project would be viable.

The 1-Series is already selling about 10 per cent above forecast, with 40,000 sold in Europe and the US after 3½ months and sales currently running at 10,000 a month.

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E36 M3GTtt

Fyndið hvað fólk tekur vel í ásinn,

10% yfir spáðar tölur hjá BMW

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With great challenges comes great engineering.
Gunnar Reynisson

Já, mjög jákvætt.

Gaman að vita hvort það eru nýjir BMW fans eða gamlir sem kaupa ásinn frekar. The damn thing is growing on me.

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E36 M3GTtt

Já það væri mjög áhugavert að vita hvort þeim er að takast að halda inn "nýja" kaupendur.

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JÞS
- 323i coupe - '96