01-07-2019, 10:54 AM | #1 |
Humanist
272
Rep 398
Posts |
Richer Americans Are Skipping SUVs for Station Wagons
I've made the case before, and as Bloomberg points out, wagon sales are on the rise again. Is BMW dropping the ball by not bringing the G21/G31 3 & 5 series wagons to the U.S.? I'd say yes, yes they are. And hell, they've got to sell better than the 3GT/5GT. My personal belief is that BMW wagon sales haven't slumped in the U.S. because there isn't a market for them. I attribute it more to the fact that BMW has put ZERO marketing effort into selling wagons here in the U.S. for decades, and they only sell the less desirable models in the U.S. market. In just one week of owning our new F31, I've had at least a dozen people come up to me and tell me they didn't even know BMW sold wagons. The complete absence of anything even resembling a marketing effort and the lack of 6 cylinder turbo engine options are what has really killed the BMW wagon off in the U.S. Just look at how awesome the M550d Touring with it's quad turbo's and the BMW M Performance treatment looks. And that torque!!! I'm sure the G21 will be just as impressive, and I believe a G21 M340i Sports Wagon offered with both an automatic and manual trans would sell more units than all U.S. F31's combined.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...station-wagons
__________________
'19 F31 M Sport Estoril Blue : '16 F80 M3 ZCP Mineral Grey : '15 E84 X1 M Sport Le Mans Blue : '13 E92 M3 ZCP Alpine White '10 E82 135i M Sport Le Mans Blue : '99 E46 328i Sport Fern Green : '95 E36 M3 Cosmos Schwartz : '95 E36/5 318ti Clubsport Jet Black |
01-07-2019, 11:29 AM | #3 |
Major General
3080
Rep 5,580
Posts |
About two months back the U.K. magazine CAR stated in an article that in Europe there has been a switch from SUV's towards wagons, hence a new Peugeot 508 wagon.
BMW like Mercedes wagons (even the Buick wagon) can understand why they appeal to people that could afford anything. |
Appreciate
0
|
01-07-2019, 11:29 AM | #4 |
Private First Class
189
Rep 190
Posts |
I wish the 1 hatches made it over here. I would have the coupe and the hatch!
|
Appreciate
1
Viffermike1753.00 |
01-07-2019, 11:42 AM | #5 |
Get off my lawn
938
Rep 1,162
Posts |
This certainly holds true in the more affluent areas of CA and pockets of the East Coast - I see many BMW F31 and Mercedes E63 wagons.
That being said, these fantastic vehicles suffer heavy depreciation and you do not need to be a rich american to experience one. My wife and I picked up a 2011 328xi wagon a few months ago for the cost of a used Camry. |
01-07-2019, 11:48 AM | #6 |
Lieutenant
132
Rep 573
Posts |
they're cheap and so rare.
This one is local awesome spec. https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/...783591174.html |
Appreciate
1
overcoil3079.50 |
01-07-2019, 11:53 AM | #7 |
Colonel
2432
Rep 2,526
Posts |
BMW isn't pushing it because the market is incredibly small. Just because there is growth over 5 years doesn't mean its worth it from a business aspect.
If you scroll down in the article, it states that in the US, wagon sales "accounts for less than 2 percent of the U.S. auto market." |
01-07-2019, 11:54 AM | #8 |
Humanist
272
Rep 398
Posts |
Here's our new F31. Just took delivery on 12/29.
__________________
'19 F31 M Sport Estoril Blue : '16 F80 M3 ZCP Mineral Grey : '15 E84 X1 M Sport Le Mans Blue : '13 E92 M3 ZCP Alpine White '10 E82 135i M Sport Le Mans Blue : '99 E46 328i Sport Fern Green : '95 E36 M3 Cosmos Schwartz : '95 E36/5 318ti Clubsport Jet Black |
Appreciate
3
|
01-07-2019, 12:16 PM | #9 | |
Humanist
272
Rep 398
Posts |
Quote:
They haven't just failed to push and market wagons, they completely abandoned them altogether. If they're going to sell low volume models like what I mentioned above, they can also sell wagons if they just made a little effort.
__________________
'19 F31 M Sport Estoril Blue : '16 F80 M3 ZCP Mineral Grey : '15 E84 X1 M Sport Le Mans Blue : '13 E92 M3 ZCP Alpine White '10 E82 135i M Sport Le Mans Blue : '99 E46 328i Sport Fern Green : '95 E36 M3 Cosmos Schwartz : '95 E36/5 318ti Clubsport Jet Black |
|
Appreciate
0
|
01-07-2019, 12:33 PM | #10 |
Captain
735
Rep 611
Posts
Drives: ‘18 M240i, Estoril Blue
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: San Diego, CA
|
The "wagon" moniker is a turnoff, in itself, same as saying "minivan". Find an new acronym (à la "SUV") that's without negative stereotypical associations of yesteryear... add "Sport" to the mix, and you'll see wagons make a broad market comeback. Lots of advantages over an SUV, of course.
__________________
—Steve
'19 MX-5 Miata GT-S soft top Past BMWs: two '57 Isetta 300s, '70 1600, '72 Bavaria, '78 320i, '18 M240i |
Appreciate
1
IllSic_Design2124.00 |
01-07-2019, 12:39 PM | #11 | |
Humanist
272
Rep 398
Posts |
Quote:
__________________
'19 F31 M Sport Estoril Blue : '16 F80 M3 ZCP Mineral Grey : '15 E84 X1 M Sport Le Mans Blue : '13 E92 M3 ZCP Alpine White '10 E82 135i M Sport Le Mans Blue : '99 E46 328i Sport Fern Green : '95 E36 M3 Cosmos Schwartz : '95 E36/5 318ti Clubsport Jet Black |
|
Appreciate
0
|
01-07-2019, 01:11 PM | #12 |
Moderator
7525
Rep 19,368
Posts |
The Bloomberg article had a conspiciously trollish tone to it, and the author sounds bitter. But, he does make some fair points.
I still believe the CAFE phenomena played a significant role in the death (or near-death) of the station wagon. If true, the EV era could eventually start to turn the tides since, whether a light truck or passenger car, an EV is typically considered to have infinite fuel economy for the purposes of CAFE. Therefore, since range is a huge selling point when it comes to EVs (anecdotally, much more so than fuel economy is for ICE vehicles), and since lighter weight typically means a longer range, the additional heft of an SUV could eventually be seen as a detriment. In that case, a station wagon is the logical form factor. |
Appreciate
0
|
01-07-2019, 01:16 PM | #13 | |
Humanist
272
Rep 398
Posts |
Quote:
__________________
'19 F31 M Sport Estoril Blue : '16 F80 M3 ZCP Mineral Grey : '15 E84 X1 M Sport Le Mans Blue : '13 E92 M3 ZCP Alpine White '10 E82 135i M Sport Le Mans Blue : '99 E46 328i Sport Fern Green : '95 E36 M3 Cosmos Schwartz : '95 E36/5 318ti Clubsport Jet Black |
|
Appreciate
1
mkoesel7525.00 |
01-07-2019, 01:32 PM | #15 |
Major General
1892
Rep 5,508
Posts |
Definitely see a lot of wagons around the San Francisco area. I still see SUVs more for families but wagons are very popular as well.
It's pretty sad that we don't get many of the wagons they sell overseas. Even the ones that they do sell get "Americanized". The Audi A4 Avant is not sold here. Instead we get the Allroad which is lifted and clad in plastic. They assume Americans want a tougher looking off road style wagon - like Subaru.
__________________
Auto Detailing Enthusiast!
|
Appreciate
0
|
01-07-2019, 01:42 PM | #16 |
Colonel
2432
Rep 2,526
Posts |
I'm talking about vehicle types, not individual models. There will always be a handful of specific models that do not sell well, but they keep producing for various reasons. The same goes for pretty much any manufacture of cars. A lot of which is just due to the fact they're extremely similar to another model (all the GT's for example), and are relatively cheap to produce in a plant that already has the tooling for their counterparts.
The X series, for example, is largely manufactured inside the US, so even if the X4, and X6 are not selling, they can continue to make them as there are no import concerns. |
Appreciate
0
|
01-07-2019, 01:57 PM | #17 |
Enlisted Member
15
Rep 49
Posts
Drives: Black 2015 328i Sport Wagon
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Dallas, TX
|
Had a 7 passenger Kia Sorento before getting my F31 328i Wagon. Have to say, the wagon is a much more thrilling drive.
Americans envision the Griswold's family truckster when they think wagon, and don't realize that wagons are just the sport sedan with more room. Win Win in my book. |
Appreciate
0
|
01-07-2019, 04:05 PM | #18 | |
Second Lieutenant
317
Rep 204
Posts |
Quote:
In Europe it's called a Touring. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
01-10-2019, 09:34 AM | #19 |
Captain
278
Rep 823
Posts |
I understand the love for wagons...
But the reason I went with an X5 is for the clearance which you simply don't get with a wagon. New York City is practically off-roading, plus I frequently go to upstate NY where I end up in deep snow, on an unpaved road or actually off-roading just because that's the terrain you are likely to end up on (nothing serious but i'm sure you get the point). I just don't see how a wagon would allow me to navigate these obstacles. Someone convince me!!! |
Appreciate
0
|
01-10-2019, 10:04 AM | #20 |
Just Building My M4 Track Car
216
Rep 864
Posts
Drives: 15’ M4 Alpine
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Tennessee
|
I love the wagons absolutely it’s something different and drives more like a car than a SUV I have gotten so used to driving a car I hate the swaying back and forth in a suv (probably how I drive more than anything) and I absolutely support the wagon
|
Appreciate
0
|
01-10-2019, 10:07 AM | #21 | |
Major
858
Rep 1,364
Posts
Drives: 09 E90 335i M-Sport 6MT RWD
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Ontario, Canada
|
Quote:
Ride height they are in between a wagon and a SUV but you still get a sportier(compared) chassis as well with a car seating position. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
01-10-2019, 10:13 AM | #22 |
Brigadier General
3086
Rep 4,210
Posts |
While I prefer a car to an SUV, I have trouble with the OP's conclusion. If rich people were preferring station wagons to SUVs, why have Lamborghini, Rolls Royce and Bentley all brought out SUVs but no wagons?
|
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
|
|