BMW may not build a successor to the Z4 or 8 Series Coupe

[Grumpy Old Man]

https://driving.ca/bmw/z4/auto-news/...8-series-coupe

The German automaker is making plenty of cuts, and its slower-selling sports cars will likely feel the axe first


Cuts at BMW mean a raft of vehicles from its lineup are scheduled to be axed, and the executioner’s list may include a lot of our favourites, Automobile reports.

Say good-bye to the next-generation Z4 (not the current one). The joint venture between Toyota and BMW will be the last you’ll see of the open-top sports car, if the magazine’s report can be believed.

Convertible and coupe versions of the 8 Series two-door will apparently also be leaving us, leaving only the Gran Coupe (four-door). The regular-wheelbase 7 Series will allegedly be nixed, leaving only the long-wheelbase.

The reason for the death of so many models is simple yet complicated, but it all revolves around money. BMW barely makes any profit on vehicles under 40,000 Euros, which pretty much ends everything smaller than a 3 Series that isn’t a performance car. The rear-wheel-drive 1 Series, 2 Series, and lower trim 3 Series models could all be axed, Automobile says, and the small X2 CUV is also likely to have a shorter lifespan.

The brand has also been in a decline the last few years, with shares decreasing 47 per cent since 2015. The car division’s earnings dropped by 22 per cent, and the return on investment fell from 9.2 to 7.2 percent; that number is estimated to drop another 4.5 to 6.5 per cent for 2019.

BMW is also in a serious bind over reducing the carbon emissions of its whole fleet 25 per cent by 2021, lest it incur heavy fines; that’s also contributing to the death of some less-fuel efficient cars and needless gas-powered ones.

Although a lot of models are expected to die, there are still new vehicles planned. A new X8 with M variant is coming, as well as a more conventional replacement for the i3 that won’t be all carbon-fibre.

[vt100]

They keep killing it with every generation. But looks like it's immortal

[Huz-Z]

I think if G29 sales are lukewarm at best then sadly yes, that may likely be the end of the line. I expect that will serve to make well cared for examples of the previous Z3 and Z4 cars a bit more valuable.

However, if G29 sales numbers turn out to be a bright spot in BMW's sales results, then BMW would be unwise not to look at a new post-G29 Z4, or at the very least, continuing the G29 platform for a few more years, perhaps with a second refresh instead of a complete redesign. Bear in mind that a lot can change in the economy in 7 years that will affect what folks want, so even though sports car demand is sluggish now, it may be very brisk in a few years.

[Mtxzptlk]

Interesting how this affects the nex-gen Supra.

I guess this only helps the value of the E86/85 M cars? lol

[wdb]

What is wrong with these people. Hint: Honda->Acura, Toyota->Lexus. Toss out another brand with lower sales figures and more panache. People will know they're BMWs.

On second thought maybe they should push the SUVs and so on into that pot and keep making "BMW" = "driver's car."

[Grumpy Old Man]

C8

[Vanne]

increase the size of the Kindney grills even more!! that will solve it.


Funny how no one mentioned that the most of the new models look like complete dog shit.

[gds52]

Doesn't bother me because I don't like the electric steering and overall numbness in latest generation BMWs...so there is very little chance I will ever buy newer car

[B328iC]

Need a manual transmission. NOT a shiftable automatic. Glad the went beck to a soft top as the hard top took up too much space in the trunk so the trunk was useless.

[Daemonblitz]

Not unexpected, BMW added in so many new models and sub-models in recent years, it was inevitable that some would get axed, and as much as we all love our E85/E86s, they never really sold very well, especially toward the end of their life cycle.
Let's face it, The last 2-3 generation Zs have just not been very good selling cars when new, there definitely is a bigger demand for used ones, but someone still needs to buy them new.

[GuidoK]

Well, looking at how uncertain the development of the g29 was, and how long it took to get it finanically completed, I'm not surprised that predictions now are that there will be no successor.
2 seat convertable cars are extremely unpopular in today's market, and bmw has lots of competition. They also can't compete with 4cyl cars against the competition (on performance).
Sure that has the 'positive' effect that the z4 also has a nice 6cyl in their lineup, but that hurts bmw company co2 emissions for which they have to pay (literally, EU EEA fleet average rules)

Also Trump trying to raise the trade barriers against europe also doesn't help I imagine.
But I can imagine that BMW may be even diversing their models once again, but not to find another niche but specific models for the US market (build in Spartanburg) and specific models for the EU/world market, like VW does. That is something I'd try to experiment with, especially with the cheaper car segment for both markets.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

Well, looking at how uncertain the development of the g29 was, and how long it took to get it finanically completed, I'm not surprised that predictions now are that there will be no successor.
2 seat convertable cars are extremely unpopular in today's market, and bmw has lots of competition. They also can't compete with 4cyl cars against the competition (on performance).
Sure that has the 'positive' effect that the z4 also has a nice 6cyl in their lineup, but that hurts bmw company co2 emissions for which they have to pay (literally, EU EEA fleet average rules)

Also Trump trying to raise the trade barriers against europe also doesn't help I imagine.
But I can imagine that BMW may be even diversing their models once again, but not to find another niche but specific models for the US market (build in Spartanburg) and specific models for the EU/world market, like VW does. That is something I'd try to experiment with, especially with the cheaper car segment for both markets.

When a car company sells a very popular C-segment sports sedan in 2-door(coupe) and 4-door (sedan) variants within the same chassis designation (i.e. 3-Series) then in the next generation splits the 2-door coupes into a new chassis designation (4-series) and the 4-door sedans into a separate chassis variant (3-series), THEN creates a 5-door model ("GT") from the 2-door chassis variant, you know there is a problem. It really has nothing to do with trade policy.