Magazine of the National Capital Chapter BMW ... - der Bayerische

The 2011 BMW X3
Made by Americans, for Americans
Many long time car brand
enthusiasts have a hard
time appreciating the fact
that the car business is, in fact, a
business. These passionate fans
write letters to the car company
headquarters, pleading with the
CEOs to remain true to the brand
roots and not expand the product
offerings to capitalize on the latest
product fads. These people are
afraid that once the company
“jumps the shark” in terms of their
product offerings, the brand equity
will eventually be diluted.
Such was the case when it was
rumored that BMW was developing
a Sport Utility Vehicle. The howls
from the BMW Car Club of America
where heard in New Jersey as well
as in Munich. As a business, BMW
could not ignore the sales and
Text and photos by James Chew | BMW CCA #291080
(Top) The second-generation X3 is now a much sturdier looking SAV.
(Above) Twin-turbo six yields "M power" and still provides near hybrid
fuel economy.
profit potential from the growing
North American Sport Utility
Vehicle market. The good news
for BMW enthusiasts is that the
BMW engineering, design, and
management leadership as well
as members of the BMW board
of directors are also BMW
enthusiasts. Hence, the resulting
product not only had to be
competitive in the target market,
but also had to be a BMW.
The rest is history. The BMW
X5 has become a benchmark in the
SUV market, not because it’s the
best Sport Utility Vehicle in its class
(that honor belongs to the new Jeep
Grand Cherokee), but because it’s
the best Sport Activity Vehicle.
BMW designers and engineers
realized that most SUV owners buy
these vehicles for the utility, not for
the off road performance. But BMW
raised the bar by giving the vehicle
the utility the market desired, but
also the driving dynamics to
conquer the famous Nurburgring
racetrack. In short, it’s a BMW. One
of my favorite BMW videos was
when they introduced the current
generation X5. It showed a fully
loaded X5 blasting through the
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