why the E92 coupe delay?

upstateE90 · 05-21-2005, 05:37 AM

Can someone explain to me the logic from BMW's perspective in delaying the release of the coupe for a year. Doesn't that just kill new coupe sales until the release - speaking of which, I notice the E46 coupe is available in all sorts of colors not available in the new sedan, I assume they do this to spark sales?

voltron1011 · 05-21-2005, 05:46 AM

I think it has mainly to do with manufacturing and machining. Since the coupe and sedan do not share any body panels, I would assume it will take them a while to get their plants ready for a different car. It is a major engineering feet to actually get a production line started.

Robin_NL · 05-21-2005, 06:01 AM

I second that, voltron, but also because the current coupe E46 was released in june 1999 a year after the 1998 introduced E46 saloon.

E90Fleet · 05-21-2005, 07:12 AM

The coupe always comes out a year later

It really has to do with costs

With the introduction of a new car they usually restrict the colors to just the most popular to help speed up initial production. More colors will be available from September

romeo26 · 05-21-2005, 04:26 PM

well they probally see what the problems are in the four door and fix it in the coupe. plus what voltron said is very true.

i was reading a review of the e90 forgot which one. the reviewer said that you can hear everything inside(outside noises, including alot of wind noises) the e90 is this true?
if it is i hope bmw fixes this!!!

Nathan · 05-21-2005, 04:28 PM

romeo, that's interesting. Everything people have told me so far is that the car is really quiet on the inside, more so than the E60!

Athos · 05-21-2005, 04:58 PM

I've test driven it three times now and it's pretty quiet. Not Lexus quiet (thank god!) but I think this car will score well on noise, vibration, and harshness tests. You can still hear the growl of the inline 6, but that is what most people want on a car like this. It's not obtrusive, though--just right.

romeo26 · 05-21-2005, 06:19 PM

oh okay umm...maybe i miss read the article!!! ill try to find it and if i do il post it. sorry for being very wrong.

Athos · 05-21-2005, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by romeo26

oh okay umm...maybe i miss read the article!!! ill try to find it and if i do il post it. sorry for being very wrong.

The review may well have said this, so you may not be wrong. It wouldn't be a surprise if the reviewer had a different idea about what is desirable and undesirable sound. The reviewer may have expected a car like this (the 3-series is often grouped with more luxury-oriented cars) to be as quiet as possible--eliminating all aural feedback. Some people like that in a car and they prefer cars. But that level of quietude would probably be an unwelcome anesthetic to many 3-series drivers. It's just a matter of degree and preference.

06&03Owner · 05-22-2005, 03:31 PM

I have a 2004 E60 (530i) and the car is like a sailboat when the wind hits it. I wonder if the E90 since it looks so similar to the 5, (the interior is almost identical) and it seems taller and bigger, is going to have the same wind issues the 5 has. By the way I also have a 2003 530i (last year before the new body style) and you can drive thru a hurricane in that car without even feeling the wind. The same I felt with a 2001 330ci i also had...

Tierfreund · 05-22-2005, 03:44 PM

It´s also a marketing thing.

Bringing out new versions by and by is not only easier on the production startup, but by spreading the 3 or 4 models over 2-3 years the manufacturer can keep the car in the papers for that time (each new variant launch gets press coverage). Same with new engines and faclifts. They keep the car fresh, in the papers and in the public eye for the model life as good as they can.

BMW pioneered the method years ago successfully with the E30. First two-door sedan, later four-door, later cabriolet and at last the touring. And also a facelift inbetween kept the model fresh for a very long build time (IRC 9 years). Ever since, most manufacturers have adopted that strategy succesfully)

RichReg · 05-22-2005, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upstateE90

Can someone explain to me the logic from BMW's perspective in delaying the release of the coupe for a year. Doesn't that just kill new coupe sales until the release - speaking of which, I notice the E46 coupe is available in all sorts of colors not available in the new sedan, I assume they do this to spark sales?

Let's also not forget that, as model timelines go, the E90 sedan came out EARLY. The E46 came out in late summer, this one came out in early spring. As such, BMW could easily make the wait longer than one year. I doubt by much, but it could be as long as September of 2006.

05-21-2005, 05:37 AM	#1
upstateE90 Registered 4 Rep 4 Posts Drives: vw Join Date: May 2005 Location: rochester, ny iTrader: (0)	why the E92 coupe delay? Can someone explain to me the logic from BMW's perspective in delaying the release of the coupe for a year. Doesn't that just kill new coupe sales until the release - speaking of which, I notice the E46 coupe is available in all sorts of colors not available in the new sedan, I assume they do this to spark sales?
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05-21-2005, 05:46 AM	#2
voltron1011 Colonel 119 Rep 2,909 Posts Drives: 2011 135i, FJR-1300 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wiesbaden iTrader: (2)	I think it has mainly to do with manufacturing and machining. Since the coupe and sedan do not share any body panels, I would assume it will take them a while to get their plants ready for a different car. It is a major engineering feet to actually get a production line started.
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05-21-2005, 06:01 AM	#3
Robin_NL S0THPAW 8719 Rep 7,846 Posts Drives: HS M2 Competition Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Netherlands iTrader: (0)	I second that, voltron, but also because the current coupe E46 was released in june 1999 a year after the 1998 introduced E46 saloon.
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05-21-2005, 07:12 AM	#4
E90Fleet Lieutenant General 1312 Rep 10,185 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: South Africa iTrader: (0)	The coupe always comes out a year later It really has to do with costs With the introduction of a new car they usually restrict the colors to just the most popular to help speed up initial production. More colors will be available from September
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05-21-2005, 04:26 PM	#5
romeo26 First Lieutenant 44 Rep 354 Posts Drives: e30 325 (no lette) Join Date: May 2005 Location: anaheim, cali iTrader: (0)	well they probally see what the problems are in the four door and fix it in the coupe. plus what voltron said is very true. i was reading a review of the e90 forgot which one. the reviewer said that you can hear everything inside(outside noises, including alot of wind noises) the e90 is this true? if it is i hope bmw fixes this!!!
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05-21-2005, 04:28 PM	#6
Nathan First Lieutenant 101 Rep 374 Posts Drives: 2010 X5 3.0 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The Windy City iTrader: (0)	romeo, that's interesting. Everything people have told me so far is that the car is really quiet on the inside, more so than the E60!
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05-21-2005, 04:58 PM	#7
Athos Second Lieutenant 8 Rep 228 Posts Drives: 2006 330i 6-spd Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Francisco, California iTrader: (0)	I've test driven it three times now and it's pretty quiet. Not Lexus quiet (thank god!) but I think this car will score well on noise, vibration, and harshness tests. You can still hear the growl of the inline 6, but that is what most people want on a car like this. It's not obtrusive, though--just right.
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05-21-2005, 06:19 PM	#8
romeo26 First Lieutenant 44 Rep 354 Posts Drives: e30 325 (no lette) Join Date: May 2005 Location: anaheim, cali iTrader: (0)	oh okay umm...maybe i miss read the article!!! ill try to find it and if i do il post it. sorry for being very wrong.
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05-22-2005, 03:31 PM	#10
06&03Owner New Member 2 Rep 20 Posts Drives: 06-330i 03-530i Join Date: May 2005 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	I have a 2004 E60 (530i) and the car is like a sailboat when the wind hits it. I wonder if the E90 since it looks so similar to the 5, (the interior is almost identical) and it seems taller and bigger, is going to have the same wind issues the 5 has. By the way I also have a 2003 530i (last year before the new body style) and you can drive thru a hurricane in that car without even feeling the wind. The same I felt with a 2001 330ci i also had...
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05-22-2005, 03:44 PM	#11
Tierfreund Major 21 Rep 1,002 Posts Drives: E90 330i Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Germany iTrader: (0)	It´s also a marketing thing. Bringing out new versions by and by is not only easier on the production startup, but by spreading the 3 or 4 models over 2-3 years the manufacturer can keep the car in the papers for that time (each new variant launch gets press coverage). Same with new engines and faclifts. They keep the car fresh, in the papers and in the public eye for the model life as good as they can. BMW pioneered the method years ago successfully with the E30. First two-door sedan, later four-door, later cabriolet and at last the touring. And also a facelift inbetween kept the model fresh for a very long build time (IRC 9 years). Ever since, most manufacturers have adopted that strategy succesfully)
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