by Bernhard Adriaensens : International Consultant in Automotive Marketing and Management
During the Financial crisis, BMW has been aggressively discounting in a turnaround attempt to reduce high inventories in the US.
It is now trying something new: “built-to-order” vehicles. Already pitching the concept on the BMW US website
it’s hoping to generate built-to-order sales in America with its new X3 sport-utility vehicle, which will be introduced in early 2011.
Less than a year after the launch of the Tata Nano, competition is announcing new initiatives. Renault- Nissan partnership announces that it will be attempting to launch its own $2,500 Indian minicar.
Carlos Ghosn, Renault/Nissan President and CEO, said that the two companies are developing “an ultra low cost vehicle” to be built by the Bajaj Group, benefiting from its “expertise in light vehicles and knowledge of the Indian market.” The new car, which will be launched on Indian roads in 2012, will cost 110,000 rupees, against 123,000 rupees for the basic model of the Tata Nano. The design, development and production will be performed by Bajaj with the support of Renault-Nissan, while marketing, and distribution will be led by Renault, with the support of Bajaj (1). The name of the new model has not yet been announced.
