BMW says it messed up by launching the 550i Gran Turismo first in the U.S.
BMW executives admit they were wrong with the model mix on the new 2011 BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo, which has been bringing in some sluggish sales figures. As of right now, BMW is only selling the 2011 550i Gran Turismo with rear-wheel-drive and its 4.4L twin-turbo V8.
“The V8 was probably not the right car to launch it with,” Rich Brekus, BMW’s general manager of sales for North America said at a recent press event.
BMW’s North American boss Jim O’Donnell recently told Automotive News that the new 5-Series Gran Turismo is ahead of the budget globally but is running 20 percent behind budget in North America. The 2011 BMW 550i Gran Turismo starts at $64,725.
However, since the launch of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo, BMW has sold a total of 1,143 units, outperforming the 5-Series station wagon last year. Starting June, BMW will offer an all-wheel-drive version followed by a 6-cylinder version in September.
Click here to read more news on the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo.
2010 BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo:
– By: Omar Rana
Source: AutoWeek
