BMW plan to develop more niche models to offset falling sales in their traditional segments.
After the X6 crossover, launched this year, and the Progressive Activity Sedan, due in 2009, BMW expect to produce a derivative of the next 3 series.
A 3-series offshoot could allow BMW’s assembly plant here to operate more profitably. Because of falling demand in conventional segments, it will be hard for the company to use all of the plant’s daily capacity of 1,000 vehicles with just the 3-series sedan and touring models now built there. A similar strategy also is planned for the new 5 series.
BMW brand sales in the United States are off 7% for the first eight months of the year.