BMW has confirmed it will market its forthcoming Megacity Vehicle under a new sub-brand within the next five years.
The lightweight electric city car, described as a “new vehicle for urban mobility”, will be built at the firm’s Leipzig plant, although whether BMW uses its Mini sub-brand or creates a new brand to market the car under remains unclear.
BMW has confirmed today that it will build a new carbonfibre plant with its partner SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers LLC in Moses Lake in the US. This $100million (£645m) will build carbonfibre-reinforced plastics (CFRP) for BMW’s future vehicles, including Megacity, and will create 80 new jobs.
Friedrich Eichiner, BMW’s finance chief, said: “Lightweight construction is a core aspect for sustainable mobility improving both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, two key elements of our EfficientDynamics strategy.
“With using CFRP components in our Megacity Vehicle, we take sustainable mobility a step further. By combining the know how of SGL Group and our expertise in manufacturing CFRP components, we will be able to produce carbonfibre enhanced components in large volumes at competitive costs for the first time.
“This is particularly relevant for electric-powered vehicles such as the Megacity Vehicle.”
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Re: BMW confirms new sub-brand
I still think this could be Triumph. The Spitfire model might be a barrier though. The inevitable attention it would draw between BMW and Triumph motorbikes might be unwelcome for BMW too. It might happen though.
Riley keeps getting mentioned but i'm not so sure it will come off.
It will be interesting to see. I'll watch with interest :-)
Re: BMW confirms new sub-brand
Why doesn't BMW just buy a sub-brand and market it as an Economically responsible brand? Maybe BMW could look at a sub-brand partner from which they can make money by suppling architectures and materials as opposed to investing what will be billions. Why not just use Mini? How about a anything that won't dilute BMW's image as a high-end premium performance orientated car-manufacturer.
Re: BMW confirms new sub-brand
Can someone PLEASE tell BMW that the silly name Mega City is already taken?