Having been a long-time auto enthusiast and spent time at BMW’s Munich museum, it is shocking to see how much BMW has walked away from their core. They built a brand behind a relentless focus on naturally-aspirated, high power and sonorous engines, a balanced and telepathic driving experience, lighter-weight and agile vehicles that established the industry handling benchmark, and sporty yet not overly complicated interiors. Looking at today’s line-up, BMW offers completely the opposite: muted, high torque turbo engines; electric steering that removes the driver and offers a dull, uninspired driving experience; bloated, heavy vehicles that are no longer the handling benchmark; and a dated, complicated and non-user friendly interior experience…all at a premium price. Where BMW started to veer off course is when they made a classic mistake of trying to become better than Mercedes-Benz (MB) at what MB does very well. And while MB has stayed true to their essence, BMW has strayed from theirs. Strategic focus takes discipline, a true understanding of your core business and your brand essence, and a relentless determination to bring innovation that delivers meaningful uniqueness while being consistent in who you are and for what you stand.
BusinessFit 