BMW Looking to Change the Way Americans Order Cars
As one of the primary makers of luxury end cars in the world, the German based Bayerische Motoren Werke AG company, also known as BMW, is planning to invigorate its attempt to persuade consumers in the United States to spring for its custom ordered cars. So far, Americans have shown an unwillingness to order cars which require a significant amount of time to be built in the factories after they have been developed. As the world’s biggest maker of high end vehicles, BMW is seeking to change this preference for instant purchasing and guide consumers on the path to creating their ultimate dream vehicle by using its X3 SUV to encourage the new process of customization. By bringing car dealers on board to help them entice customers with options such an adapter for the iPod that runs around $185 and a panoramic moon roof for $1,350.
The built to order segment of the auto making industry is expected to expand in coming years, according to some experts, as consumer advocates continue to push for greater control by customers over the products they buy. By helping reduce costly expenses to maintain inventory, manufacturers also stand to gain and avoid having to discount in order to sell vehicles that are experiencing a lower level of demand. By using the pre order programs, Toyota’s Lexus models that are designed to customer specifications now compose a full 2 percent of the company’s orders. If US consumers come to expect this level of custom design in their cars it could filter down to the economy models and thus signal a massive change for an industry essentially built upon mass production of similar products.