BMW has a very large portfolio, which includes models to suit different needs – be it a sports car, family SUV or luxury sedan. With constant hardware and software upgrades, automakers always keep their range fresh and competitive, which basically means there’s always a great new BMW you can buy, as long as you’re prepared to pay the price. But apparently, the company doesn’t want you to buy a new car at any cost – it’s not good for the environment.
At first glance it may sound surprising, but the idea came directly from one of the firm’s executives. Monika Dernai, BMW’s head of sustainability, recently spoke to an audience in London about how the auto industry can reduce its environmental impact and waste. Dernai’s idea was to keep fresh and modern on currently used but aging vehicles by fixing their upgrades rather than just picking up cars from the showroom floor.
“We really need to think about extending the life of the car; not having a used car market where you sell cars to each other, but maybe picking up cars and extending the life of them,” said Dernai. “The idea could be that you can refresh the interior. We needed new expertise in the aftermarket and to design a car so that the seats could be removed and the new seats moved – then it was a used car that looked like a new car.”
Dernai’s words may come under fire from some industry specialists, but we actually love hearing what he has to say in London. Upgrading older vehicles is something that the automotive community loves and there is a huge market for used or new parts for older vehicles – both within the United States and on the other side of the great pool. OEMs showing support for this scene is definitely to be admired.
Dernai also said – and this is something we also think is true – that the auto industry cannot move everyone to public transportation or car-sharing services. Or, in other words, there is still a large market for private vehicles and it is very unlikely that this will change in the near future.
