BMW In China--for Arrogant and Rash

[Naz24]

Crazy crazy article!

BMW Reputation in China - for the Arrogant and the Rash - BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum - E90Post.com

[PersonaNonGrata]

The Munich-based automaker BMW, on the other hand, has found itself in a contrary position. Since entering the Chinese market, BMW has acquired a reputation as a vehicle for the arrogant and the rash, making it largely off-limits to wealthy officials who prefer a low-key public image.

Part of this stereotype is rooted in a 2003 incident in which a young female driver in the northeastern city of Harbin intentionally ran over and killed an impoverished man who had accidentally dented her BMW X5. Despite the transparent nature of the case — a clear motive and numerous eyewitnesses — the case was settled out of court for $11,000. The incident was seen as driving a wedge between China’s rich and poor, damaging BMW’s nascent image.

More recently, a driver in a BMW M6 struck and killed a pedestrian in May during an illegal street race in the city of Nanjing, setting off a public outcry.

[AzNMpower32]

I think BMW drivers and to a growing extent, Audi drivers have a similar stereotype in the US as well.

[TwinsPoppa]

Well, I can tell you that BMWs are used as a status symbol over there - like here, or anywhere.

Maybe the prices have gone lower/higher but I believe imported cars ( like BMW) cost approx. twice as much over there. I spoke to someone who owned a 7 series several years ago and he said it cost him $250K.

Obviously, that doesn't mean all BMW owners (or any other expensive car owners) are pricks or whatever based on certain incidents.

There's always going to be unfortunate incidents that can and will stereotype.

[X5Sport]

BMW owners/drivers in the UK had a similar bad rep as the 3-series was an incredibly popular company car with sales reps. Today that rep has moved off to Audi as the manufacturers symbol is just called the '4-cock rings'. Everyone knows you're referring to Audi, and therefore the stereotyped driver.

It will be another manufacturer's turn soon no doubt. Fashions change, and it's all about envy anyway.

[PersonaNonGrata]

It's kind of sad how the massive amounts of new money have influenced China's society. The cars are purely status symbols. I know car are status symbols all over the world but there is such a new class of uber rich there that it just stands out.

A relative knows the owner of the Rolls dealer in Shanghai and the stories he tells of how abused the cars are just horrify me. The cars bought so to show off then are abused and treated so poorly it just reinforces the phrase "money doesn't buy class". This isn't an anti-Chinese rant but an anti-no class rant. I know classless people come in all forms.