Originally Posted by jadnashuanh
The USA is, in some ways, quite spoiled. Both our fuel and vehicle prices are much less than in many parts of the world. While the fuel actually costs close to the same everywhere, the taxes on it outside of the USA are, by our standards, quite high, as are their import and sales (VAT in most cases) taxes on the vehicles...making the cost of similar vehicles as much as a 2:1 relationship - theirs as much as twice what it costs for us. So, for example, when I picked up my car in Munich a few years ago, it cost me the equivalent of around $140US to fill the tank. Given that, it is no surprise that fuel economy is a bigger factor in choosing a particular vehicle than here. In some ways, the extra tax money on the fuel, when used appropriately, is a very good thing - they can fund and maintain their roads to a better standard than ours (Germany is a good example of this). Plus, the addition of reasonable, frequent, reliable public transport means a vehicle isn't an absolute requirement for everyone.
So, what may be a 'good' choice for us, may be totally beyond the economic horizon of others. Then, throw in our biases with brands - nearly everywhere else, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and many others are full-range vehicle suppliers. Even on the smaller vehicles we get in the USA, they tend to be a much higher trim and equipment level than those available elsewhere and we do not tend to see their basic vehicles at all - trying to maintain the 'luxury' façade they have built up over the years. People elsewhere aren't as snooty about their neighbor having a, say, 5-series with cloth interior, and few amenities that cost 1/3rd less (or more) than their loaded version, or the fact that Audis, MB, and BMW may be used by the cab company.
Success on a vehicle is making enough to cover development costs and turning a 'reasonable' profit. Depending on the vehicle involved, that may not be that many vehicles. If BMW considers the research in CFRP (as they should) a thing that will benefit their entire line of vehicles, and not just the I-series, then it can be declared a success with fewer sales.
Personally, I think that, unless some glaring fault shows up which is unlikely, the I-series will be a success.
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