Quote:
Originally posted by crayzayjay
I understand you fine, I just disagree in that I think it can be worth saving for a company. People buy SEAT’s because they know VW builds them, why wouldn’t people buy a BMW Lancia?
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Yes...that makes sense in the long run. But how much would it cost to bring Lancia into the fold? Add to that the fact that Lancia's have been primarily front-wheel drive for the past thirty years or so. BMW would need to retool all of Lancia's products to have any synergies between the currently front-drive Lancias and the mostly rear-drive BMWs. Once you have a rear-wheel drive Lancia lineup, how much less expensive than the equivalent BMWs would the Lancias be priced? The Ypsilon would be priced about the same as the Mini, the other Lancia products would rival 3- and (possibly) 5-series models in pricing. You want to make Lancia an entry-level brand?
With SEAT, the vehicle has always been positioned as a step (or half step) below Volkswagen. SEAT was always a cheap car, Lancia has always had a price premium over, say, Fiat.
Lancia would gain greatly from BMW's image. But you have to position the brand so it doesn't eat into BMW's sales. Haven't you heard about the erosion of Volkswagen sales due to the fact that SEATs and Skodas are believed to be (and rightfully so) bargain-priced Volkswagens?