BMW's Project-i will build 'premium vehicles'

By Ben Whitworth

Motor Industry

05 March 2009 16:02

BMW’s much vaunted Project-i will adopt a radical new approach to mass transport for growing urban populations – but only for those that can afford it. 'These vehicles will be premium vehicles,' Project-i leader Dr Ulrich Kranz told CAR at the Geneva motor show. 'They will not be Tata Nano rivals – no way! We can and will only build premium cars.'

Initiated in 2007, Project-i is BMW’s bold new strategy to develop a raft of revolutionary two, three and four-wheeled vehicles to answer the mobility demands of specific mega-cities such as London, New York, Tokyo, Mexico City and Shanghai.

Backed by BMW boss Norbert Reithofer, Kranz – a key figure in the development of the Mini – will draw owner feedback from the 515 electric Mini E models currently in use in America and Germany to plan the Project-i cars. 'These will assist our learning process of what urban customers want and need,' said Kranz.

In a word, yes. And BMW has yet to decide whether these vehicles will wear blue and white propellers on their noses. 'We don’t yet know if we need another brand to market these cars,' said Kranz. 'But it could be that we do…'

The cars will initially be built in Germany, but as sales grow BWM will install production plants as close to the markets as possible. 'But they will be built by BMW in BMW factories – we wouldn't consider outsourcing production to a third party,' elaborated Kranz.

By Ben Whitworth