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Should BMW add Triumph as its fourth brand?

09/28/2007, 9:10 AM

By Drew Johnson

BMW should resurrect the Triumph brand, automotive columnist Rick Kranz suggests. As previously reported, BMW is still considering a fourth brand, but so far the search has turned up no solid candidates.

BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer said the new brand would have to help BMW retain its “premium business [...] not the near-premium business, nor the mass market segment” — a requirement the Triumph brand could meet.

Triumph — a brand best known for its sports cars of the 60s and 70s — is still a respected and well-known name today. What’s more, the architecture of the upcoming BMW 1-series could be an ideal platform — including powertrain configurations — for a 21st century TR6 or Spitfire .

According Kranz, whose opinion piece appeared in Automotive News Europe today, BMW could sell the Triumph brand through its Mini dealership network. Although Mini will soon introduce the Clubman and an SUV, its entire lineup will continue to be fairly similar. Selling the Triumph brand at Mini stores could ensure dealerships would have enough product diversity to help sustain profitability. Kranz says a Triumph sports car could slot above the Mini but below the BMW Z4.

Lending more credence to a BMW-built Triumph is the fact that BMW already owns the Triumph name.

Although BMW hasn’t indicated what brands it’s considering for a fourth brand, the case for Triumph seems to make sense. It meets the requirements set out by Reithofer — including incorporating BMW’s sporty brand image — and, aside from the Z4, would place BMW in a segment it doesn’t currently occupy.

Monish K Bhatia contributed to this report.

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09/28, 10:18 AM

posted by:

55amg

????

09/28, 10:24 AM

posted by:

LamborghiniZ

This would be real cool

09/28, 10:32 AM

posted by:

RicardoHead

and Made in China to boot?

09/28, 10:42 AM

posted by:

Fletch

Does Triumph = premium business?

I don’t really see the point of a 4th brand. Are they looking for volume?

09/28, 10:44 AM

posted by:

F451

My first automobile was a TR3A so this would be like coming home to me.

09/28, 11:35 AM

posted by:

Impulsive

“Head-giver”, if you knew ANYTHING about running a business, not like your failure in Germany with sewer cleaning, you’d realize building in China is a no-brainer … kind of like the contents of your skull.

09/28, 11:36 AM

posted by:

CTS DRIVER

WHO HOLDS THE RIGHTS TO TRUIMPH MOTORCYCLES AND IF IT IS GOING TO BE BMW THEN THEY COMPETE WITH THEMSELVES? JUST LIKE AUDI/VW/LAMBO?

09/28, 11:36 AM

posted by:

Jazz

They should be looking for a volume brand to sell in China if you ask me.

09/28, 11:39 AM

posted by:

CTS DRIVER

ANOTHER THOUGHT WOULDNT IT BE IRONIC FOR BMW TO MAKE A SPITFIRE, LOOKS LIKE GERMANY ACTUALLY DID WIN THE WAR WITH ENGLAND AS THEY OWN MOST OF THEIR ASSETS AND THEIR MANUFACTURING BASE THAT MADE ALL OF THE WWII EQUIPMENT.

09/28, 11:55 AM

posted by:

Brendino

you don’t need to shout!

this would be sweet, but I dunno how much cash it’d generate for BMW.

09/28, 12:07 PM

posted by:

Renton

CTS Driver — “WHO HOLDS THE RIGHTS TO TRUIMPH MOTORCYCLES..?”

Triumph motocycles is owned by rich Brit John Bloor, and he has been building them since the early 90’s.

They are good bikes and often sold along side BMWs is many dealerships. BMW/Triumph/Ducati/Aprila go good together on a sales floor.

http://www.triumph.co.uk/usa/

BMW is probably the only company that could do the Triumph car brand justice. They have been very succesful with the redesigns of Mini, Rolls Royce and Range Rover. Why not Triumph?

09/28, 12:14 PM

posted by:

1c3d0g

See? I told you bastards in one of the earlier posts that Triumph might be making a comeback. I’m all for it, and BMW could definitely pull off a successful launch.

09/28, 12:23 PM

posted by:

motorheader

CTS D : BMW ownes the right to the Triumph CAR brand, while the MC is an independant company. BMW got the right to several brands when it bought Austin Rover and only sold Land Rover/ Range Rover to Ford, and Rover to the company that now has sold out to China. They kept the rest of the brands. The rights to the Rover brand was later sold to Ford.

09/28, 1:09 PM

posted by:

murphy1

i like the idea, but they should go a step further and take on a fifth company. since gm has never and will never make pontiac what its mantra suggests, bmw could pull it off in a big way. a small but potent lineup, with a muscle car and a couple of entries to match the elite supercars….pontiac has never really fit at gm and it seems such a waste for a company that has more than held its own in the motorsports world, especially over the last decade. and the fact that since the early 60’s pontiac has openly admitted to aspire be like bmw, split grille theme, it just makes sense… which i guess is why it wont happen!! i do like the triumph idea though….

09/28, 1:15 PM

posted by:

CTS DRIVER

thanks guys, i want a k1100, i have always loved bmw motorcycles, i also have owned a 66 triumph bonneville which i adored, an 86 cagiva allazurra 650 ss which i loved and a 93 ducati 900 ss what a beauty. i am looking at a ktm exc 250 rite now, and really dontknow much about aprilia YET.
The only honda i have owned was an 86 vf1000r it was big sleek and very comfy for a 6 foot 2 guy at 230 pounds.

09/28, 1:43 PM

posted by:

meanpants555

Basing some small sport cars on the Mini platform would work, but Triumph can’t really be considered premium brand. I thought BMW owned the Riley nameplate as well…

09/28, 1:44 PM

posted by:

meanpants555

Learn to drive a stick on a Triumph Spitfire, loved that car…

09/28, 1:57 PM

posted by:

terminator

Triumph is a great brand and would be a cool resurection if BMW decided this.

Someome mentioned BMW and Triumph motorcycles competing against themselves. I don’t think this is really the case, although they do have a few competing models BMW is a much more high class and expensive motorcycle. The real benefit would probably be to Triumph if they were able to share technology with BMW.

I’ve always thought of Triumph as sort of like TVR’s and I think that would be cool if they went that route and built lightweight funky no holds barred sports cars like TVR, but with much better quality and reliability of course.

09/28, 2:13 PM

posted by:

Madcapp

yes, that’s a no-brainer. Modernized, non-rusting TR-6 please.

09/28, 2:37 PM

posted by:

jackjimturkey

CTS Driver: BMW motorcycles never really worked for me.

I like Hogs (of course, Hondas and Kawasakis. Stars and Buells are nice, as well — cruisers only

09/28, 2:39 PM

posted by:

meanpants555

I am hyped if BMW buys Lotus off of Proton.

09/28, 3:07 PM

posted by:

inline6

PERFECT idea.

Triumph could be the perfect companion to MINI. If marketed as a British Mazda, it’d give BMW the volume they need, while giving MINI a set of platforms to work with, without having to dilute the MINI concept with endless derivations.

So yeah…Triumph-branded Focus (Dolomite), Mondeo (Vanguard), Kuga (Herald), Smart roadster (Spitfire) and MX5 competitors (TR) would fit in perfectly between the MINI and BMW lines.

They’d just have to make the Triumph brand a bit more performance-oriented, with sportier styling than what most of the volume class (Ford, Opel/Vauxhall, etc.) shows.

09/28, 3:40 PM

posted by:

jackjimturkey

“Im gonna let ‘em know that Dolomite is my name and ****in up mother ****ers is my game!”,

09/28, 3:42 PM

posted by:

Piablo

Inline6 – Exactly. Mini was clearly not a marque brand and I would argue it still isn’t. But BWM made it reputable and desireable. I think a new Spitfire sold along side Minis would be a gold mine. My dad still talks about racing his Spitfire against a 308GTB through the city and kicking it’s ass.

09/28, 6:10 PM

posted by:

Driven

Triumph has a cult following in the US and I’m guessing it does around the world. A Triumph styled car with a BMW sourced motor would make a great entry/mid level sports car. A BMW powered triumph would be real competition for the Solstice\Sky & Miata.

Piablo, I agree Mini wasnt a luxury brand but it was a unique car with a strong following. That market was virutally untouched at the time and there was a need for a small car that wasnt a cheap crapbox made by a mass production car company. BMW made a small car that is at the upper level of its segment.

Same thing can be done with the Triumph by using its good following and placing it at the upper level of the small euro-inspired sports roadster.

09/28, 6:10 PM

posted by:

Impulsive

… kind of like your mom talks about riding me and afterwards having me kick you dad’s ass?

Proving you’re still an idiot huh? MINI not a marque brand … you’re out to lunch, monkey.

09/28, 6:46 PM

posted by:

autonutt

To me, this makes perfect sense with BMW’s future plans.. there seem to be rampant rumors about BMW marketing a sub-Z4 roadster and a sub-X3 SUV.. why not give the SUV to Mini, give the roadster (and a GT coupe) to Triumph, and stop diluting the BMW brand name so far downmarket.

09/28, 6:53 PM

posted by:

Deanster

Piablo says this “I still remember my dad racing a 308 in his Spitfire and kicking it’s ass”

But he really heard this from his dad: “I’m gonna spit all over your ass and **** it all over this city”

09/28, 6:53 PM

posted by:

Deanster

Impulsive, you’re a ****ing genius!!!!! LOL!!!!

09/28, 6:54 PM

posted by:

Driven

I agree with autonut. I like the idea of Triumph owned by BMW.

09/28, 8:56 PM

posted by:

Impulsive

No Deanster … I have to admit I’m beat on the sharp insults … you are the king.

09/29, 1:14 PM

posted by:

sharpie

To triumph or not to triumph? Really buy Jag and Land Rover and changed the company name German Leyland!

09/29, 2:14 PM

posted by:

BLISS

IF THEY DO, I HOPE IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL THEM THEM IN A GOOD WAY.

09/29, 11:49 PM

posted by:

peter g

How about Austin Healey?

09/30, 9:05 PM

posted by:

Ian

I think BMW can pull that off real easy.

10/01, 4:47 PM

posted by:

deutschetouring1337

Triumph wont be it, the market is flooded with Hondas S2K, BMW Z4, Lotus Exige/Elise and Audi TT. All are direct competitors. Also Ford owns Rover, and Nanjing owns the name and MG division. BMW will continue with Mini I dont see how or where you gota your information cross-refing this?

10/02, 7:35 AM

posted by:

Piablo

I don’t think the Triumph would be competeing with $40k cars. Triump was never an expensive above average brand. Miata’s and Solstice’s would be Triumph competitors.

 
 
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