BMW's new 5-series now accounts for 40 per cent of BMW's Irish business, according to Conrad Schmidt, managing director of BMW Ireland. "That's a record - we never had that sort of share here before."
He was speaking yesterday at the Irish press launch of the 5-series Touring which is expected to account for 100 more cars this year and 200 next year with additional derivatives on stream.
The launch was centred on one of BMW's showcase dealerships, Conlans in the small Co Kildare village of Rathangan on the Grand Canal. It has just been redeveloped at a cost of over €3 million.
The Touring range has 525 petrol and diesel, 530 diesel and 545 petrol versions with prices starting from €60,000 ex-works. Key features of the Touring include an extra 125 litre of load space compared with the previous model, a split opening tailgate, and a lockable floor. In manual form six-speed gearboxes are standard.
Present in Rathangan yesterday was Dr Peter Nefischer from BMW's diesel development centre in Steyr, Austria. He indicated that diesel development in terms of being clean, green and economical was near the optimum state. "Certainly our new Euro 4 engines are a big step but I think the future is going to be small steps."
What about a diesel version of the Z4 for instance? "I don't think it will happen. It's probably a step too far. But we do a diesel coupé so the shape can be glamorous. There could be a diesel cabriolet - haven't decided."
Steyr, 300 kilometres from BMW's Munich base, is also a major engine plant producing 600,000 diesel and petrol engines annually and employing 3,000. The diesel development centre adjoining employs 300.
Last year BMW produced 340,000 diesel cars, and this year the figure will be around 400,000. Worldwide its diesel share is 30 per cent, while Europe is 50 per cent. Irish BMW diesel sales, however, account for 25 per cent.