Driven: Inside BMW, the Most Admired Car Company in the World
Praise for Driven\ "A lot of us in the auto industry watch and study BMW closely because it does so many things right. Lately, it has made many controversial choices in designs and new products that are testing its track record. David Kiley does an excellent and timely job of exploring what has been right about BMW and asking the right questions about whether it will continue to lead the industry in brand and product focus and excellence. A fascinating read."\ Bob Lutz Vice Chairman of...
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BMW is perhaps the most admired carmaker in the world–renowned for a level of luxury and performance that inspires near-fanatical loyalty in its customers. While other carmakers struggle with falling sales even with hefty rebates, BMW can’t seem to make cars fast enough. Combining world-class engineering, intelligent management, and a unique corporate culture, BMW produces consistently superior cars that are the most benchmarked vehicles in the industry.In Driven, David Kiley presents an inside look at the fabled automaker, revealing the business philosophy and practices that make BMW more than just another carmaker, and the unsurpassed quality that makes a "Bimmer" more than just a car. With uncommon access to BMW executives and records, Kiley explains how the company emerged from the wreckage of World War II to become the most respected car producer and one of the most profitable automakers in the world.Kiley examines the business practices that put BMW on top, and the marketing efforts that keep it there. BMW’s brand strength and knack for developing the most sought-after cars in the world inspire jealousy and admiration among marketers everywhere. Its well-crafted brand message–The Ultimate Driving Machine–is widely admired for its clarity and consistency, just as BMW’s cars are admired for their authenticity and performance. More than just a company, BMW is an iconic symbol of the successful rebirth of German industry. For the first time in the U.S. media, Kiley introduces readers to the family behind BMW’s success–the mysterious and secretive Quandts. Behind the walls of the family compound in Bad Homburg lives Johanna Quandt, one of Europe’s wealthiest and most reclusive women, and her equally wealthy adult children, Stefan and Susanne, who successfully engineered a management coup in 1999. Driven not only tells the story of BMW, but also the story of one of the most powerful families in Europe.Excepting the occasional speed bump, BMW has seen more than four decades of steady growth and success. Kiley explores the company’s ups and downs from top to bottom, including the disastrous acquisition and eventual divestiture of the British Rover Group and the controversial hiring of head designer Chris Bangle. For business leaders who want to emulate the company’s excellence, Driven digs deep to reveal the practices that make BMW the king of the road.
AcknowledgmentsIntroduction11The Ultimate Cars72The Ultimate History473The Ultimate Family814The Ultimate Brand1075The Ultimate Stylists1516The Ultimate Blunder1957The Ultimate Brand Expansion2318The Ultimate Hydrogen Future273Epilogue: The Ultimate Outlook293Notes297Index303
