According to Satch Carlson at Roundel, there are multiple shake-ups occurring within the four walls of BMW's M Division with the biggest change being the reassignment of Ludwig Willisch, President of BMW M GmbH to a position as Head of European Sales. He is being replaced by Dr. Kay Segler, VP at Mini.This news may signal the suspected change that BMW's M Division will be moving towards smaller, lighter M-series cars in the future, discarding amenities such as power seats and sunroofs, and moving further towards pressurized high-power 4-cylinder engines. Full story below, thanks Satch and Roundel!
Willisch reassigned as head of Euro sales
The reassignment of Ludwig Willisch (52), who as president of BMW M GmbH oversaw a sales increase of BMW M products by some 50% last year to more than 24,000 units. Willisch was adamant about the importance of M within the overall structure of BMW; he had promised a new generation of smaller, lighter M cars—hinting openly of an M car based on the next-generation 1 Series—and declaring that the next M3 will return to six-cylinder power. . . and then tossing a grenade by refusing to say whether it will be a straight six or a V6.
Perhaps Willisch’s success at M led to his new assignment: head of the BMW Group’s European sales region, responsible for sales of BMW and Mini in all European countries outside of Germany. With sales of 517,000 vehicles in 2008, this region accounts for 39% of the BMW Group’s total global retail volume, making it the most important of the company’s six regions in terms of sales performance. (For M cars, of course, the U.S. remains the 800-pound gorilla.)
Willisch’s successor at BMW M GmbH will be Dr. Kay Segler, 54, best known as a vice president at Mini. BMW says, “Until now, Dr. Segler has been responsible for the 100 markets around the world that BMW Group Sales serves via local importers. His previous positions include four years as brand manager for Mini and a period as director of the BMW Group’s regional office in Singapore.”
Hmmm. If you start hearing rumors about a Mini M, you’ll know why.—Satch Carlson
Willisch out at M GmbH by
Willisch reassigned as head of Euro sales
The reassignment of Ludwig Willisch (52), who as president of BMW M GmbH oversaw a sales increase of BMW M products by some 50% last year to more than 24,000 units. Willisch was adamant about the importance of M within the overall structure of BMW; he had promised a new generation of smaller, lighter M cars—hinting openly of an M car based on the next-generation 1 Series—and declaring that the next M3 will return to six-cylinder power. . . and then tossing a grenade by refusing to say whether it will be a straight six or a V6.
Perhaps Willisch’s success at M led to his new assignment: head of the BMW Group’s European sales region, responsible for sales of BMW and Mini in all European countries outside of Germany. With sales of 517,000 vehicles in 2008, this region accounts for 39% of the BMW Group’s total global retail volume, making it the most important of the company’s six regions in terms of sales performance. (For M cars, of course, the U.S. remains the 800-pound gorilla.)
Willisch’s successor at BMW M GmbH will be Dr. Kay Segler, 54, best known as a vice president at Mini. BMW says, “Until now, Dr. Segler has been responsible for the 100 markets around the world that BMW Group Sales serves via local importers. His previous positions include four years as brand manager for Mini and a period as director of the BMW Group’s regional office in Singapore.”
Hmmm. If you start hearing rumors about a Mini M, you’ll know why.—Satch Carlson
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