BMW is rolling out a new dealership standard and holding regional meetings to allay concerns about the program and what it will cost, says Steve Late, chairman of the BMW National Dealer Forum.
The oldest stores will have to be revamped first under the Future Retail 2016 facilities program introduced last year, said Late, president of BMW of Austin, a Penske Automotive Group store.
"Anytime the manufacturer brings out a program that involves bricks and mortar and processes and changes, everybody gets antsy with, 'What will it cost me, and what will it entail?'" said Late.
"They get out into the field, and they have a consistent message with your regional management people and an architectural firm to work with you -- or you can work with your personal architect," he said.
"It never fails: Once you have that meeting and that one-on-one and get your questions answered is when the dealers get calm."
An unanswered concern is how BMW will deal with the shortage of the i-series electric and hybrid plug-in cars. BMW told dealers that sales of the i3 electric and i8 plug-in sports car exceeded targets. Late said dealers weren't given sales projections. But dealers don't anticipate they'll get enough i8s to fill their extensive order banks -- at least not this year. BMW has 338 dealerships in the United States.
Dealers also are waiting for a vehicle they've been requesting for years -- the new full-size X7 crossover. The X7 won't be on sale for several years and will be built at BMW's factory in Spartanburg, S.C.
