Business – Marcel Driessen: something new at BMW Motorrad! – Interview with Marcel Driessen by Moto-Net.Com

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Marcel Driessen: something new at BMW Motorrad !

Business - Marcel Driessen: something new at BMW Motorrad! - Interview with Marcel Driessen by Moto-Net.Com

Meeting with Marcel Driessen, new CEO of BMW Motorrad France since his departure from Piaggio: a motivated young leader whose objective is to modernize the image of BMW. Its ambitions, new products, the future BMW scooter, the network: MNC interview.

Interview of Marcel Driessen by Site

Site: Why did you leave the head of Piaggio France to take that of BMW Motorrad France ?
Marcel Driessen : First of all, it is the desire to embark on a new big challenge, to bring something new to the BMW brand. But it’s also a need to reconnect with the culture and my German roots. Finally, BMW Motorrad is firmly determined to invest and succeed in the long term: I like this desire and this vision..

"In France, motorcyclists are looking for the right quality / price ratio"

MNC: What did you learn from the French motorcycle market last year, when you were at the head of Piaggio ?
Mr. D. : Mainly the fact that the French use their motorcycles on a daily basis. Elsewhere, the use of a motorcycle is more geared towards leisure. But in Paris and in the South in particular, two-wheelers are used to go to work. I understand better the success of RT! And then I realized that the image of the motorcycle does not matter as much as in other countries. Many here are looking for good value for money, hence the Z750’s excellent sales. I also remembered the "boom" of the scooter, and in particular that of the MP3 LT !

MNC: Exactly! Shouldn’t BMW, to which we owe the C1 fire, think about a three-wheeler, as Peugeot does in particular? ?
Mr. D. : I’m not sure … The niche may be closed because of the legislation. However, we must be sure to amortize research and development costs which would be very important on this type of vehicle. In addition, this product works well only in France and Germany … But considering the current French market, of course I would like a BMW "MP3" !

MNC: On the other hand, you can confirm that BMW is working on a two-wheeled scooter !
Mr. D. : Yes, BMW does work on a scooter. The displacement will not be 125 cc but much more, in order to compete with the Tmax. In terms of sports maxiscooter, it is the benchmark in the main European markets: France, Italy, Spain … And it is without competition! Gilera has tried to impose his GP800, but this brand and its network mainly sells 50 cc. They did not find their customers. At BMW, we will also have to communicate so that people have the idea of ​​coming to us to find their big scooter. To attract them, we will have to gain credibility by bringing innovations.

"The displacement of the future BMW scooter will not be 125 cc but much more, in order to compete with the Tmax"

MNC: Can we imagine that, like the S1000RR, this new BMW scooter stands out from the wording of its technical sheet as a new reference in this segment, in direct opposition to the Tmax? Yamaha has also reviewed its bestseller recently but without increasing its power … Are you going to be noticed again on this point ?
Mr. D. : There is certainly a place to take because the Tmax is alone. This is why the displacement of the future BMW scooter will not be limited to 250 or 300 cc! The goal is to make an extremely good product, in keeping with our Premium brand image. Moreover, the image of the scooter in general must evolve. The MP3 helped the scooter to develop and open up new horizons. With the next BMW, we want to offer people a product that does not yet exist.

MNC: Will we have the chance to discover it soon, at the Cologne show in October for example? ?
Mr. D. : No, it will not be presented in Cologne this year. Patience…

MNC: BMW would also be eyeing the customs side. Can you tell us more ?
Mr. D. : Ah, I’m an old custom fan … I’ve had Harleys! At the moment, I am not aware of BMW’s plans for this segment. It’s not easy: in the late 90s, BMW dealers struggled to sell the R 1200 C Cruiser (yet that of Pierce Brosnan in Tomorrow never dies, Editor’s note!). Well, today they are very popular, like the C1, but at the time it was difficult! You need authenticity and legitimacy to succeed in this niche. It’s a bit like in Enduro, where the G450X struggles to win. It shows how hard it is to build an image. But BMW is really interested in the custom market: last year they only sold 10,000 motorcycles in the United States. Here too there is an opportunity for the brand. As such, I think the Lo Rider concept is interesting (read, NDLR).

MNC: You told us about the upcoming arrival of a new 6-cylinder "K". What will be the displacement and when will we see it ?
Mr. D. : Info will arrive at the end of July and I can not reveal anything for the moment. But it will be a six-cylinder because the engineers in Munich have a great deal of expertise in the matter.. (Site insists, Editor’s note). Let’s say it will cub more than 1200 cc and less than 2 liters. I’ll let you decide … The model is ready, they drove a lot in the United States and she will arrive soon !

MNC: You spoke of "GT" while your predecessor spoke to us of "LT" (read) … So, are you going to release a new GT-sport or an anti-GoldWing? ?
Mr. D. : Again, you ask me too much … It may be both! But like I said, it won’t be a record displacement, so don’t expect a real "GoldWing Killer".

"A six-cylinder ‘GT’ or ‘LT’ K? Maybe both!"

MNC: BMW wishes to rejuvenate its customers: how do you plan to help the network to apprehend these new customers, which one could qualify by caricaturing "young enthusiasts close to their money" ?
Mr. D. : BMW’s desire to rejuvenate its customers and its image is not recent. But with new products like the K1300s at the end of 2008, things were wrong. BMW now owns the S1000RR, which arouses more curiosity and interest thanks to its maximum performance. Okay, Kawasaki is coming with a new ZX-10R (read) and Ducati are in the running, but our Superbike sets the standard. And then there is above all the F800R, an excellent roadster for less than € 8,000: its only fault is not being sufficiently well known to lovers of mid-size roadsters….

MNC: What concrete levers do you have to attract this new clientele to BMW dealers? ?
Mr. D. : We will help them, for example, through a Road Show. Two teams will crisscross the north and south of France with around twenty vehicles, in order to organize test days at our dealers. We are not yet sufficiently integrated into the reference framework of the French biker. It’s up to us to prove that we have a real motorcycle culture. The S1000RR has already helped us a lot by winning many comparos, dominating with Erwan (Nigon, NDLR) and Sebastien (Gimbert, NDLR) this start of the French Superbike season and on the podium in the SBK World Cup with Troy (Corser, NDLR). GSX-R 1000 owners know the S1000RR exists. Not sure, however, that Z750 enthusiasts automatically think of the F800R … It’s up to us to put this bike in contact with bikers! After all, Triumph sold 3000 Street Triple well in France last year: it’s an aggressive bike that is very popular and I’m sure we can do very well with ours. !

MNC: How are you going to convince BMW dealers to sell these models better? ?
Mr. D. : To boost sales, dealers must have the desire and / or the time … If they do not focus their work on new customers, things are wrong. We have invested in these new products and we must receive in return. Of course, this is not directly the dealer’s problem. But they shouldn’t just sell what customers have come to buy! Selling is not taking advantage of a one-off enthusiasm for such and such a thing, but it is a real process. You have to attract, welcome, make people want, trigger the purchase, etc..

MNC: Which models of the range have you tried with the journalists today ?
Mr. D. : The F800R, the R1200GS Adventure and the G650S. The F800R is very manoeuvrable and light, it was perfect for the small roads of this magnificent region. The Adventure is more designed to travel the world. I was pleasantly surprised by the little 650.

"The R1200GS is my favorite"

MNC: Which motorcycle do you personally prefer in the BMW range ?
Mr. D. : I would say the R1200GS, for its versatility. I took a walk with a dealer last Sunday, we went to Mont Ventoux. It’s crazy how much the GS makes you want to drive. In addition it is very effective, you can almost put the knee! However, on a daily basis I drive an F800R, it is more suited to the city. In the same genre, there is the R1200R that we tend to forget. But the R1200GS remains my favorite !

Interview by Matthieu BRETILLE

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