I was hoping BMW would lure me back to their marque with hybrids. If they could retain their handling, fit and finish but increase their fuel efficiency, they’d have had me for sure.

But like this post says, these two hybrids are the wrong choice. I understand the argument that it’s high-end R&D that will trickle down, but if you’ve owned an RX400h like I have, you know that it’s a done-done-done car, not a rolling experiment in luxury-hybrid-ness. BMW is way behind the curve now, and sadly so, given how much I like their cars.

Regarding your sales figures, where did you get those? Not that I doubt them, but I’ve tried in the past to gather such info and was unsuccessful. Thanks in advance.

Also, what’s up with the Tahoe? Why so much interest in July? I asked a dealer last week and he said they were just sitting there.

Also, anyway you could compare the ones you listed with their non-hybrid versions where one exists? Maybe throw in some small ICE, too? Like the Civic, Fit, Yaris, etc.? I’m just curious.

In case you haven’t noticed, all car drivers aren’t tree huggers. The sooner the industry develops more fuel-efficient environmentally friendly vehicles to meet the needs/desires of the non-tree hugging segments, the better.

I attended the Plug-In Conference last week. While pulling out of the parking lot I saw 1 Prius and 2 Teslas. While I was tempted to drag-race one of the Teslas in my 911, I wisely opted not to embarrass myself. If only the Tesla had back seats or the Fisker had a drop-top…

Earlier that day we leased an RX 450h for my wife. Sure it’s not a 50 mpg gas sipper, but she can haul around kids and groceries at the same time and do it at 30 mpg instead of the 12 mpg we were getting in her Mercedes ML 55…and amazingly the RX accelerates almost as quickly!

Ideally, we’d all be riding bicycles most of the time, which is what I do. However, it simply not practical for all of us all of the time. Our vehicle needs and desires are extremely diverse and the sooner the industry and the pundits realize this, the better.

I’ve no interest in purchasing a 20 mpg X6, but someone probably does, and if it’s 20% more fuel efficient than the non-hybrid version, that’s better than nothing.

Some info about sales of Hybrids with V8 engine
Vehicle – (July-2009 / YTD-2009)
Tahoe – (954 / 1964)
Yukon – (117 / 1076)
Escalade – (167 / 1050)
LS600h – (28 / 185)
Silverado – (180 / 650)

Total – (1446 / 4925)

You know how many BMW could sell their 70K machine.
On the other hand
Prius – (19,173 / 74,924)

Small Hybrids are the way to go. More of these are coming.
By 2011, we may have Yaris & Fit Hybrids which may sell even more than Prius if they are priced affordably.

Let’s not forget that Lexus (i.e. Toyota) has their hybrid LS that costs over $100,000 and only gets 21 mpg because of its performance tuned V8. And their hybrid GS that costs over $55,000 and gets 23 mpg. So BMW and to some degree GM are not alone in their thinking that there’s a market for high-end hybrids that aren’t true gas sippers but reduce gas consumption for those who would purchase a high-performance ICE-powered vehicle anyways.

Most of you probably consider these silly and wasteful as do I since they really only provide style and speed. But you probably think my hybrid SUV is silly and wasteful, too, while I consider it very utilitarian for my family. Ultimately the solution is really to get all vehicles to be more fuel efficient. There will always be those that want a bigger or faster or more stylish car. That’s why they exist. There’s a market for them.

Except for the BMW X6. It’s too ugly.

BMW clients are more likely to be the globe-trotting, business-class seating type, with memberships to the local country clubs. Especially higher-end Beamers like these.

While most Americans would see this as superficial, many upper income Americans do see a difference between pulling up to the local country club in a Honda Accord Hybrid vs a BMW Hybrid.

So while it’s nowhere near the 100 mpg BMW Hybrid that we had all hoped for, it’s a start.