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BMW CEO Confirms New i Model, Bigger than the i3

After months of guessing and rumors coming in from different sources, the current BMW CEO, Mr. Harald Krueger, has come out to confirm that the i3 and i8 models will get a more practical brother. The news came during an interview with German magazine Die Zeit and that was about it.
BMW i8 rear end 1 photo
Photo: Catalin Garmacea
No further details about the car have been offered other than the fact that it will be bigger than the i3 and, therefore, more practical. Sources claim that the future car, possibly named i5, will be a crossover or a sedan. Either version would make sense, but we’re inclined to believe it’s going to be a sedan after all, despite the current popularity the SUV segment is experiencing.

The move is justified by the increasing demand for i cars, according to Mr. Krueger, even though, overall, in the grand scheme of the BMW Group, the i3 and i8 are still making up a rather small amount of the total sales. Bringing another model to the market would give the sub-brand a boost, however, as the man himself admitted.

This was the first interview since the new BMW CEO fainted on the stage at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2015. Speaking about the event, the man said that he was overwhelmed by the support he received both from family and friends but co-workers as well.

The one thing he regrets the most is that he didn’t get to present the cars as he was supposed to and the hard work of everyone involved in organizing the event went down the drain. Furthermore, it was supposed to be a presentation that showed everyone the new 7 Series, an iconic model for the brand, as it is the most advanced car the Bavarians have ever built.

Getting back to the issue at hand, the CEO didn’t hesitate to also call for more help from the Government to make electric cars more attractive, something that has become a sort of habit amongst big carmakers these days.

“We need more government funding of electric mobility. [If Germany] wants to make a leap towards sustainable mobility, it will not do without additional government incentives. For this purpose, it also needs the support of the federal government, it's not just the automakers, it is also about the whole middle class,” said BMW’s Chairman.
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