BMW UK announces SatNav as Standard Feature

[Hugo_za]

BMW UK is pleased to announce that from September 2015, BMW Navigation will be included as standard equipment across the range. From July onwards, the BMW 2 Series Convertible and 2 Series Active Tourer will receive navigation as a standard feature. In addition to this, the BMW Z4 range will receive BMW Professional Navigation also from July production onwards. In September going forwards the BMW 1 Series range and 2 Series Coupé will include navigation as standard.

Foll release can be read HERE. Now I only hope that BMW SA will follow in their footsteps.

 

[cOlDFuSiOn]

Good move, I am very happy I have it in mine.. No more garmin chaos!

 

[MikeR]

:coolShake: I dont understand why their units where so pricey in the first place - all u need is integration with one of the manufactures and thats it R2000 should be what its at and not R20 000

 

[Jerez]

That's great news cos you can only get sat nav as part of the media pack at the mo me thinks.
Wife's car had to be spec'd with media pack/business media for sat nav option.


Good news

 

[prospect]

BMW SA will probably do the same, along with an unannounced price increase of R20k across the board.

 

[Hugo_za]

The infotainment units are built by Harman/Becker. They actually build systems for several manufacturers so the price that BMW charges for the satnav is the same as pretty much any other part not manufactured by them.

That being said, 15 years ago a cost of R20k for satnav was justifiable given the cost of the technology. Nowaday however I think that it's a blatant rip off to (a) charge for it in the first place and (b) put a R20k price tag on it.

BMW UK has done a smart thing by offering it as standard as it increases the value proposition of their cars, but then again Mercedes and Audi in UK have been doing it for quite some time too...