What are the reasons for BMW stopping accepting custom orders for the 5Au?
3 Answers
Below are the reasons why BMW has stopped accepting custom orders for the 5Au: Policy changes: Since ordered vehicles may span across quarters, the business policies provided by BMW manufacturers are subject to change. It is unlikely to secure the same discounts for ordered vehicles as those available for in-stock vehicles. Customers may opt to pay a flexible customization fee upfront. Dealer financing: When 4S dealerships place orders with BMW Brilliance and BMW China, full payment is required. If a customer places a custom order, assuming a production cycle of three months, the dealership would have to advance the full payment for three months, resulting in a loss of three months' interest. This arrangement is not cost-effective for dealerships, leading to the gradual phasing out of custom orders.
Recently, while helping a friend order a car, I heard that BMW has temporarily suspended the 5AU optional package, mainly due to supply chain issues. The 5AU driving assistance system has extremely high chip requirements, and even BMW couldn't withstand the global chip shortage. Several new 5 Series cars at my repair shop are stuck at the port due to delayed radar module deliveries, so the manufacturer has temporarily stopped allowing owners to freely choose this option. In fact, if you order the 5AU now, delivery might not happen until next year's model refresh, so it might be better to wait for the new model directly. I recommend keeping an eye on BMW's official website for updates; the configuration should reopen once chip production capacity recovers, as this is one of BMW's signature technologies.
As someone who frequently studies vehicle configurations, I've noticed that BMW's suspension of 5AU customization is related to product iteration. The Mobileye chip this system relies on is about to be replaced by a new-generation solution, much like how older smartphone processors are phased out. At a brand event last week, engineers mentioned that the existing 5AU's millimeter-wave radar has compatibility redundancy with the new iDrive 8.5 system, and the hardware specifications are outdated. Rather than continuing to produce hardware that will soon be obsolete, it makes more sense to focus resources on preparing the new platform. If you're interested, you might want to wait for the Neue Klasse platform set to launch at year-end—its level of intelligence is even more promising.
