Bragging about Long Cycle Time?

Thanks to a reader, Ryan, for sending this in (click
here for an image). He asked why BMW would brag about it taking
SEVEN years to develop a new vehicle? This is much slower than the
industry average.

Most auto industry focus is on speeding product development times,
to get new vehicles and new features to market faster. I’m not a
product development expert, by any means, but I know Toyota had
always been much faster than the rest of the industry because of
their product development system. GM and the others have gotten
much faster, but Toyota still leads that race, right?

Is BMW assuming the car buying public is impressed by their
devotion, that they didn’t rush this new vehicle to market, ala
“No Wine
Before Its Time?” When I toured the BMW plant in South Carolina
a few years back, they bragged (to a public tour) about how many
inspections they did at the end of the line. Again, I assume people
are impressed by that.

But, as Lean Thinkers, we’ll ask “Why don’t you build in quality
instead of relying on inspections and rework?” the same way we’ll
ask “Shouldn’t you be able to develop a new car in LESS than seven
years?” I guess this is why BMW isn’t known as a Lean
Manufacturer?

Related Reading: The Toyota
Product Development System: Integrating People, Process And
Technology