[TankerJoe]

BMW bulked up on cash reserves over the past two periods of near consecutive economic downturn. The company began to sense a few years ago that the recession would end in late 2014 or early 15, and that consumer should break out of their shells to buy a wide range of the BMW offerings.
The decisions that BMW has made at the macro level were to invest in capital improvements to support the new vehicle lines which would ultimately result in greater market share.
That said, the recent introductions of modifications in their coupes and sedans is definitely paying off. The release of the new SUVs is a real gamble as buyers may find it hard to distinguish among all of the different models.
Finally, BMW is just dipping its toe into the water in the i-cars. It needs to establish a broader logistical support structure in charging stations to be competitive in the i-car market.