NosherN – I’m so sorry to hear that you have had to cancel your X5 order. I’d be surprised if BMW are doing as you suggest though, given that their cars are manufactured in countless different factories in multiple countries and, as a result, they probably source components from different places as well, dependent on where each factory is. The fact that your order (which must be in the top 5% of BMW sales by price) can’t be fulfilled also seems to suggest that the highest value orders are equally affected. I absolutely get the logic that the chips will be prioritised to ensure that standard equipment can be fulfilled as that makes sense, but losing an £86k order such as yours is probably equivalent in value to two or three ‘average’ orders, so it feels as though the pain is being shared evenly! I am anticipating further contact from BMW that yet another option can’t be fulfilled. The loss of Harman/Kardon is a real pain, but if anything else has to go it may be a show stopper and, like you, I may well cancel.
Glos Guy be prepared to be surprised! BMW CEO Oliver Zipse quoted in a recent media article “Zipse said, however, that he did not expect the shortage to have a major impact on production and the company would respond by prioritising production of cars with higher profit margins.”
The fact that vehicles are manufactured and components sourced from different countries has no relevance as each vehicle has unique components, especially where semi conductors are concenrned. It is not possible to take semi conductors from one vehicle line and transfer them to another because it is a more profitable vehicle. It is fact that customer orders are being prioritised based on profit margin within the constraints of maintaining product line up demand. The fact that BMW can dismiss valuable vehicle orders confirms the high demand for such vehicles.