Customer Reviews

Driven: Inside BMW, the Most Admired Car Company in the World

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I got this book because I like to follow the automotive industry, rather than because I am a BMW fan. Reading "Driven" was both enjoyable and frustrating...the story is told reasonably well, although it drags a bit in its description of BMW stylists in Chapter 5, for example. But the missing link to me was the lack of followup in some topics.

The book comprises eight chapters with an introduction and epilogue. Each chapter title plays off the "Ultimate Driving Machine" ad line; in order, they are:
- "The Ultimate Cars" discusses the product line, and I felt that a little too much adulation came out here (the author is a 3-time BMW owner IIRC)
- "The Ultimate History" was a disappointment, completely omitting any discussion of motorcycles and only sparsely covering the aero engine side of the company. The author does eventually admit that the owners of BMW were (...)employing slave labor; while a lot of companies and industrialists in Weimar Germany supported the (...)party just to go along with the current power, but the author seemed to try to apologize too much for this facet of BMW's history.
- "The Ultimate Family" covers the Quandts, who have controlled BMW for over 40 years, along with Varta batteries and several other large German companies. This seemed a little circumspect, although I can certainly understand a need to protect sources and hold back a bit.
- "The Ultimate Brand" includes the history of BMW's advertising in the US, which is treated reasonably interestingly. (David Kiley also wrote a book on the classic VW ads in the US, and is probably the most qualified person to address this part of BMW.)
- "The Ultimate Stylists" covers the designers of the cars; not bad, although the coverage of current styling gaffes and the widely panned iDrive system drags a bit.
- "The Ultimate Blunder" talks about BMW's acquisition of Rover cars in the UK. Fairly well done - IMHO this probably worked out to BMW's long term advantage, since recovering from the red ink kept them from some other acquisition blunders.
- "The Ultimate Brand Expansion" discusses the Mini and Rolls-Royce products (both now owned by BMW). I felt the coverage was pretty good.
- and finally - you were probably wondering when this was going to end - "The Ultimate Hydrogen Future" ponders BMW's direction in hydrogen-fueled cars. A little too much blue sky for my tastes, but probably unavoidable due to the topic.

The author quotes many auto industry notables, but not in enough depth for my tastes. For instance, Jim Harbour, whose firm is widely used as a productivity consultant, is quoted a few times. But...one of Harbour's most widely watched annual productions is a comparison of auto plant productivity worldwide, including hours to build a car. Please, Mr. Kiley, how about some more words on BMW's productivity versus the US and Japan rather than lyrical discussions of handling? I can go to "Car and Driver" for that stuff.

This is not Halberstram's "The Reckoning" by any means.

Overall, I'd give this book three and a half stars. If you follow the automotive industry, there are some interesting insights with a little too much fluff. If you are a BMW fan, you will probably enjoy the book. Despite some of my comments, it's worth a read.

Driven captures BMW at a very interesting time. As a three-time BMW owner, I have been facinated by how this company I love so much has been changing and shaking things up. Why have the designs been shaken up so much? Why did they acquire Rolls Royce and Mini? Kiley does a splendid job of exploring this, as well as a terrific chapter on the mysterious Quandt family that conrols BMW, and another on the ill-fated attempt to run the British company Rover. A great peak inside one of the world's most intriguing companies.

300 pages of BMW. It should be ultimate bliss for any car enthusiast. But it turns out to be a bit of a drag, like a car stuck in third gear, promises that it has the power to go, but just cannot deliver the power.

The book is a fairly good history of how an aircraft manufacturing company with known prowess in making aircraft engines, went almost defunct during the WWII and than came back to first be seen as a serious car maker, than as a car brand that could compete with the famed Merc and than went on to overtake the Merc is global sweepstakes. And its subsequent buyout of Rolls, Mini and Rover too is well detailed out. And while the famed Bavarian company was able to turn on the magic for Rolls and Mini, its travails and failure to make good Rover too are well captured.

The book is divided in eight ultimate chapters. The Ultimate Cars, The Ultimate History, The Ultimate Family, The Ultimate Brand, The ultimate Stylists, The Ultimate Blunder, The Ultimate brand Expansion, and the Ultimate Hydrogen Future.

David had had ultimate access to the BMW executives and archives. This access comes through in almost every page in the book. The book goes into a painfully detailed history of company events. And instead of giving insights into what makes BMW a marvel of automobile engineering, we get a chronology of events.

Unfortunately David Kiley, is no Jeremy Clarkeson and Driven is not like "Born to be Riled". The book is too much of PR plug, with author seeing only side of the picture. But do read the book to know how fickle minded advertising pitch decisions are, and what led to the memorable BMW films campaign.
The book has its moments, but its few and far in between.

There may be no boring BMW, but there is a boring BMW book.

As an auto industry follower, I can appreciate this book as a sort of historical reference for someone perhaps doing research. But as enjoyable reading, it falls far short. The book goes into a painfully detailed history of company events. In fact, I felt the title was a bit misleading, since it made me expect some interpretation as to why BMW is as admired as it is. Instead you basically get a chronology of events.

Every owner or potential owner needs to read this to appreciate and understand the heritage behind their "Ultimate Driving Machine".

"Driven" is an engaging read and offers a good historical overview...or case study...of a well-known company and brand. The market for automobile manufacturers is difficult and volatile...so much so that BMW has recently touted its independence as a company as a factor that enables it to create and build its world-class and distinct vehicles.

This book chronicles the evolution and growth of BMW as a company in an interesting manner by focusing on both BMW's products and the people behind the company, in terms of both the management team and the owners.

For those who might be familiar with MBA-level case studies, this book offers a read akin to an extended and lively case study of a company and a brand. David Kiley, the author, delves into the personalities behind BMW and covers the importance of BMW as a brand in a readable manner.

This is probably the worst book I have read in a long time. It lacks all cohesion and fails to answer the most pressing and interesting questions that most people who purchase the book, being BMW enthusiasts, undoubtedly have. To give you an idea of how moronicly this book is organized in such a manner to completely confuse you and bore you to death, the author spends what feels like like 20 pages detailing Magda Geobles' murdering of her children in Hitler's bunker in graphic detail (and sounding as if paraphrased straight from a WWII history book) all because Magda's first husband had been a member of the Quandt family. Thanks Mr Kiley, I think we could have all gotten the message in a paragraph or two. At one point, the author basically lifts Chris Bangle's entire 12 page Harvard University Speech and presents it as his own researched material which is at best the laziest job by an non-fiction author I have ever experienced. Despicable. BMW and BMW enthusiasts deserve much better.

Well, English is my second language.
May be that is the reason. But I must tell you, I couldn't pass the first 10 pages.

Its like chewing a gum in your sleep.

Anyone who has ever driven a BMW wonders why the car feels so uncannily nimble and supple. Automotive journalist David Kiley answers that question with an intriguing book that strikes just the right balance between gearhead details, behind-the-scenes corporate maneuvering and compelling story telling. Along the way, Kiley offers insight into BMW's mostly successful efforts to build its brand. While Kiley sings BMW's praises, and presents a convincing case that BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG) produces the world's best cars, he doesn't shy away from the details of the owning family's ups and downs, the company's disastrous Rover deal or the public's tepid response to its latest redesigns. We recommend this fascinating book to auto enthusiasts and to managers in any industry who aim to build a brand while staying true to their core values.