Last July, Ludwig Willisch took over as president of BMW North America and since that time things couldn't have been better for the brand! Mr. Willisch was on hand at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show to unveil the M5, a sports sedan he helped design, as well as several BMW electric and hybrid models.

While he was there, he talked with The LA Times about why he thinks it's important for BMW to be number one, as well as where he sees BMW in the United States. Today your friends here at Fields BMW of Daytona,your favorite of the Daytona Beach cardealerships, are would like to share some of that conversation with you.

BMW looks to take the luxury sales crown this year. Is this important?

Success has always been important to us. Successful people like to buy from a successful company. For a long time we have not been the top luxury brand in the U.S. It is still more important for us to be the most successful premium manufacturer in the world, but since we have been leading in the U.S. for the last 10 months, we are going to go for it.

Bringing the new X3 [small SUV] and new 5 Series [sedan] into the country has added to our sales. They have been quite popular.

BMW is known for having popular models with diesel engines in Europe, but you have only a diesel 3 Series and an X5 here, both with the same engine. Why not have a larger range in the U.S.?

It's not a matter of just bringing the car into the market. It needs a lot of changes to meet U.S. standards, and in some cars, the packaging doesn't allow for it. You have to give up trunk space and all that. I believe in the long run that we will be able to bring diesels into this country and that people will enjoy them. But you just can't put the cars on the boat for New Jersey and then sell them off the dock.

You are coming out with a range of front-wheel-drive vehicles under the BMW brand. Does that risk changing the image of the company? And who do you think will be the buyers of these vehicles?

We went through that [question] with "Would BMW ever build a wagon, or ever build an SUV, or a diesel?" and we do all that now. So I think that if you really look at the question of [how] to build a small car, a spacious car and a production car, [it is about] what is the most efficient way, keeping in mind that you have to offer the consumer a true BMW.

As long as you aren't looking at top end power, I am convinced that it is necessary to offer cars to consumers that are different than what we have today ? something that is more spacious and has good fuel economy. The powertrain to the back [in rear-wheel drive] always takes up a lot of space. We are convinced that we can do it right and will starting in 2014. It will enlarge the model lineup.? You won't see a front-wheel-drive 3 Series.

To learn more about the future of the brand, come in to your favorite Jacksonville certified BMW dealer today!