Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche Retired, so Arch-Rival BMW Paid Him a Fitting Tribute

Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche Retired, so Arch-Rival BMW Paid Him a Fitting Tribute

Published: May 28, 2019 | By: American Luxury Staff

The retirement of Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche has seen a temporary cooling of rivalries among Germany’s top automakers. BMW has put aside the competitive drive to honor the man who has long helmed their rival, and is now passing the mantle: they produced a video titled, “Retirement is about exploring your wide open future.”

The video playfully alludes to the long-standing competition between Daimler—and its subsidiary Mercedes-Benz—and BMW. The fellow German automaker recognizes the powerful force of competition that has led to ground-breaking innovations for both brands, spurring both of them to sustain their reputations, and continually top themselves.

The video ends with a good-natured reversal, one that only BMW can afford to riff on given the long history of competition between the two automotive giants.

5812 May 28, 2019 Cars May 28, 2019