Article: The Death Of BMW’s M Brand ?

[ASH]

I can understand the writers frustration, what does Lime Rock have to do with this German cars heritage? Did they spend many months testing it around Lime Rock or win races there, I dont think so. This is badge prostitution of the highest order, how can u have different versions of the same car under different names worldwide, dont see how that is special?

All the top brands out there generally offer more power with these special models, BMW for some reason are shy, hell even McClaren recently offered their customers a software remap to free up 20BHP at no charge to their customers! But u go to BMW for a remap they want to remove your balls as payment to actually do it!

BMW make good fast road cars, but not sports cars, even the new M6 has been dubbed an awesome GT car, which can smack up some sports car, but it still is definitely a GT car at best (a special one). Until they make something that is mid-engined that is comparable to the R8 or Gallardo or MP4 12c, they will not be regarded as a sports car marque. In my books the M-brand lost alot of credibilty with the release of Auto AWD Turbo powered SUVs. Its like saying "guys, our traditon and heritage was not the best way forward", lets do what our competitors are doing, forget developing our N/A engines forward, lets get cheap ass on the development and look at the easiest and most cost effective designs. I bet 15years ago this idea would have been kicked out the door!

 

[Nic_s]

...having the cars do the actual talking.

They still do and that's the point.

I never said they didn't. The 1M actually shows that they do still do most of the talking. My point was that the cars doing the talking isn't enough for BMW/Marketers any more. That's why you get these "special" edition cars. It's to try and generate more sales, but in doing so they're creating cars that's more show rather an actual improvement over the standard car. Nothing wrong with trying to sell more, but to go to such cheap lengths I think is mean towards the M brand and it's history.

Anyway... like it will really make a difference what we think on this little forum in our little corner of the internet. They'll just keep at it until they hit their heads.

 

[tcal69]

I can understand the writers frustration, what does Lime Rock have to do with this German cars heritage? Did they spend many months testing it around Lime Rock or win races there, I dont think so. This is badge prostitution of the highest order, how can u have different versions of the same car under different names worldwide, dont see how that is special?

All the top brands out there generally offer more power with these special models, BMW for some reason are shy, hell even McClaren recently offered their customers a software remap to free up 20BHP at no charge to their customers! But u go to BMW for a remap they want to remove your balls as payment to actually do it!

BMW make good fast road cars, but not sports cars, even the new M6 has been dubbed an awesome GT car, which can smack up some sports car, but it still is definitely a GT car at best (a special one). Until they make something that is mid-engined that is comparable to the R8 or Gallardo or MP4 12c, they will not be regarded as a sports car marque. In my books the M-brand lost alot of credibilty with the release of Auto AWD Turbo powered SUVs. Its like saying "guys, our traditon and heritage was not the best way forward", lets do what our competitors are doing, forget developing our N/A engines forward, lets get cheap ass on the development and look at the easiest and most cost effective designs. I bet 15years ago this idea would have been kicked out the door!

Haha true... but what the customer want, they will provide...

Like why did Porsche made SUV and 4 door sedan? Because that's what sells nowadays... Hence, if people are buying, who cares about these small percentage of hardcord ///M enthusiast?

By the way, it will probably cost them more to turn a perfectly nice road car into a fully track car, that means less profit....

Is all about the money people.... MAKE IT RAINNNN!!!!

 

[RowenS]

Bill Caswell in general and superficially makes a point but here is my counterpoint

1) How many M cars do you own Bill ? Drive one daily and tell me again it's not special and blows the socks off everything else on the road .

2) Can one find something rawer more potent of course you can but I promise you it will not be as safe or reliable as any of the M cars

M cars are and will always be special and to know this you must own one , live with one not drive it for two hours and then hypothesise on it ad nauseam .

With apologies to Blaise Pascal for the bastardisation of his gambit

I wager anyone to drive an M car for a month ...everyday in varying situations and come back and not be impressed if not besotted .

Go Google the guy, he is very much a BMW Fanatic.
I also agree the M Brand is being prostituted for just commercial means. The M badge lost its wow, seeming at though BMW slap it on just about everything they make.

:thumbs:

 

[Raybimmer]

If BMW sell enough ///M models and Mercedes sell enough AMG models it means there is a market for them . Some guy in marketing will climb on the bandwagon and make a name for himself .
Every bar knows the stories of TLGP's always against a Bm .....the benchmark .:thumbs:

 

[calypso]

I think what gets me, is that the cars are almost built with the special editions in mind for the future. So they always holding back a little, so a "special edition" can be that bit better. If you look at the e46 M3, the really did squeeze everything they could of out that normal S54 engine, When it was decided to make the CSL, the engineers (not the accountants) needed to get creative to make the car better. And that where you get these mad things like carbon fibre roofs, monster airbox's on Alpha N, plus many many other changes.
I think people forget how many small things BMW changed to make the CSL just that much better then the regular E46 M3.

If you want a refresher, just click this link and scroll down.
http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=19

Now thats what a special edition should be. Not an accountants profit toy.

 

[WyKiD]

Agree with tcal69, BMW is a business and as such their bottom line is the ultimate motivation. If adding an ///M badge to a car means they can sell more of them at a higher price, it will be done!

 

[v1p3r]

I think what gets me, is that the cars are almost built with the special editions in mind for the future. So they always holding back a little, so a "special edition" can be that bit better. If you look at the e46 M3, the really did squeeze everything they could of out that normal S54 engine, When it was decided to make the CSL, the engineers (not the accountants) needed to get creative to make the car better. And that where you get these mad things like carbon fibre roofs, monster airbox's on Alpha N, plus many many other changes.
I think people forget how many small things BMW changed to make the CSL just that much better then the regular E46 M3.

If you want a refresher, just click this link and scroll down.
http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=19

Now thats what a special edition should be. Not an accountants profit toy.

Isn't that what the E92 GTS is?

 

[Josh-ZN]

Go Google the guy, he is very much a BMW Fanatic.
I also agree the M Brand is being prostituted for just commercial means. The M badge lost its wow, seeming at though BMW slap it on just about everything they make.

:thumbs:

there is a difference between the m135i and the 135i m sport etc to an M car. Just like an S-Line Audi A3 2.0T differs to an S3. so :sorry: i dont know where you going with this?

 

[calypso]

I think what gets me, is that the cars are almost built with the special editions in mind for the future. So they always holding back a little, so a "special edition" can be that bit better. If you look at the e46 M3, the really did squeeze everything they could of out that normal S54 engine, When it was decided to make the CSL, the engineers (not the accountants) needed to get creative to make the car better. And that where you get these mad things like carbon fibre roofs, monster airbox's on Alpha N, plus many many other changes.
I think people forget how many small things BMW changed to make the CSL just that much better then the regular E46 M3.

If you want a refresher, just click this link and scroll down.
http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=19

Now thats what a special edition should be. Not an accountants profit toy.

Isn't that what the E92 GTS is?

Yes that is a much better example

Go Google the guy, he is very much a BMW Fanatic.
I also agree the M Brand is being prostituted for just commercial means. The M badge lost its wow, seeming at though BMW slap it on just about everything they make.

:thumbs:

there is a difference between the m135i and the 135i m sport etc to an M car. Just like an S-Line Audi A3 2.0T differs to an S3. so :sorry: i dont know where you going with this?

Never said that Audi were not guilty too.
I dont really follow the Audi brand much, but I dont think they have gone as far as S Line luggage.
http://www.shopautobahnbmwparts.com/ProductList.aspx?CategoryId=196

 

[WyKiD]

Spotted at a dealer last week...

 

[v1p3r]

Reviews of this one are also very positive, would like to try one of them, see how far diesel really has come, and what a bit of ///M-fettling has done to it :thumbs:

 

[Dogland]

Sadly ,completely agree with this article... :sorry:

 

[BMW530D]

There is some validity in this article although it's a bit harsh. But BMW are currently in the habit of slapping an M badge on any car that performs above average (which is most of their cars!!). The new X5 M50d/M550d etc. are a case in point. They are awesome performing vehicles but how do you differentiate now between a X5 M50d and an X5M??

My 530D has the BMW sports pack which includes the M steering wheel, M door sills and other M trim so why not just call it a M530D. Because it's not an M car, that's why.