Quote:
Originally Posted by Spa2k
Model proliferation is necessary to keep manufacturers profitable - and to provide enough research, development and marketing resources for future models (like the M2) that aren’t mainstream, bread-and-butter models. Chevrolet did it with SS, BMW did it with M, Mercedes did it with AMG, MINI did it with JCW, Ford did it with ST - and on and on. If you’re a poseur, you’re thrilled to have the letters on an otherwise ordinary car - and if you’re a true enthusiast, you know which letters to buy.
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The degree to what they do it to is different tho
Ford and st is reasonable to me since st models are more than just a badge and actually vary from base models
Bmw and M is a rebadged but still differentiates between a real M car and an M based/themed car aka m3 vs m235i
In other cases its a blatant rip off to the consumer and category of high performance cars
Like the Mercedes c300 now being a “full” amg car, not an amg edition, not an amg based, just a full amg. It’s be like bmw renaming the 335 the M3 base model
And the m3 becomes an m3 compeition package or something