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Originally Posted by Mdrei
It's not, just pointing out the evolution of it.
I am not looking into the future but into the past. Look at the history of the e9x M3, where was the CSL model? Instead of improving the core part "performance", they instead delivered the CRT which was pure marketing (carbon fiber + navi + high end sound).
The e46 M3 had the CSL and the ZCP, which were true performance enhancements addressed to the gear heads.
On the Nurburgring, the e46 CSL was a full 12s faster than the e92 M3 and only 2 secs slower than the mighty e92 GTS. What a shame!
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But as it was mentioned earlier in the thread, now that there's a M-Performance Line, BMW can now return to its heritage with the M-cars, instead of trying to please everyone. Instead of loading them up with technogadgets and such, they can leave those to the M-Performance Line and focus exclusively on performance. Perhaps the next generation M3 will return to its raw visceral lightweight heritage that it was once renown for.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mdrei
You can maintain heritage and still not go bankrupt or be niche. Look at Porsche's biz model, the Porsche brand is extending with all kind of new models. However, the 911 is still the 911 (and it is not a cash cow).
The art of M was to take a potent regular model and turn it into a terrifying track/street machine with the comfort of day-to-day driving and practicality.
BMW decided to cash in on the M brand and destroy the little heritage it had. It followed the AMG and S model. Yeah, they might spit out a real M car (instead of a badge) once in a while, just like the Black Series from MB, but show me the price tag on that.
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I wouldn't use Porsche as a comparison model because I'm willing to bet the farm that BMW has way more overhead than Porsche (# of facilities, employees, etc), not to mention that it would have significantly lower margins on their cars given Porsche's stratospheric pricing. But even Porsche has been accused of the destroying their heritage with the Cayenne and Panorama!
You have a point about the price tag; I'm sure that the price of M models will go up, but that would happen regardless :/
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mdrei
BTW, I am criticizing BMW because they picked the easy road to better financial results, all while destroying the racing heritage and what M stands for.
Whenever they get the M3 to catch a Porsche in the twistiest, than I will look at it again.
.Mdrei
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We have to understand that BMW is a business first. A great heritage means very little if the company who created it goes out of business. We'll see if you're right about the pricing for the next-generation M cars, although it is worth mentioning that the new M5 is cheaper than its predecessor from what I remember.