[JonF1982]

Originally Posted by ENINTY

If you want a track car, then buy a used regular 3-Series for $30K, and buy a used Elise for $30K and track it.

"M" stands for Marketing, or maybe machismo...

Ok but imagine if BMW did make M cars as proper track cars. Who would buy them? And what cars would they be competing with? Is it a market in which BMW could make a lot of money? Meanwhile, what would BMW offer in competition to, say, an Audi RS car, if it were not an M car? Would they leave that market all together?

BMW are making cars for today's Market, not the market of 20 or 30 years ago. So yes, M is a marketing tool, but what do we expect? Given the history and strength of the brand, would we really expect BMW not to use it to promote their cars?

At the end of the day, BMW is out there to offer products that people want to buy. So M stands for the only thing it can be in today's world, based on the kind of cars that people want.

Does that mean the M brand has changed since the M1? Absolutely. Is that a bad thing? If you think it is, were you really looking for a modern M car anyway?

If the track is your thing, get a nice 3er for everyday and keep a proper track car in the garage. If you want an entertaining fast car with prestige that's a symbol of your affluence but yet can still be used everyday, buy an M car.

[Sephiroth]

For me it all started with this on the F1...they stopped making engines like this.

[shipill]

Manwhore

[HoustonBMWClub]

M = Money

Duh.

[John_01]

The E30 M3 was car developed for Group A homologation. Unfortunately Group A touring car racing doesn't exist anymore which is a big pity. None of the major touring car specs today are in any way related to production cars (eg DTM, Super 2000). In short there is no reason for BMW to develop a professional motorsport vehicle like they did in the 1980s.

To me a proper "M" car is one that is suitable for use on a circuit. It means the engine, brakes and transmission all have sufficient cooling to do at least around 15 or 20km at maximum attack around a circuit without anything severely overheating or stop working. Obviously you want some decent performance and handling as well.

I think a M car should be less luxurious than a top range BMW. I would prefer if BMW made a better distinction between the features available in M cars and those in the luxury range. The marketing of the "M" cars seems a bit confused because they seem to be perceived as the "Most premium" product in the BMW range. There is some differentiation of performance cars like 1M, and M3 as they cannot be ordered with sunroof, but that's about where it stops.

What I strongly disagree with is the BMW SUVs like X5 "M" and X6 "M" (?!). It seems like a total abuse of the "M" performance brand. Porsche also sell SUVs for people who want a fast family transport. However those SUVs are not really intended as "Motorsport" products. I have never seen a Porsche Cayenne GTS, or GT3. Who knows, maybe Porsche will offer that to compete with the BMW X6M.

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by JonF1982

Ok but imagine if BMW did make M cars as proper track cars. Who would buy them? And what cars would they be competing with? Is it a market in which BMW could make a lot of money? Meanwhile, what would BMW offer in competition to, say, an Audi RS car, if it were not an M car? Would they leave that market all together?

BMW are making cars for today's Market, not the market of 20 or 30 years ago. So yes, M is a marketing tool, but what do we expect? Given the history and strength of the brand, would we really expect BMW not to use it to promote their cars?

At the end of the day, BMW is out there to offer products that people want to buy. So M stands for the only thing it can be in today's world, based on the kind of cars that people want.

Does that mean the M brand has changed since the M1? Absolutely. Is that a bad thing? If you think it is, were you really looking for a modern M car anyway?

If the track is your thing, get a nice 3er for everyday and keep a proper track car in the garage. If you want an entertaining fast car with prestige that's a symbol of your affluence but yet can still be used everyday, buy an M car.

Yeah, that's a good idea, but mine would be a Mustang Boss 302.

[bimmerjph]

The M division stands for the same thing it did 20 years ago. Turning something you wouldn't expect to be sporty into an absolute beast.

[bimmerjph]

Originally Posted by John_01

The E30 M3 was car developed for Group A homologation. Unfortunately Group A touring car racing doesn't exist anymore which is a big pity. None of the major touring car specs today are in any way related to production cars (eg DTM, Super 2000). In short there is no reason for BMW to develop a professional motorsport vehicle like they did in the 1980s.

To me a proper "M" car is one that is suitable for use on a circuit. It means the engine, brakes and transmission all have sufficient cooling to do at least around 15 or 20km at maximum attack around a circuit without anything severely overheating or stop working. Obviously you want some decent performance and handling as well.

I think a M car should be less luxurious than a top range BMW. I would prefer if BMW made a better distinction between the features available in M cars and those in the luxury range. The marketing of the "M" cars seems a bit confused because they seem to be perceived as the "Most premium" product in the BMW range. There is some differentiation of performance cars like 1M, and M3 as they cannot be ordered with sunroof, but that's about where it stops.

What I strongly disagree with is the BMW SUVs like X5 "M" and X6 "M" (?!). It seems like a total abuse of the "M" performance brand. Porsche also sell SUVs for people who want a fast family transport. However those SUVs are not really intended as "Motorsport" products. I have never seen a Porsche Cayenne GTS, or GT3. Who knows, maybe Porsche will offer that to compete with the BMW X6M.

*Cough *cough Cayenne turbo *cough *cough

[Doctor J]

Here is the latest addition to the M line

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/b...ept-2011-02-24

[Doctor///M]

Originally Posted by Doctor J

Here is the latest addition to the M line

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/b...ept-2011-02-24

...yup, with all the additions, it probably stands for ///Maybe. "Maybe let's build a whole new line to compete with what we already sell."

[Biff Grissel]

///M stands for ballin!

[Epacy2]

Mastacular