[Boz335i]

Have BMW started to lose it?

I took my M3 into the local dealer the other day and while I was waiting I had a look around the showroom. There were M badges stuck on the sides of half of the motors in there.
A 320d with M badges stuck to the wings.

When I got out of there I had to check the back of my jacket, just in case they had stuck a badge to it while I was standing there.

With the M135i / M235i why couldn't they have done something subtle like colour the i in red to denote they've had a bit of a tune etc, (like VW used to do) instead of sticking M badges on them. It just shows lack of imagination.

I think it cheapens the brand, and is confusing to the customer.

When I got my car a couple of weeks ago, a director at my company came up to me and said nice car, my son's got one of them M3's and he's only 21. That's good for a 21 year old I said. It hasn't got 4 exhausts though, he said. Don't you mean an M sport I said, "oh yeah an M Sport, isn't that the same thing"

Same day another came up to me and said that they had an M Sport, which had the same suspension as mine.

I think they must have a warehouse full of M badges somewhere they need to get rid of.

Rant over!

[JesseJames]

LOL

[breathe3asy]

Haha valid rant tbf

[richk84]

I think you can have the M badges removed from your car when you order it, but I agree with your point completely. They should leave the M badges for the full M cars!

I drove past a M235 the other day and i have to say I wasn't impressed with the styling at all, same goes for the M135. Don't care how well they drive you would never look back at one of them parked up!

[seanblee]

I'm in a 318d GT loan car at the moment with the same M tinsel all over it - frankly, it's embarrassing...!

[Josh1a1h]

M Badges add hp

So BMW will stick them on about anything. But it is bloody frustrating right!

[pss335]

Originally Posted by Josh1a1h

M Badges add hp

I saw an M badge on a Jag once. Wonder whether he had any compatibility issues adding extra HP.

[Drrncour]

As said above you can have them spec'd with no badges but there is an additional cost for this. (Which I always found strange)

Agree the badges look odd, but to the mass market and majority of buyers it works!

[joeyt]

There is nothing worse that a non m car with an m badge. Specially a 2.0 liter petrol that could have its ass handed to it by a twinport corsa. Theres nothing m about it. Lol

[AzRiz]

Haha this is a brilliant rant. So true - every word of it.

LOL @ sticking an M badge on the back of your jacket

[Digitalize]

They're pushing the M brand a bit more.

M1/235i's are because they're a performance model, basically an M car without the body/suspension, one step down. They do make a bit less sense with a rumoured M2 though.

M Sport cars now get a small M badge on the wing, doesn't look bad, not sure I'd have it though.

My car is already covered in M badges. Each wheel, door sills, steering wheel, gear knob.

[Boz335i]

Originally Posted by Digitalize

My car is already covered in M badges. Each wheel, door sills, steering wheel, gear knob.

Yeah, these are a bit more subtle. My 335i had those, but I think this creates the confusion to the untrained eye.

I think Audi gets it right where they have the totally exclusive RS branding, the S branding and then the S Line which basically says that it's a styling thing rather than performance.

[Digitalize]

RS - Mx car
S - Mxxx car
S-Line - M Sport

[kev335i]

Originally Posted by pss335

I saw an M badge on a Jag once. Wonder whether he had any compatibility issues adding extra HP.

I can beat that I've seen mpower badge on a corsa!
Also overheard someone with a msport telling someone that their car (320 msport) was faster because its a m lol.

I have m badges on mine as its m sport (only standard ones they insist on putting everywhere) I agree they shouldn't be there since its not a m car.
However to complain makes you a badge snob! I mean do you stop people in the street and complain because they are wearing fake clothing? Do people by m cars to impress others or because they want one?

the dilution of the m brand is a joke but as long as you know whats what who cares?

Just my worthless opinion!

[ahenners]

Totally agree with this despite owning an M Sport E92. Subtle stuff like the m logo on steering wheel, 313 alloys and on the door sill trims is ok. What I don't agree with is everyone sticking eBay M badges on the front and backs of their 318/320 etc. If it didn't come with them out the showroom, then leave them off.

All the latest stuff seems to come with more unnecessary M badges out the showroom, but to be fair they are no worse than Audi or Mercedes with S Line and AMG badges. Everything Mercedes at the minute seems to be AMG sport plus black pack mega awesome edition. But it seems to be what sells and what the masses go for.

[Boz335i]

Originally Posted by ahenners

Everything Mercedes at the minute seems to be AMG sport plus black pack mega awesome edition.

This is so true

[Jdouglas10]

i agree this is so annoying! i own a 335i not an m3. But there are SO many people where i live, and where i work who refer to there 320d as an m3!!

[gangzoom]

If people are stupid enough to pay 3k extra for a load of M badges and body kit that costs BMW hardly anything extra to make why wouldn't BMW push the M brand?

Virtually every Audi I see these days is a S-line and there's loads of AMG Mercs around too.

Look at it another way car companies exist to make money, and the more money they make selling their sporty branded cars the more money they have to develop their proper 'sports' car range

[russdx]

M Sport BMW does look a lot better then the standard se in my opinion i rather pay extra for the extra styling goodies

and the AMG Sport Mercedes looks a lot better then the standard version in my opinion when buying the e220 i refused to have any thing but the AMG Sport version as it just looks a lot better!

[G82Dude]

Originally Posted by Jdouglas10

i agree this is so annoying! i own a 335i not an m3. But there are SO many people where i live, and where i work who refer to there 320d as an m3!!

Do they know what an M3 actually is? Most people don't. Just like those who have no idea what an M/S-Line/RS/AMG badge is anyway.

[kev335i]

Originally Posted by uke92dude

Do they know what an M3 actually is? Most people don't. Just like those who have no idea what an M/S-Line/RS/AMG badge is anyway.

Probably not but a bmw / car enthusiast know what a m car is and what its about those that cant tell the difference are the kind of people that don't care anyway. Those slapping the ebay special m badges on are not impressing anyone as those that are impressed by a m know anyway. I think it's referred to as clownage.

[Jase 320d]

Where can i get an AMG badge for my 320d?