M Performance models - make anyone want to debadge?

[davesaddiction]

So, the M135i has landed, and the 335is will soon be the M335i. Has the migration of the M badge to the rear deck lid on these cars made any of you consider debadging?

From a review I read, it does seem like the M135i is a nice little car, and I do like the idea of BMW giving drivers a lighter, simpler choice (compared to some of the current bloated M models). I guess ///M is changing so much (forced induction, electric steering, phasing out the manual trans. in the next M5, etc.), all we can hope is that these cars with our beloved M between the tail lights actually have been formed more by the engineers than the marketers...

[6spdg37s]

technically a badge is just a badge... since u can by M and AMG and any other badge you want on the internet. toolbags are always badging their things... c250 amg , 328i M , etc; if you know cars you will be able to distinguish them apart from others.

just like if you are a car person you will know that bmw now makes M performance models like mentioned in the thread

[DivideBYZero]

No. I'm not a badge snob.

[AM150]

No, I like the car for the car, not for the family of cars it shares a badge with.

I haven't considered debadging my S2000 because of all the boring appliances honda is putting out, haven't considered debadging my evo because of all the boring crap mitsubishi is putting out.

[6spdg37s]

I do like the way a clean debadged car looks sometimes but completely unrelated to this discussion

[is300wrx]

This sounds similar to what Tiffany & Co. went through in the past with their line of intro level jewelry. Their target market was for those who really wanted a piece of jewelry with a Tiffany's name on it at an affordable price. They started to pump out silver jewelry priced so affordable that teenage girls were wearing and they were sharing the same prestigious and precious value of owning a Tiffany's jewelry. Not that this is wrong, but some of the "original" customers were turned off by this and some even sold their Tiffany's jewelry because they felt that their jewelry had lost its exclusivity. After learning this, Tiffany's started to increase the prices on these intro line of jewelry but its safe to assume that what they gained in additional revenue from their more affordable line of jewelry, they took a hit on their image and perceived value.

Same thing could happen with BMW. I personally don't care too much to a point where I would boycott the M brand. Obviously the M division is doing something right if everyone wants to be a part of it (even the ricers who add on a M badge on their civics). But I will be honest and admit that it does bother me just a tad bit. The M cars have always been very special in delivering exceptional performance and also provided exclusiveness to the brand.

[davesaddiction]

I just hope all of these new cars (M "Light"?) prove to deserve the letter they wear. I'd love to hear the opinions of some past and present M engineers on all this...

[Alex07M3]

Lets be honest, it's a good marketing move to make the the non real M cars feel more special by wearing a M badge, the same way an S4 looks like a special car even if it's not an RS, a 335is will look more special if it's called a M335i and it weares the little colored badge! Also, if the real M cars ever get softer, it surely wont be because some lesser expensive models wears the M badge!

[gatorfast]

Originally Posted by Alex07M3

Lets be honest, it's a good marketing move to make the the non real M cars feel more special by wearing a M badge, the same way an S4 looks like a special car even if it's not an RS, a 335is will look more special if it's called a M335i and it weares the little colored badge! Also, if the real M cars ever get softer, it surely wont be because some lesser expensive models wears the M badge!

I agree with that. Good marketing as people will feel special and perceive value having the M on the back.

However, it does really water down the M brand IMO. Certain customers/enthusiasts are loyal to the M brand and this definitely takes away from the exclusivity/prestige. Right now, when you see the M on the back of a BMW you know its the top performance model. After the new M performance cars are available they will be lost in a sea of M badges.

[E92_SID]

Did you guys see the X6 that was just shown at the Paris auto show? It is an "X6M50d"... This is stupid. They should have just called it an X6M-d OR an X6d with an M package.. I agree that BMW should stop throwing the M badge on everything. It is one thing to have "M packages" as an option; thats fine. But why do they have to indicate the M on the rear lid badging?

[davesaddiction]

Originally Posted by E92_SID

This is stupid

[6spdg37s]

^^ LMAOOOO

eventually the back of the cars are going to look like a full sentence all the way across !

[AM150]

I agree that car looks dumb with that badge but I don't own an X6M50d I own an M3. So it doesn't matter to me one bit what they put on the back of the X6M50d.

[LarThaL]

Originally Posted by is300wrx

This sounds similar to what Tiffany & Co. went through in the past with their line of intro level jewelry. Their target market was for those who really wanted a piece of jewelry with a Tiffany's name on it at an affordable price. They started to pump out silver jewelry priced so affordable that teenage girls were wearing and they were sharing the same prestigious and precious value of owning a Tiffany's jewelry. Not that this is wrong, but some of the "original" customers were turned off by this and some even sold their Tiffany's jewelry because they felt that their jewelry had lost its exclusivity. After learning this, Tiffany's started to increase the prices on these intro line of jewelry but its safe to assume that what they gained in additional revenue from their more affordable line of jewelry, they took a hit on their image and perceived value.

Same thing could happen with BMW. I personally don't care too much to a point where I would boycott the M brand. Obviously the M division is doing something right if everyone wants to be a part of it (even the ricers who add on a M badge on their civics). But I will be honest and admit that it does bother me just a tad bit. The M cars have always been very special in delivering exceptional performance and also provided exclusiveness to the brand.

So the real question is whether or not BMW is whoring out the M logo?

[bga23]

Why would I debadge an M3?

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

IMHO ... All this is a Marketing ploy ... Accoumtants now seam to overule or oversee this ... If you drive a true ///M car then all you should be doing is ~smile~ when you see one. For all it is what you see is cosmetic ... "you know what is under your hood"

Perhaps it's time for a new slogan ... Like "Do you know what's under your hood?"

My 2 cents on the subject ...

[Alex07M3]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

I agree with that. Good marketing as people will feel special and perceive value having the M on the back.

However, it does really water down the M brand IMO. Certain customers/enthusiasts are loyal to the M brand and this definitely takes away from the exclusivity/prestige. Right now, when you see the M on the back of a BMW you know its the top performance model. After the new M performance cars are available they will be lost in a sea of M badges.

Yeah, but the customers/enthusiasts that are loyal to the M brand are not more loyal to the brand then to the car that the brand makes, if one wont buy an M3 because the 335is is now called a M335i, it's because he don't buy the M3 for the good reason and I don't think it's those kind of peolple that buy M3! Its like if peolple would've stop buying 911s because Porsches now build less expensives cars like Boxters and Caymans!

[NoM3ForMe]

Originally Posted by davesaddiction

YUCK!! And the name sucks, haha.

[Carl L]

Originally Posted by NoM3ForMe

YUCK!! And the name sucks, haha.

If they offer the X5 version in the States I'll strongly consider one. X6, well I don't like the looks and it lacks practicality.

[TVMA Doc]

Originally Posted by 6spdg37s

technically a badge is just a badge... since u can by M and AMG and any other badge you want on the internet. toolbags are always badging their things... c250 amg , 328i M , etc; if you know cars you will be able to distinguish them apart from others.

just like if you are a car person you will know that bmw now makes M performance models like mentioned in the thread

This is what I've always found funny about people badging their cars. The average person doesn't care that that ML 350 is an AMG. They don't even realize the difference. The only person who would knows that an ML 350 isn't an AMG.

This will play the same way. The average driver is either going to see those Ms and not think twice, or more likely not even notice them. Those with the real M are going to ignore them as well. What's the point?

You buy an M for the performance, not the badge or the body parts.

[TVMA Doc]

Originally Posted by AM150

I agree that car looks dumb with that badge but I don't own an X6M50d I own an M3. So it doesn't matter to me one bit what they put on the back of the X6M50d.

Perhaps BMW got the idea from China when it copied the X5? At least the badge isn't quite as bad as the "Shuanhuan S-CEO HBJ6474Y". That isn't, however, saying much.

[Alex07M3]

Originally Posted by TVMA Doc

This is what I've always found funny about people badging their cars. The average person doesn't care that that ML 350 is an AMG. They don't even realize the difference. The only person who would knows that an ML 350 isn't an AMG.

This will play the same way. The average driver is either going to see those Ms and not think twice, or more likely not even notice them. Those with the real M are going to ignore them as well. What's the point?

You buy an M for the performance, not the badge or the body parts.

I bought my M3 for more then just the performance, if it had the same body as a 335 I think I would've went with something a little more special to look at from an other company, the performance was my priority but I need more then that at that price! I just love those curves and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one!