M Performance models - make anyone want to debadge?

[6spdg37s]

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.

cause then they post pics on FB sayin they have a c300 amg with those pep boys hood scoops magnetically stuck on the front fenders...

[NoM3ForMe]

Originally Posted by Carl L

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.

I would as well to be honest. My 'YUCK' statement was more directed at the X6 itself. That car has always been an anomaly to me. I just don't get what it is for.

[highyo]

http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtest...alkaround.html

the badges i care about are on the stuff that matters, the guts...

all the other stuff is nice but i don't care if someone puts the m badge on a lawnmower.

[drchuck72]

AMG does it all the time. Even with the bloated GL Class.



This was not done by the owner. There are too many AMG badged MBs with 3 digit model designations for it to be done by the owner. When MB does the AMG sport package on a car, it gets the decklid badge.

[davesaddiction]

Man, I would love to have been a fly on the wall in the ///M and AMG meetings when the engineers were told that some of these cars were going to be badged like this. Just goes to show, even in some of the best jobs, you still have to eventually accept that someone else is the boss and their decision is how it's going to be, regardless of how much you disagree.

Fans like us care, but I can only imagine how frustrating it is for some of them, especially the old timers.

To the ///M engineers' credit, when given a directive (that they probably disagreed with), they go to work and make a fat pig like the X6 actually perform like an M.

[positiveions]

on the X6 diesel, i'll just remove the X6.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by LarThaL

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

I vote for whoring!

[Arben72]

Originally Posted by drchuck72

When MB does the AMG sport package on a car, it gets the decklid badge.

That's weird. I have had seen at least a million Amg package Mercedes. My dad has owned two. None of the one's I've seen had a fake amg badge unless you include the ones in Albania/Macedonia.

[mxa121]

Originally Posted by davesaddiction

Man, I would love to have been a fly on the wall in the ///M and AMG meetings when the engineers were told that some of these cars were going to be badged like this. Just goes to show, even in some of the best jobs, you still have to eventually accept that someone else is the boss and their decision is how it's going to be, regardless of how much you disagree.

Fans like us care, but I can only imagine how frustrating it is for some of them, especially the old timers.

To the ///M engineers' credit, when given a directive (that they probably disagreed with), they go to work and make a fat pig like the X6 actually perform like an M.

Engineer here and you are so right. If it were me, I would bitch and moan about how it doesn't technically have the parts for the M, but money is money.

I like the idea of a debadged M3. That would look mean, and as someone else stated, only car enthusiasts will notice either way.

[drchuck72]

Originally Posted by Arben72

That's weird. I have had seen at least a million Amg package Mercedes. My dad has owned two. None of the one's I've seen had a fake amg badge unless you include the ones in Albania/Macedonia.

Maybe it's only up here north of the border. I've seen too many AMG badged E350s, E550s, C350s etc. to dismiss this as poseurs putting the badges on themselves. Also, the cars that I see are not base model cars with 16in rims (sometimes steel wheels and wheel covers like the base 323s I've seen with M badges). They typically have AMG rims and bodykits.

Now, the M Sport models (like the ZHP) that we've seen in the past that kept the M Badges out of sight on the door sills, steering wheel, shift knob (okay, not out of sight but off the outside of the car) are going to have them right where the poseurs like to put them.

On a related note, in the 80s and 90s, there were E24 M635CSi models and E34 M540s sold in Canada. Not the first time the M has preceded a triple digit model designation.

[ZooMMM]

It's all good. As mentioned in other forums. Let em badge as much as they want. Let BMW make more moolah. Let the consumers decide which car they wanna buy. A ///Mummified version or the real ///M. As long as they keep the real ///M cars perform like ///M cars. More earnings hopefully means more R&D money.

[fuhshietfu]

its just a badge. m3 will always be m3

[dreamspeed]

This is a good move from a money making standpoint but it do believe it dilutes the specialness of the M.

They could have marketed a different line slotted below the M.... Which I always thought was the IS line. I mean a S5 is cool but people knew it ain't a RS5.

[TVMA Doc]

Originally Posted by 6spdg37s

cause then they post pics on FB sayin they have a c300 amg with those pep boys hood scoops magnetically stuck on the front fenders...

[6spdg37s]

Originally Posted by TVMA Doc

lol that is mint !!!!!

[e92M3C]

Thankfully BMW doesn't (yet) badge the 2012 M3 ///M340i S-Drive CSL.

[SSJVegita]

they basically doing wut it takes to sell more cars

[Darth One]

Originally Posted by dreamspeed

This is a good move from a money making standpoint but it do believe it dilutes the specialness of the M.

They could have marketed a different line slotted below the M.... Which I always thought was the IS line. I mean a S5 is cool but people knew it ain't a RS5.

this is an interesting comment because not too long ago the "S" line for Audi WAS their version/competitor to M. but they diluted that brand and put it on cars that wouldn't compete with M cars. which meant that they had to make RS cars that actually would hang with the M's. maybe this is ultimately the fate of the M line...RM3, anyone?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Darth One

this is an interesting comment because not too long ago the "S" line for Audi WAS their version/competitor to M. but they diluted that brand and put it on cars that wouldn't compete with M cars. which meant that they had to make RS cars that actually would hang with the M's. maybe this is ultimately the fate of the M line...RM3, anyone?

Sad day for BMW!

[davesaddiction]

The M135i is proving itself to be a pretty sweet little car (if buttugly). In spite of the whoring, hopefully all the M performance models will actually prove to be worthy of the M badge on their tail.

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/perf...era_video.html

[shendrick]

The "M" thing began getting corrupted a long time ago and will continue to get corrupted. This is BMW cashing in on its investment. No problem there. Once it gets watered down enough BMW will likely do another round of investment in "N" - or some such thing and the cycle repeats. I just solved the issue in my head by debadging immediately when I bought mine.

[e92zero]

It's a bit sad but it's a good move to make more money for the company. And as others have pointed out, making more money might give them more R&D to pump out higher performance cars like CSL, GTS versions. Looking on the bright side, this is still a better move to help them stay as an independent car company than loosing market share/money and eventually being bought out by others. How would others here feel about BMW being owned by the VW group or some other auto group from China?

And to answer OP's question, nope, not thinking about debadging for this reason. I might for the cleaner look in the back though.