Real "M" Cars

[michaelpnett]

Anyone else tired of hearing people refer to the 1M, X5M, and X6M as not true "M" cars?

These cars are all phenomenal.

I had to listen to a colleague with an S4 explain to me how my X5M was not a true "M" car. I wanted to punch him in the face and then laugh as I left him in the dust.

I had an E92 M3. The X5M is certainly an equal without question.


Sorry for the rant.....

[Endless619]

Originally Posted by michaelpnett

Anyone else tired of hearing people refer to the 1M, X5M, and X6M as not true "M" cars?

These cars are all phenomenal.

I had to listen to a colleague with an S4 explain to me how my X5M was not a true "M" car. I wanted to punch him in the face and then laugh as I left him in the dust.

I had an E92 M3. The X5M is certainly an equal without question.


Sorry for the rant.....

Uh, how old are you?

Seriously, they are an "M" car and you take what a Volkswagon owner tells you as law? Pfft...lol The X5M and X6M are without a doubt a "M" car. The 1M can be debated but IMO it's a "M" car.

This is a non-debate IMO.

[mdosu]

tell him his S4 is just a VW Passat in which Audi fit a underachieving V8 and that it's not a true S model. Additionally, ask him what it feels like driving a car with the equivalent weight of a dead horse nailed on the radiator grill, then see if he punches you in the face.

[michaelpnett]

Endless,

Do some reading.
This is frequently brought up.
Even in the review of the F10 M5 on this very website.

Thanks

[tibra1]

Oh no..here we go again..

[mshab356]

Originally Posted by mdosu

tell him his S4 is just a VW Passat in which Audi fit a underachieving V8 and that it's not a true S model. Additionally, ask him what it feels like driving a car with the equivalent weight of a dead horse nailed on the radiator grill, then see if he punches you in the face.

Hahahahaha

[LucWerkz]

There are no real M cars anymore and there hasn't been one since 1999. THERE I SAID IT.

Now if you will excuse me, I have to go drive off in my fast S4.

[aus]

OP. Your friend knows more about the history of //M cars than you do.

.

[kmarei]

the last M car was the M3
when M used to stand for Motorsport
the rest are the new M
where M stands for marketing/money
at least that's what my personal opinion is

[PINHEAD]

small penises in here

[Legion5]

In my mind a true M car is a street car that is intended to be capable for use in motorsports.

The whole purpose of the M division originally was to homologate their motorsports vehicles so they could compete in racing series.

Therefore ONLY true M car right now would really be the M3 GTS.

Due to compromises for comfort, safety, price and mass appeal in the past decade M has evolved into nolonger being hardcore racecars but to being soft vehicles which were feeble competitors in modern racing. Sure they were capable of racing but were at the middle or bottom of ladder being beat by Mustangs that cost half as much instead of at the top. Currently M is evolving into vehicles that cannot even compete in racing ie X5M 1M F30 M3, F10 M5, F13 M6. These cars are not legal for any racing series due to their turbo chargers or the fact they are SUVs. The thing is that every M car generation is faster and faster on the nurburgring and on the street, so by dropping the racing pretense which they were feebly holding on to BMW's M brand is much better for it.

So are any lastest generation or upcoming M cars true M cars? No, not even close. The letter M now stands for Mainstream and not Motorsports, but the cars are faster and better for it.

99.99% of buyers will not compete in sanctioned and timed competetive motorsports in M cars anyways.

So yeah if anyone bothers to tell me XYZ isn't a "true M car" my response is: "Ok, it's still twice as fast as the last true M car in every way and you know you're jealouse of it".

[brava09]

Originally Posted by mdosu

tell him his S4 is just a VW Passat in which Audi fit a underachieving V8 and that it's not a true S model. Additionally, ask him what it feels like driving a car with the equivalent weight of a dead horse nailed on the radiator grill, then see if he punches you in the face.

The S4 doesn't have a V8. It's got a V6.

[Brucewonder]

if the M isnt on a 3 series, then its not a true M car imo

the rest are just a top tier model to make extra $

[HotIce]

Keep stroking your egos. Really.

[regensburg94]

Well, there's no questioning that it's a "true" M Car to BMW and to the M Division. No one can deny that the X5M, X6M, etc. are M cars in the strict/formal sense.

The rest of our opinions - mostly concerning whether these new variants are consistent with the historic spirit and purpose of the M Division - are probably not all that relevant.

[FogCityM3]

If "M" stands for motorsport, wouldn't a true M car be based/related on a some form of a professional racing equivalent (chassis and/or engine?). In that case the current gen M3 and previous M5 (arguable, but engine was very closely related to F1 engines used by BMW and McLaren) were the "last of breed". Don't think there are any professional motorsports with any FI BMW engine in them nor any with SUV chassis.

[HotIce]

The F80 is going to have electric steering. THAT is not going to be a true M.

[karussell]

The X5M is completely useless. After driving one I had a grin from ear to ear. Drift a truck and it changes you. I get it now. The M stands for mental because thats what M division does. Take regular BMW's which already drive so well and just add a lot of insanity. No matter the size or shape, I don't recall ever stepping out of a factory M badged car without a grin on my face.

Would I buy an X5M? No, probably not. At least not new. But I'm glad it exists. Hope BMW sells a bunch of them. It helps them to make other awesome M vehicles I would like very much to buy and drive. My wish is for Z4 M Coupe to come back with S65 motor.

[LarThaL]

Originally Posted by m3alabama

I did like the recent interview on this website with the prior M head guy who now runs Canada and when asked what does a true m vehicle mean to him. And ultimately he said a practical car that can be used everyday and outperforms all the other competition in its class.

I think as long as M keeps cars that can be daily driven as well as track driven off the show room floor and they continue to lead performance numbers in their class of car than that is essentially a true M car.

I however like many others do not care if it is still a "true" m car which the next m3 will be and the f10 M5 certainly is, but rather I liked qualities of "older" m cars rather than saying "true"

I have said it before but will say it again. BMW M cars have always been the top performer in their respective class of car BUT they achieved that level of performance in a manner that NO other competitors offered. Meaning relatively high revving naturally aspirated horsepower with amazing hp/litre. Also great weight, balance and feel.

Even with the m3-the c63 is faster but the m3 achieves virtually comparable performance and better feel in a manner that nobody else offers except maybe the rs5 with its engine .

So while the new f10 M5 may be the best in the segment, at its core it is a FI v8. You can go get a merc, cadillac, audi, jaguar or almost anything and get a torquey big power v8. Nothing "special"

To me older me cars were "special" and modern m cars while certainly true m cars are not "special" to me

It all has to do with the levels of present day hp as well as fuel economy. The last gen of BMW NA motors were tuned to the max to wring out all the relaible hp they could. Only way to get more is larger displacement. This is especially true with regards to torque. Do you really expect to see a Dodge Viper-like engine in the M5? The only way to get the big hp numbers of today and maintain a reasonable weight and even remotely liveable fuel economy is with forced induction, and with the exception of true exotics, everyone is doing it. Even the top end Americn muscle cars are straying from their long standing big displacement NA V8's in favor of forced induction.

Keep in mind, however, that for these top performers, at least, you are still starting with a V8 motor as a base. This doesn't suck.

[LarThaL]

Originally Posted by karussell

The X5M is completely useless. After driving one I had a grin from ear to ear. Drift a truck and it changes you. I get it now. The M stands for mental because thats what M division does. Take regular BMW's which already drive so well and just add a lot of insanity. No matter the size or shape, I don't recall ever stepping out of a factory M badged car without a grin on my face.

Would I buy an X5M? No, probably not. At least not new. But I'm glad it exists. Hope BMW sells a bunch of them. It helps them to make other awesome M vehicles I would like very much to buy and drive. My wish is for Z4 M Coupe to come back with S65 motor.

In the days of "classic" M cars, SUV's didn't really exist as a mainstream vehicle type. Now that they do, BMW has bulit M vehciles for this popular segment. After owning a Cayenne GTS, I am actually a firm believer in the performance SUV. For driving enthusiasts who need the utility, what could be better? Also, the high driving position is great for long trips, you feel very safe in an SUV, and the front end paint of you car gets far less damaged due to the height from the road.

[mdosu]

Originally Posted by brava09

The S4 doesn't have a V8. It's got a V6.

depends on which S4...i assumed B7

[Teemo Panda]

I like how non-BMWs nowadays sticking ///M onto their cars.