Jalopnik: "The Death Of BMW’s M Brand"

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by understeer

That actually is a good description of what many, if not most, professional race car drivers own as street cars/daily drivers.
http://vehicle.ezinemark.com/persona...6ca0bb668.html

I work for an insurance company.

I'm not really comfortable with those race car drivers claiming actuarial street cred just because they drive the same car I do.

[asandyz]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

I do think BMW is getting a little generous with the M Badges.

OK BMW, send me a badge!

[bmwx3805]

get a life.

[MStar]

[AhsanU]

Honestly, some of you guys need to look at it from both perspectives.

From BMW's point of view, you can't argue what they're doing. It's a business. They're here to make money. If they can do something, anything, to make more money - you bet your ass they will. It's nothing personal, it's just the way the world works. They have built amazing M cars over the years and built its reputation from the ground up since the 70's. They're using their hard earned rep to boost their sales. What's wrong with that? Absolutely nothing. Again - this is if you look at it from their point of view.

On the other hand, you have us enthusiasts that love what the M brand used to be. The M badge was something that signified motoring excellence. And with BMW adding M badges to everything.. it's killing its credibility and its overall perceived image.

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by AhsanU

From BMW's point of view, you can't argue what they're doing.

X6M50d BMW. They can M135i themselves for all I care.

[MSportDC]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. He does make some valid points.

But I notice that, in one breath, he trashed the guy who actually planned to take his car to the track, while in the next breath he trashed people for pretending to be drivers but never taking their cars to the track.

He also laid into the non-stock configuration of the ALMS or Le Mans M3 race cars, but then utterly dismisses the Grand Am series - where real stock M3s actually do compete in the GS class - citing the Kia competition.

In other words the author does demonstrate a bit of hypocrisy, at least at some level of abstraction, and seems to really enjoy ranting.

All MHO.

Like totally.

[TVMA Doc]

Originally Posted by Purple Derple

I don't entirely agree with this. Yes they have to make money, but successful business models do not have to forgo convictions. Take, for example, Steve Jobs' stance against smut on apple devices. Media has been made/broken by the porn industry--VHS vs Beta being the prime instance. His position was to exclude porn from their devices as much as possible. Media history would say this is damning, but apple made it work.

Yes BMW is doing this for savvy business reasons, I just think a lot of people take the position that it doesn't have to be this way. Anyways, who's to say this strategy of capitalizing on their M division isn't poisoning their reputation in the long-run?

Wow, you're saying that Apple (by Apple, I mean ONE MAN named Jobs) deciding what you should and shouldn't watch is an example of a "successful business model"? I'd argue that the only reason Apple is successful is that they had sleek designs and an even sleeker ability to self-promote.

Would you support BMW if they decided that you do not need to go above 55mph and permanently limited your car? Not to mention that I will bet you my first born that Steve Job's had accessed porn, and more than once.

[TVMA Doc]

Originally Posted by luis_m3

The reality is that today's businesses are all about money.
I hate it, but I'm a realist... BMW loves to make money out of people like us.

The only business that seems to enjoy losing money is government.