Quote:
Originally Posted by Viffermike
I disagree because the vast majority of M car buyers don't buy the car to exploit its track capabilities; they buy the car for its social cred. You say as much earlier in your post -- the difference here is that you feel it's only 'some' who buy it for this. I can say definitively that, at least in my city, it is most -- and marketing data and sales patterns point to it being most for the simple fact that save for the M2, M cars have evolved into luxury vehicles.
Track capability is an element of that for some of those customers, yes -- but the buyer will never actually put it to that use. It's that the car is capable of it that is appealing.
This is part and parcel of why mags such as C&D pair certain cars together. It's the mag staff's read of what the casual enthusiast will consider competing vehicles. "Competing" can mean everything from track times, sticker price, and chassis/drivetrain to social panache and which car's likely to be parked at the front of the valet stand instead of the lot across the street.
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Your insight is keen, and I agree with you that it's more the knowledge of your car's capability of kicking ass on the track, then it is the actual experience of doing so personally that lends street cred to these models. There's nothing like a Head to Head video showing your car kicking the snot out of the other make's entry, showing the driver's over the top gushing about all the fun hes having in your car while doing so, to gin up the enthusiasm of the potential buyer or interested party.
Your explanation of what comprises 'competing' is also right on, and might explain why you could potentially see an unexpected comparo between a GT350 and a Quadrofoglio.