Quote:
Originally Posted by Maynard
Granted the car mags are just payola masquerading as journalism - I'm loving how they dote praise upon the Alfa, yet also note 'never had one to test that didn't at least throw a CEL' - kind of a big deal when it costs that much, and the dealership is in a strip mall 90 minutes away (probably has s/t to do with those huge pull-out ads they pay for?). they also pepper their praise of Audi with (accurate) quotes like 'totally without personality' and note how similar they are to their VW brethren.
But I have to agree with some of their prose - mostly the part about how BMW has abandoned the 'ultimate driving machine' ethos, and is now chasing somebody else's idea of luxury. I would, however, disagree with those who say they were always head and shoulders above the competition. More accurate is that they always were ahead in that niche. IIRC, the original M3 had heavy competition and didn't sell that well b/c it was so rough, and sort of weird (they did, after all, more or less create the segment of affordable sports-sedans). Things that are so perfect for a niche will seldom be desired by the masses. I'm kind of hoping that they will turn back and pull the M cars (and the whole 2 series) out into a dedicated performance sub-brand, rather than turn the //M into a glorified marketing tool like AMG has become.
|
Like your post! I see the dilution of the brand in general.. But I also dont really care that much so long as they keep coming out with at least a few true performance oriented vehicles that have bonafide track credentials and perform beautifully on the street. And, continue offering manual transmissions in those models! I agree that the 3 series sedan, long considered a true sport sedan in its own right, and, perhaps, the very embodiment of the category, is no longer a 'sport sedan', using its original credentials as the basis. And, the M3 with its larger size and nod to luxury, and sewing-machine-clatter sound is oft no longer considered the epitome of sport sedans despite its awesome engine (fixed pretty well if you buy it with the competition pack). However, the M2, I believe, fits the original mold fairly well, as does the M240i. The M2 holds its own against the competition and is a blast to drive on the street as well as the track as practically all the professional reviewers can and have attested to. Plus, its a terrific value. I know there are those who will claim the interior is not as nice as Audi, for example.. But isnt that precisely the emphasis we want to avoid, those of us who are more performance oriented and interested in seeing BMW return to its roots in at least one offering? This model is often favorably compared to what, in yesteryear, was considered the epitome of M3s, the E46, only updated.
To sum up, Im not happy about Bmw's direction, but so long as they offer at least one model that offers more than a passing nod to their former character at a reasonable price, I can forgive them.