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      11-27-2018, 08:43 AM   #1
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Stop killing the M name

Am I the only one extremely tired of BMW taking the "M" title and applying it to everything they can to make an additional buck? It feels less special to have a true core M car now. Does it even matter to spend the extra buck to get the next M cars in the future if you don't go to the track often? I can't be the only one feeling this way. I kind of get it I guess... Audi has its S models for the sporty more affordable option outside of their RS models correct? I originally thought they were just trying to compete with that but I don't even know anymore.
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      11-27-2018, 09:00 AM   #2
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lmao. EverythingM for reals... mad annoying
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      11-27-2018, 09:01 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmyraww View Post
Am I the only one extremely tired of BMW taking the "M" title and applying it to everything they can to make an additional buck? It feels less special to have a true core M car now. Does it even matter to spend the extra buck to get the next M cars in the future if you don't go to the track often? I can't be the only one feeling this way. I kind of get it I guess... Audi has its S models for the sporty more affordable option outside of their RS models correct? I originally thought they were just trying to compete with that but I don't even know anymore.
yer not the only one
but obviously the rest of the world loves it because
it sells cars and people (and even BMW) are pasting it on non-M cars
M-craze
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      11-27-2018, 09:03 AM   #4
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plus everything is so complicated now. 1 series, 2 series, 4 series.... x3, x4, x7? lol All of them will have M badge
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      11-27-2018, 09:07 AM   #5
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Car manufacturers are at the end of the day people (product planners) responding to what people (buying audience) want. The only thing that's constant is change. The cost pressure is forcing car manufacturers to find many new ways to expand margins by creating multiple milestones towards value. Other car manufacturers do the same thing. Globally, Toyota is #1 car manufacturer.

2019 Toyota Corolla has 6 (six!) trim levels. "I have a Corolla but it's an SE so it's almost as good as BMW 135". Humor is intentional of course but the power of "Almost M" marketing messages turns bystanders into buyers.
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      11-27-2018, 09:09 AM   #6
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It's like... The only hugely cool things are the quad exhaust and the speed bump at this point... sad
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      11-27-2018, 09:12 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmyraww View Post
Am I the only one extremely tired of BMW taking the "M" title and applying it to everything they can to make an additional buck? It feels less special to have a true core M car now. Does it even matter to spend the extra buck to get the next M cars in the future if you don't go to the track often? I can't be the only one feeling this way. I kind of get it I guess... Audi has its S models for the sporty more affordable option outside of their RS models correct? I originally thought they were just trying to compete with that but I don't even know anymore.
I know.

Truly my WORST thing about the naming is these models prefixed with M.

Like M235i . It is just getting so damn complicated.

I'm ok with M packages on the faster non Ms, but having an actual prefixed M model just places the cars in a confusing line up.
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      11-27-2018, 09:14 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cfm56d7b View Post
Car manufacturers are at the end of the day people (product planners) responding to what people (buying audience) want. The only thing that's constant is change. The cost pressure is forcing car manufacturers to find many new ways to expand margins by creating multiple milestones towards value. Other car manufacturers do the same thing. Globally, Toyota is #1 car manufacturer.

2019 Toyota Corolla has 6 (six!) trim levels. "I have a Corolla but it's an SE so it's almost as good as BMW 135". Humor is intentional of course but the power of "Almost M" marketing messages turns bystanders into buyers.
Exactly, It's marketing. That's all.


I always said that Audi has always done a fantastic job marketing the S4/S5 cars compared to BMW. When people think of an S4 they think that the comparable BMW would be the M3, when in reality it is the 335/340. BMW has done such a poor job of marketing the 335/340, your average consumer thinks that its just a higher trim package of the 320. BMW is trying to remediate this by putting a M badge in front on the 335/340.
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      11-27-2018, 09:18 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmyraww View Post
It feels less special to have a true core M car now.
So you're buying an 'M car' not because of the hardware you get but because it has an m badge and others don't?
The badge makes you feel different (special) and not the car?
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      11-27-2018, 09:23 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GuidoK View Post
So you're buying an 'M car' not because of the hardware you get but because it has an m badge and others don't?
The badge makes you feel different (special) and not the car?
No... I like how it drives. I also know that they're special cars in many ways and the badge means something. The point of the post was touching on the fact that it means less and less every day.
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      11-27-2018, 09:28 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Reed View Post
Exactly, It's marketing. That's all.


I always said that Audi has always done a fantastic job marketing the S4/S5 cars compared to BMW. When people think of an S4 they think that the comparable BMW would be the M3, when in reality it is the 335/340. BMW has done such a poor job of marketing the 335/340, your average consumer thinks that its just a higher trim package of the 320. BMW is trying to remediate this by putting a M badge in front on the 335/340.
It's indeed marketing but with a clear profit motive.

Product differentiation is a very difficult task, especially for mature products in mature markets.

Tires manufacturers have an even more difficult time. How does one differentiate a rubber disk of sorts?

- Uniroyal Tiger Paw; are you buying this tire because (Amur?) tigers have paws suitable for running in the winter? Perhaps.
- Michelin Pilot Super Sport; good enough to fly like a pilot slicing through the skies with precision?
- Continental ExtremeContact; better than any other because the contact is exteme(ly and exceptionally good)?
- Goodyear Assurance FuelMax; assurance that your mileage will double?

It's a tough world out there for product planners and marketing teams.
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      11-27-2018, 09:30 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal View Post
I know.

Truly my WORST thing about the naming is these models prefixed with M.

Like M235i . It is just getting so damn complicated.

I'm ok with M packages on the faster non Ms, but having an actual prefixed M model just places the cars in a confusing line up.
I saw this in action when I was at an M Car Control Clinic this year. During the classroom brief, one of the staff asked how many of us had M cars. I saw some hands go up. Well with one of the people there, come to find out this person didn't own an actual M car. It was a M235i. But this person thought it was an M car. Sigh. Didn't have the heart to correct their perception of it.
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      11-27-2018, 09:37 AM   #13
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I think BMW knows what it is doing. 2018 was even better.

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      11-27-2018, 09:38 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Reed View Post
Exactly, It's marketing. That's all.


I always said that Audi has always done a fantastic job marketing the S4/S5 cars compared to BMW. When people think of an S4 they think that the comparable BMW would be the M3, when in reality it is the 335/340. BMW has done such a poor job of marketing the 335/340, your average consumer thinks that its just a higher trim package of the 320. BMW is trying to remediate this by putting a M badge in front on the 335/340.
Exactly this. When I was getting into the S5 and comparing with other cars I was asking myself... why doesn't BMW has a competitor to this and then I realised ohhh it's the higher level non Ms, like 335i like you say, and equipped with the M sport pack are pretty nice and are directly like the Audi S.

But then like you say they put M infront but now it's just so confusing and out of place. They should call it more M line and not have it just M235i or something like that. Because the Audi S have S line badges.
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      11-27-2018, 09:39 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zx10guy View Post
I saw this in action when I was at an M Car Control Clinic this year. During the classroom brief, one of the staff asked how many of us had M cars. I saw some hands go up. Well with one of the people there, come to find out this person didn't own an actual M car. It was a M235i. But this person thought it was an M car. Sigh. Didn't have the heart to correct their perception of it.

A coworker the other day told me that he saw me park my M3 outside and he would like to check it out. I said sure meet me outside at 5. He agreed and said that he also had a M car and he would drive it over to meet me. He rolls up in his 135 with an M badge . I don't think that he even knew it wasn't an M car until I told him that the 1M existed. Needless to say I don't think he likes me much anymore since I burst his bubble.
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      11-27-2018, 09:40 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 9krpmrx8 View Post
I think BMW knows what it is doing. 2018 was even better.

We're not saying they don't. Just saying that it sucks that the M badge is getting diluted this much. To actually include it in the model name I dunno that's something different and odd than just having a M sport pack on a non M.
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      11-27-2018, 09:44 AM   #17
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Yeah well, that is the thing, while some whine about stuff like this, the facts are that the typical paying customer doesn't care, the M makes them feel special. This is why so many 335i, 328i, 325i, etc put M badges and shit on their cars.

Personally I don't really care, the M240i and M340i are great cars for the money.
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      11-27-2018, 09:46 AM   #18
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Just be glad you are in the know and let noobs get the participation medal.
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      11-27-2018, 10:20 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal View Post
Truly my WORST thing about the naming is these models prefixed with M.

Like M235i . It is just getting so damn complicated.

I'm ok with M packages on the faster non Ms, but having an actual prefixed M model just places the cars in a confusing line up.
Although I think it's unnecessary and leads to confusion, there is certainly historical precedent.

The first two M-prefixed cars were in fact BMW Motorsport-developed, see the E24 M635CSi and E12 M535i in the early 80s.

In the late 80s when the E28 5-series came out, the M535i became marketing only, differing from the 535i only cosmetically (and built on the regular E28 line versus the hand-built M5).
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      11-27-2018, 10:20 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmyraww View Post
No... I like how it drives. I also know that they're special cars in many ways and the badge means something. The point of the post was touching on the fact that it means less and less every day.
A badge is just a badge.
The badge originally ment motorsport, but since the e30 (so since almost 30 years) thats gone (the e30 m3 was the last homologated car from bmw).

So for about 30 years its been a marketing statement and now you're getting upset about it?
Forget about badges and next time you buy a car just look at the hardware you're getting and not what kind of badge they put on it. A badge is not worth felling special about imho.
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      11-27-2018, 10:28 AM   #21
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I think you can't blame guys who have car's that came with the M badge. it's not their fault... BMW did this. now if a guy puts an M badge and it's not than that's a different story.
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      11-27-2018, 10:29 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lsturbointeg View Post
I think you can't blame guys who have car's that came with the M badge. it's not their fault... BMW did this. now if a guy puts an M badge and it's not than that's a different story.
Agree
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