HKG wrote

If M needs to build M SAVs so they can fund low volume/profit cars like the 1M I'm all for it.

this

The more M's the better.
I'd be the first in line to buy my wife the new X3M.

Every model has it's market and M is filling a niche in each.
M SUV's don't "water down" anyone's M3. It opens up new markets with people who would never buy an M3!

BMW is ruining the ///M brand.

BMW needs to either go all in (a la AMG) or stop this ish. Would get wife an X3m but why all these other SAVs before a Z4m, an M7 and a M6 "Gran Coupe."

I'm not buying that BMW is making money hand over fist on M SUVs. Well not outside of China.

Everytime Scott post something about new models it is utterly confusing. I've lost track of the new upcoming BMW lineup.

As a brand, I understand how people feel are upset, but as a business, I understand why they are doing this.

x3m = perfect wife's car.

Matski wrote

Well, technically the car that is robbing the M badge of its exclusivity is the M3 as it's by far the biggest seller. I have yet to see either an X5 or X6M on the road.

Personally, I don't mind the idea of X3M or X1M, I'm sure they'd both be a hoot to drive, so long as the money is re-invested in producing a bonkers version of the M6

I think in England/Europe, people are more practical than say US/Canada. From my trip earlier this year, I didn't see much SUV's, or big cars. People still buy their BMW's and Mercedes, but they're diesel 3er's and 5er's, C/E-Class. Here In Toronto, I've seen quite a few X5/X6M's. So unless there's a mysterious diesel M car, I doubt you'll see any increases of these M cars.

But in terms of M SAV/SUV's, I think if there were one you could look at and say it makes the most sense, it would be the X3 and maybe X1 (I haven't seen or driven one so I can't comment on the feel of it). Sure the X3 has grown a bit in size but it's not as big as the X5. The X3 looks like the perfect balance of performance and utility.

X1M is a great car too

Nelrock wrote

BMW is ruining the ///M brand.

Well it's their brand and they can do what they want with it. BMW is business not an idea.

Jblack4083 wrote

This is funny because at the beginning of his post he clarified that BMW is going to use these "volume sellers" as a means to an end. In order to get cars like an M3 CSL, M3 CRT, 1M / M2, and other "special" editions that won't really produce any profit for the M division, BMW needs to have these cars that go against the philosophy but make a lot of money. Everyone knows the X5M and X6M are not track cars but in a sense souped up SUVs. I'd rather the M division be profitable AND able to kick out competition killer cars with innovative concepts than to not have M SAVs. As sad as it sounds...

If you people ran BMW M the division would go broke within 1 year... You guys have no idea what it takes to run a business.

Yes, this is really the same reason that Porsche decided to produce the Cayenne.

Booster wrote

"I'd like to have a word with you..."

You beat me to it!

By the advent of M-One and M-Two . BMW M will have a strategic advantage over the competition because BMW will be in mass volume production of CFRP.
Currently the focus is on BMWi and the start-up for the sub-brand.

Projections put forward estimate that M-One and M-Two could use CFRP more extensivesly than our competitors because it will be entirely cost-effective to do so.

SCOTT26 wrote

By the advent of M-One and M-Two . BMW M will have a strategic advantage over the competition because BMW will be in mass volume production of CFRP.
Currently the focus is on BMWi and the start-up for the sub-brand.

Projections put forward estimate that M-One and M-Two could use CFRP more extensivesly than our competitors because it will be entirely cost-effective to do so.

Thanks Scott. Is BMW ready to talk about repairs to CFRP and how that process will compare to something like Audi's ASF repair challenges and a single repair facility in the US? Perhaps this is better addressed in a different thread?

So an X3M and an ///M3 will officially have the same engine? AND YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE IT TO THE X VERSION FIRST, not the ///M3?!?!?! HAHAHAH.....this is so entertaining. Why? Because of the ridiculousness of it, like the way you cannot turn away from a bad reality show. The members of the cast think people are laughing with them, when in reality, they are laughing AT THEM. Lets go over the core tenants of BMW ///M as little as 10 years ago that they have dumped:

1) "Nien" to the concept of having a FI engine.
2) High Revving Engines: saying something is does not make it so. Sorry, 7,200 on the new ///M5 is not high revving. Just like slapping an ///M3 badge on the back of an Accord does not make it faster.
3) "You can not build one engine to fit all cars"----straight from BMW when they took shots at Merc and their AMG division.

It's a complete and utter joke what they have done to the ///M line. Its not different then any other line. Its just another AMG, SRT, TRD, or S knockoff. Yup, they are just like everyone else: slap some badges, a big engine and some suspension and let her rip. I could even deal with the ///M5 going FI, because in reality, a high strung car is not what people buying that type of car want, they need it to be able to be an executive sedan at times. So I get that; why I think the comparison to the e39 ///M5 is spot on as that masterpiece was a lot less high strung then the e60. But to continue to take one engine to fit multiple cars? They are tearing the souls out of the cars, and whoreing out the brand for the new and ultimate tenant:

1) Make money, regardless of what it takes.

Funning thing about brand marketing, once you have a strong brand you can use it to sell anything. However, if you dilute that brand, and associate it with things not as great as those used to build the brand, in the long run the brand will begin to suffer IRREPARABLE damage as what it was formerly associated with is forgotten.

What made the ///M line so special was beyond specs, beyond the numbers, similar to what makes Porsche and Ferrari special. No, I'm not comparing, just pointing out that its what made ///Ms special. When you get rid of that "soul" and that "individuality" you destroy what makes the "line" of cars special. Take away Derek Jeter's "intangibles" and he is not the player everyone, even Yankee haters, have come to know him to be.

BMW is forcing ///M to dump the "intangibles" and I for one hope that BMW falls flat on its face just so the whole lot of us who HELP BUILD BWM TO WHAT IT IS TODAY can laugh and say "we told you so......you can't say we didn't tell you." Corporate greed is associated with ruining people's lives at times, our economy and environment, but its harder to see the other casualty of greed: the transformation of great companies into average ones.

Cheers,
e46e92

Desert_Fox wrote

X3M and X1M? The sound of that makes some people cringe, but then again way back, long ago, in a time where BMW didn't make SAV's, the thought of any non-car BMW was blasphemy. You cant make everyone happy, but you should always try to make your shareholders satisfied. If selling these vehicles will generate more profits, then this will very well make some people happy to the point they are deaf to those complaining. I suppose more the merrier, atleast everyone can find a BMW they like??

I come from the investment baking world, and this comment sums up why the markets are beyond volatile, why too many companies "FAIL" and commit "FRAUD". The bottom line is not the only line.....how many times do we all have to learn that the hard way:confused2

Cheers,
e46e92

Jblack4083 wrote

This is funny because at the beginning of his post he clarified that BMW is going to use these "volume sellers" as a means to an end. In order to get cars like an M3 CSL, M3 CRT, 1M / M2, and other "special" editions that won't really produce any profit for the M division, BMW needs to have these cars that go against the philosophy but make a lot of money. Everyone knows the X5M and X6M are not track cars but in a sense souped up SUVs. I'd rather the M division be profitable AND able to kick out competition killer cars with innovative concepts than to not have M SAVs. As sad as it sounds...

If you people ran BMW M the division would go broke within 1 year... You guys have no idea what it takes to run a business.

///M had no issues running a profit when they just did ///M3 & ///M5, and my bet is with a 1M, M3 & M5, they would make plenty of money.

Finally, be careful of the judgmenet you pass on what it does and does not take to run a business. I have colleagues worth 9 figures from their businesses who stick to core tenants, and don't leave them to make an extra buck because of the LONG TERM damage they know it can have on their brand and company's reputation, which at this point, is as important the biggest contributor to ever growing leads and sales.

Cheers,
e46e92

blipit wrote

Of course M-division is standalone. But if you think BMW doesn't pump money into to it, then you are sorely mistaken.

M-division survived almost 40 years without the need for M-suvs and watering down of the brand.

Its funny you guys are eating this marketing BS right up.

+1....thank you.

Cheers,
e46e92

e46e92love wrote

So an X3M and an ///M3 will officially have the same engine? AND YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE IT TO THE X VERSION FIRST, not the ///M3?!?!?! HAHAHAH.....

Sure, they did it with the X5/6M, its the same engine with a couple tweaks in the new M5, its their new way of testing the engine on SUVs before putting them in the hard core markets of the M3/M5. If buying the future M3 you should be happy BMW is doing this, you will be getting an engine that has already been tested in the wild and improved on like the M5 is.

I think people are just mad because with AWD the X3M will probably tie the new M3 in most real world stop light starts, the AWD will just put the power to the road easier and if there is any trace of wet it will blow away the M3, plus you never know what kind of enhancements the X3M driver might have made to a tri-turbo engine, could easily get 500 HP safely. and no M3 driver wants to be beaten by a big X3,

Mako wrote

Sure, they did it with the X5/6M, its the same engine with a couple tweaks in the new M5, its their new way of testing the engine on SUVs before putting them in the hard core markets of the M3/M5. If buying the future M3 you should be happy BMW is doing this, you will be getting an engine that has already been tested in the wild and improved on like the M5 is.

I think people are just mad because with AWD the X3M will probably tie the new M3 in most real world stop light starts, the AWD will just put the power to the road easier and if there is any trace of wet it will blow away the M3, plus you never know what kind of enhancements the X3M driver might have made to a tri-turbo engine, could easily get 500 HP safely. and no M3 driver wants to be beaten by a big X3,

I see M3 4WD happening near future. AKA M3X vs X3M LOL!