Comments on: Driver Republic concerned about the future of M brand

By: Kingz

Kingz — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:42:31 +0000

I think this journalist is possible referring to BMW’s current turbo phase which is actually justifiable due to the strict CO2 emission laws. BTW M cars are street cars! If the journalist wants some assurance that BMW can make a proper Motorsport car then he should drive the E46 M3 CSL. BMW’s M division will still continue to make the best cars in their class as they have ALWAYS done.

By: s3r3n

s3r3n — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:07:48 +0000

The m3 CSL has to be the one of the finest cars in the world and certainly the best made by bmw to date.. The new m3 is also a great car but i think with the new x5/6 m bmw has lost the plot.. M IS NATURALLY ASPIRATED.. IT IS HERITAGE!! DONT TURBCHARGE THE DAMN THING!

By: hj

hj — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 02:09:28 +0000

what an asshole this guy is truly dumb
What about the M3CSl or heck GTR those are amazing cars not to mention the older M3 was outstanding and so is the new one man it revs 8000

How far ahead does this man want BMW to be let him go nag about some other crap manufacturer

By: Tuesmq

Tuesmq — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:13:10 +0000

Marketing research is just… well, marketing research. What people say they would buy 2 years ago probably won’t be the same thing today. And we know very well what type of world we are in today compared to 2 year ago. I really don’t think the M trucks will become a commercial success.

The M brand should have been left alone. Just following AMG isn’t a good way to do business.

I think BMW would have been better off creating a another label for the fast SUVs they want to sell. Surely their marketing people can come up with better names than sDrive.

By: Mauro Corti

Mauro Corti — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:48:11 +0000

@Tom

The problem here Tom is that there will be no more Z4 M, only X6/5M, and excuse me if I think that Z4 is choccolate and XM are… crap.

We are not complaining about Z4M, that Z4M was amazing and it had one of the most amazing engine bmw ever made, probably the best ever. But this… Cmon u can’t create a 1800+ kg car and say “this is a sport car” or even worse “a super car”.

M5 is not a super car, not even close, it’s a fast BIG BIG BIG FAT luxury car, but “sport” is the last thing you can think getting on an M5. The X6M is even worse due to its dimensions and weight, so YES Chris is right, the last Ms were just fat, beautifil, big cars with awful brakes, nothing more than this.

By: Tom Hegedosh

Tom Hegedosh — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:27:01 +0000

the z4m is a fantastic/lightweight driver’s car anyway… stop complaining and drive one

By: Neal Pratt

Neal Pratt — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:00:04 +0000

Few people want another “E30 M3″ Most people want the Big Fast Kaboom E60 M5. Money talks nowadays and BMW would sell more Big-A M5’s then Little Traditional E30 M3-Like cars as great as they are.

By: wazon

wazon — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:16:40 +0000

I have to admit that I am excited how it gonna be to drive M SUV. Actually, I haven’t driven such fast SUV yet, so I wait for some occasion. Beliefe that BMW did great work and that it will be best handling SUV on the market.

Maybe SUV boom is over for a while, but finally finansial crisis will end and SUVs gonna become more popular once again. BMW will then something really desirable to offer. It’s clear that they were working at M SUV before crisis became and hence they couldn’t drop its production.

By: Steve Vincent

Steve Vincent — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:21:44 +0000

I think its about time we had more M product cars, so im pleased to see the X5/X6M models. Their now needs to be a proper M supercar to replace the original M1, an M version of the concept CS and a M7. Their is still a huge market for these cars and need to be bulit to compete with competetors.

By: BMfan

BMfan — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 07:36:16 +0000

Why is this guy not concerned about Mercedes and the rest of auto makers pursuing their AMG and whatever they name theirs’. Fast SUVs are fun to drive as well and some if not many of us will go for it if we had our way.

By: Gord

Gord — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 03:42:14 +0000

I’m pretty sure Chris has a new M3, so I’m a bit surprised at his comment. I don’t really mind an X5/X6 M, as long as the M3, M5, and M6 are good.

By: _Auday_

_Auday_ — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 02:06:37 +0000

ditto

By: _Auday_

_Auday_ — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 02:04:46 +0000

you driving the X6M and car sales well doesnt contradict with what he is saying, all he is saying is that this new line of M car doesnt fit the original meaning of M cars.

By: Artmic

Artmic — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:58:49 +0000

M SUV? Blah, they can keep it

By: poop

poop — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:12:00 +0000

yeah and porsche sold most of those during the suv boom, not to mention it was their first suv entry, not a variant of a pre-existing model. now is not that time, and cayenne’s are sitting on lots, as are most suv’s, and i dont see anyone lining up for performance models like they were before. the timing seems weird to me. it does/has seemed like bmw is diluting their brand, especially considering that they said before that they wouldn’t consider suv m’s not that long ago because it was against their philosophy.

By: Elio

Elio — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:02:48 +0000

Chris Harris knows what he’s talking and I used to enjoy his weekly column in Autocar Magazine. I know he’s an M fan and I have to agree entirely with his thoughts although I fear it goes much deeper through the BMW brand. I can’t work out if BMW have stopped making outstanding cars or if the competition has gotten better. My thoughts are the latter but BMW do need to get back to releasing some metal which people die for to own.

By: monte_cristo

monte_cristo — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:45:51 +0000

Look at Porsche with the Cayenne, it is now still 1/3 of their sales while being almost 50% in 2003 through 2005. Huge moneymaker. There is still a market for this type of vehicules and it’s no surprise BMW wants to meet demand.

By: poop

poop — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:59:23 +0000

i somehow don’t think that the x6 which is already a slow seller is going to pick up any time by making it an x6-m for 100k

By: Mr. M

Mr. M — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:53:22 +0000

Im the first in line to buy the new X6M… So this guy thinks BMW didt any research, surveys, market studies, etc to launch the new M models? Who is this guy? I think this guy drives a Jetta and hasnt feel the emotion to drive an M…….