BMW’s slogan for as long as I can remember has been “The Ultimate Driving Machine.” In many ways, BMW has stayed true to this slogan, sans a short hiatus. Even today, it’s extremely difficult to match a BMW’s level of performance, comfort, build quality and driver involvement for the same price. In many ways, BMW is still the Ultimate Driving Machine. But my question to you is, for how long?
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It’s no secret that BMWs have been losing some of their Ultimate Driving Machine quality as we inch closer to a more technologically advanced future. Someone has been messing with the recipe, it seems. Electric power-steering, adjustable damping modes, variable ratio steering racks, adaptive cruise control and autonomous driving have all played factors in BMW losing its driver connection. And these technologies are expanding and becoming more mainstream with each new model year. Hell, the new BMW 7 Series can drive itself on remote command, a la James Bond.
All of this automation, all of this technology is separating car from driver more and more as time goes on. So how does that affect the Ultimate Driving Machine?
The whole idea behind the Ultimate Driving Machine motto was to remind people that BMW wanted its customers to absolutely love driving its vehicles. But now, driving is one of the last things its customers do it the car. Now, people are more focused on answering Facebook messages through the iDrive screen or using the autonomous driving function on the highway so they can Skype their significant other inappropriately or wave their hands about trying to change the damn volume with gesture control. It just seems as though the focus on driver interaction is less a priority now.
How long until the Ultimate Driving Machine slogan refers to the car as a singular entity? How long until the driver is obsolete because the car actually is the Ultimate Driving Machine? It’s frightening to think about because, as BMW fans, we love driving our cars and the thought of losing that connection to a bunch of electrons and lines of code is something that keeps us up at night. I’ll rue the day that something like this comes true, and BMWs become the automotive equivalent to SkyNet, but BMW wouldn’t have lied, it would have created the Ultimate Driving Machine.
Autonomous driving isn’t about taking over ALL the driving from the driver. It’s about taking over the driving when the driver doesn’t want to drive.
I love driving my car through the twisty canyons here in LA, but at 8am M-F when I’m stuck on freeways for 30-45 minutes? I’d rather just turn on my car’s adaptive cruise control, take my feet off the pedals, and relax.
I don’t think aids like that are what devastate enthusiasts about BMW’s direction, rather I think it’s simply the feel of their cars as you drive. The 3 Series loaner I just had felt like a numb teeter totter. Fake steering, body roll, float, lack of confidence, cheap inside, and an over sense of “Camry”. A base e90, although light on features, doesn’t feel that way – the suspension is firm and responsive, steering communicates amazingly, the NATURALLY ASPIRATED engine sounds amazing and builds power extremely linearly and smoothly, and I have an overall sense that I can chuck that car anywhere and have a huge smile as I do it. THAT was an Ultimate Driving Machine.
I remember when the e39 M5 came out (an era of BMW that we’ll never see again). Most notably, it was ONLY offered in a manual. Secondly, the commercial of it hauling through the desert with the side mounted camera was such a focus on the dynamics of the car. However, any BMW commercial I see today has a soccer mom sliding her foot under the tailgate with groceries in her hand and kids running around her. Any clueless moron can lease a BMW for pennies and think that they have a badge to flash. It’s almost embarrassing for owners like myself who drive a 2001 Anthracite Gray 740i M Sport because I love the car and driving is important to me. That’s also an Ultimate Driving Machine… When you can chuck a 7 series into a cambered curve at 100 mph and it’s just hugging it and clawing through with such balance and life in the chassis.
Now that I just thought of it, yes, BMW’s aren’t ALIVE anymore.
“Any clueless moron can lease a BMW for pennies and think that they have a badge to flash.”
Aint that the truth!
Take the M3 or M235i or even a standard 328i than you will have your ultimate driving machine for every day or even for the track. Its still better than all competitors.
And of course the new 7er is not the perfect argument for an ultimate driving machine in terms of track performance, but who wants to drive a 7er on a track? No one! I dont get your argumentation here..
The autonomous features are made for annoying traffic situations which you have in every car you drive on public roads so what is the problem with that? Personally I would never use ACC driving on the GSP everyday, because everytime someone moves over in front of your big gap, but if someone wants that why not. It doesnt make an M3 this much slower or weaker, maybe a little bit heavier but for people driving these cars everyday its the perfect balance. And dont forget all the regulations you have, rear view camera etc. Welcome to 2015 your enthusiasts, the world is changing, accept it or buy an E30.
The issue is that EVERY BMW used to be focused and sporty. You didn’t even need the Sport Package. The M235i is the best car they offer right now, but even that has a feeling of not truly being connected. The suspension is mushy still, and the steering still stinks. That car’s only saving grace is its size and weight. J can’t speak for the M3.
My point about my 7 series is that a huge luxurious car still moves like a BMW. It has nothing to do with what cars are brought to the track. No matter which car you bought back in the day, it had the traits of a BMW. You didn’t have to say, “Well their whole lineup sucks to drive, but this one model doesn’t suck as bad as the rest.”
It’s obvious that BMW, as they move to FWD, modular engines, minivans, and Camry-like cars, that they’re run by bean counters who want to sell a car to anyone and everyone. I don’t want to hear crap about the change in times because I’ll whoop you in a new Boxster S compared to that 235i. The Macan can completely embarrass the X3 and X4, and the Cayenne is bonkers compared to the X5. The Panemera, although ugly in this generation, whoops the 5/6 Series, the 911 is in a league of its own, and now we’re waiting for an even smaller sedan. I bet that sedan will embarrass a 3 Series.
I’m not trying to be mean. I just wonder how many of those big wigs at BMW have driven a “real” BMW lately. You can’t tell me that they hop out of an e34 540i M Sport manual and say, “Nope, we’re in a better place today.”
I wonder how many of them have driven a Clown Shoe lately, or unignorably, an e30. ANYTHING.
BMW has never, ever tried to be a market competitor to Porsche. Those analogies are irrelevant. Porsche is exclusive. BMW is not.