Quote:
Originally Posted by TupperBMW
In the end, it's up to BMW (since they own the brand 'M') what an M car is. Not to some hold outs on the internet.
If BMW is branding this car 'M' on the badge, then that speaks volumes.
Now you can argue that this dilutes 'M' branding, but in the end it is what it is. We all still know that an M3 is the superior car to the M340i in pretty much every performance-related measure....
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The 'M' has been used for 'performance' version of sedans, from BEFORE the "full fat" 'M-cars' came into existence.
The 'M' first used on a sedan, was back in 1979, with the E12 M535i. Then on the E28 M535i. BMW then "tested the waters" with the first M5, the E28 M5, and the rest is history, as we say.
If we want a more detailed history of the introduction of the M5, we note the E28 M535i was the 'extrovert', in appearance, the later developed E28 M5 was initially intended to be a discreet 'Q-car'. The launch show car didn't have spoilers, even had steel wheels.
M Performance sits in between the cooking M-sport models, and the full M-cars. See it as an 'M-Lite,' where BMW have positioned it for decades.
What we are seeing at present, is the M-car being pushed up in pricing (certainly in Europe with the Competition models), in a sense putting it back where BMW started with the first M5, the intended market having more exclusivity. As Motor Sport commented back in 1986, they saw it as "the ultimate upper-crust Q-car".
My observation, the current M Performance models are filling the market place with more 'useable' versions, at a better price point. Much like the original M535i in 1979.