BMW have gone too far

[GT119]

g3org3y said:

FWD

Had one of those as a dealer loan car recently. 218i M sport complete with M badges to front wings. The look I got from wife and kids when I got home said it all. However it was in Estoril Blue which definitely made it go faster.

[Triumph Man]

Debaser said:

AH33 said:

I'd be pissed off if I owned a proper M car and people were stealing my kudos by driving round in an "M" 114i

Really? I wouldn't care.

I'd quite like knowing that I have the real deal and they are pretending!

[Alex_225]

Must admit it is a bit frustrating but all the brands are doing it and people seem quick to state they own an AMG/M/RS etc when they just don't.

Saw some pictures of a nice enough looking A class but because the first buyer had ticked the AMG styling pack it had an AMG badge on the boot, was an A200!!

Just no.

[iphonedyou]

nunpuncher said:

Obviously it's good business but it just smacks of a shallow society that only care about looking flash (yes, I know i'm analysing this too much). Spend all that money you've wasted on tat on a better bloody engine.

I can't imagine being the sort of person that absolutely, resolutely will not accept that others have different priorities to their own. It's just bizarre.

Every single person you pass on the street will have different priorities to you - rest assured, though, that they won't be judging you for your priorities in the way you judge them.

Because, as I say, that's bizarre.

[GroundEffect]

Mr2Mike said:

MikeTFSI said:

Audi S-line? Mercedes-Benz AMG? VW R line? Ford ST-line? I could go on. All the same.

I thought all the Fords with an ST model designation were higher performance variants? Is this not the case?

ST-Line is new. Basically replaces Zetec S.

[AH33]

Triumph Man said:

I'd quite like knowing that I have the real deal and they are pretending!

Pull up next to them and they'd pretend you weren't there

[Steven_RW]

Triumph Man said:

I'd quite like knowing that I have the real deal and they are pretending!

Happened a hundred times each time you looked across at the M badged up basic BMW as you passed or they passed you in your M3.

Tried to make sure and not act like a nob as the moment happened.

RW

[culpz]

Unfortunately the market is flooded with people who specifically want a good looking car with all the bells and whistles and sporty styling without the compromise of a large and powerful engine powering it. They'd prefer an engine from a tractor or and lawnmower in there for cheaper tax/better MPG regardless of the mileage they're actually doing.

Whether i agree with it or not, these large car manufacturer's will be selling so many more of these variants as apposed to the full-fat sports car model. Petrol-heads are unfortunately in the minority and if they only made and sold the fast versions they probably wouldn't make much profit. "All show and no go" springs to mind here and it's what people want i'm afraid.

[popeyewhite]

I suppose as long as the faux performance model doesn't display the crucial M/AMG/RS badge on the back/grille then other superficial paraphernalia is ok.

[Triumph Man]

I think someone mentioned it above, but with all the bodykits and badges and big wheels flying around, at least the really high performance stuff will look a bit more inconspicuous. They may even become sleepers. Relatively.

[ahenners]

Definitely understand this... spotted a white F30 316D over the weekend with ridiculous amounts of stick on "M" stuff, spoiler, sills, grille, badges. No Xenons, no Pro Nav, no leather, and the worst/most pointless engine in the range. Each to their own I guess.

[Devil2575]

culpz said:

"All show and no go" springs to mind here and it's what people want i'm afraid.

The reality is that for the vast majority of the buying public a 2 litre diesel has more than enough go, esecially compared to the engines that used to inhabit the engine bays of typical saloon cars.

[essIII]

I just don't get badges in general. Why do 99% of us drive around with Fiesta, Xsara or an unintelligible series of letters and numbers (X5 M50d) on our boots? I understand why manufacturers want them there - free advertising, but if the people who built my house left a sign on the side/front of it advertising their business I'd have it straight off!

PS M badges on non M cars churn my stomach.

[vkcs22]

They can put as many badges and stickers on, at the end of the day it can't beat the real thing.

Drove past one of those AMG line C class (CDI something...) last time, pressed the throttle a bit and the owner looked at me.... Yes bh, that's what a real AMG C63 sounds like!

[framerateuk]

Mr2Mike said:

I thought all the Fords with an ST model designation were higher performance variants? Is this not the case?

I had to google it. ST-line is different from ST.

The ST versions are the fast versions, where ST-Line appears to be a styling pack to make it look "sporty".

[bigkeeko]

vkcs22 said:

Drove past one of those AMG line C class (CDI something...) last time, pressed the throttle a bit and the owner looked at me.... Yes bh, that's what a real AMG C63 sounds like!

Guy probably had a company car. Did you get a semi?

[vtecyo]

bigkeeko said:

vkcs22 said:

Drove past one of those AMG line C class (CDI something...) last time, pressed the throttle a bit and the owner looked at me.... Yes bh, that's what a real AMG C63 sounds like!

Guy probably had a company car. Did you get a semi?

Exactly this. Only one tosser in that story.

[alpinab3]

The luxury trim is the best looking

[Devil2575]

bigkeeko said:

vkcs22 said:

Drove past one of those AMG line C class (CDI something...) last time, pressed the throttle a bit and the owner looked at me.... Yes bh, that's what a real AMG C63 sounds like!

Guy probably had a company car. Did you get a semi?

I was thinking that myself.

The driver of the other car was probably thinking "Bellend"

[d3llams]

mahoone said:

Mr2Mike said:

I thought all the Fords with an ST model designation were higher performance variants? Is this not the case?

I've seen one on auto trader. Looks like a Zetec S so what's the point of 'st line'

The St-Line has replaced the Zetec S, and has a similar suspension set up to the ST but doesn't have the bigger engine, in the case of the fiesta it has 15 more bhp over a standard zetec.

Edited by d3llams on Monday 4th July 14:35