Monday 10th December 2012

The end of M

4 Series or not there will never be another M3, at least not as we know it

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The arrival of the new 4 Series and the implied threat it represents to the continuation of the M3 lineage says a lot about the way BMW bosses view the M brand.

M for marketing, reckons Robertson

Would they really kill off the M3 though? In a flash, given how much emotion BMW sales and marketing boss Ian Robertson attaches to M. Which is to say none.

Don't misunderstand. Robertson understands precisely how important M is to BMW's bottom line in terms of prestige, halo models, brand bragging rights, showcasing technological know-how and the rest. Does he give a flying one through a rolling donut that the latest crop relegate the driver to the least important component in a vastly complex machine? In a word, no. When we asked him last week how BMW intends to keep the M3 alive in the post 4 Series world he simply batted the conundrum aside with a disinterested "we've thought about this."

And what of the complaints from the likes of us that the M5 and M6 are too aloof to be fun? Barely concealed irritation at the impertinence and a well-rehearsed party line that increased technology enables modern M cars to be all things to all drivers. Apart from, it'd seem, the ones who actually like driving. A fact only highlighted by the manual M5 we drove last week that at last revealed a degree of character. Flawed, perhaps. But entertaining, engaging and a whole lot more involving.

The link is tenuous but traditionally at M's core

So the E92 M3 stands, potentially, as not only the last to wear that celebrated badge. But also the last M car as we know it. Cars like the E92 and E60 M5 were never going to get mass acceptance. They're too focused, too furious, too peaky and way, way too thirsty. That's what we as journalists and customers told them. So, with all its considerable guile and resource, BMW has addressed these complaints, as you would expect. But, just possibly, killed the goose that laid the golden egg.

Doesn't matter. A new breed of customers, free of rose-tinted nostalgia and happy with turbo enhanced torque from 1,500rpm and a zillion different settings for every interface don't care. And they're buying. An M car wins at DTM at its first attempt. The brand looks cool and they don't care that the car they now buy now shares nothing in spirit, let alone breeding. M evolves into a profitable performance/luxury sub-brand, Robertson and his fellow suits are happy.

M5: a gearbox away from greatness

Where does that leave us, other than prowling the PH classifieds for old M cars and moaning about how things aren't what they used to be? There is hope. As Harris discovered recently cars like the M135i prove there is life in M yet. It may be that we need to move on and accept 'lower case' M as the new benchmark and leave the 'proper' M cars to the badge snobs. So be it. Almost under the radar of everyone - Robertson's suits and all it seems - the spirit of M has proven its ability to adapt and survive. Hopefully.

[Twincam16]

That is miserable.

[Noe]

Mr Robertson looks like a very bland and boring cock

M-cock

[kambites]

I think it's a bit unfair to portray this as a step change; the M division has been gradually migrating in this direction for several generations of car.

If it's what the market demands, you can't really blame them for doing it.

[em177]

[Twincam16]

kambites said:

I think it's a bit unfair to portray this as a step change; the M division has been gradually migrating in this direction for several generations of car.

If it's what the market demands, you can't really blame them for doing it.

But surely the market for Msport only exists because of the halo effect of the M models. People want them because they look like the more desirable, more expensive models.

[GranCab]

M stands for Monster now ...

[beetroute]

Shock ! BMW is is business and needs to do whatever it takes to survive and expand.

Don't read this story now and grumble. The alternative is to wait a few more years until the the "Premier" brands are the Kia and Hyundai of today, mass market is all Chinese (or Chinese owned) and BMW and M cars exist only in museums, millionaire's private collections and at FoS.

[6th Gear]

How about a pair of these?

http://www.4starclassics.com/BMW-M3-Sport-Evolutio...

[Hellbound]

There never really has been a consistent lineage of M car.

We used to have the M3 and M5 (Z3/4M and dead M1).

Now we'll have....

1M
M2
M2 Convertible (& Gran Coupe!?)
M3
M4
M4 Gran Coupe & Convertible
M5
M6
M6 Gran Coupe & Convertible
M7(Maybe)
M8(Hopefully)

As well as...

M135i
M235i
M335i
M435i
M545i(Or summat!)
M645i
Etc.

Plus we can add on the M Sport variants, cars with M Performance parts and those front wheel drive models one of which BMW will probably turn into a hot hatch of some sort with an M badge thrown in somewhere.

So from where I stand, 'M' has gone from a handful of cars for a certain type of buyer to a whole shed load of performance cars (from track focused offerings to grand tourers and saloons).

Ignoring the loss of naturally aspirated engines and the slight dilution/diversification of the brand to bring in the moolah and cover development costs, I fail to see why this is a bad thing.

It seems 'M' is very much alive.

Edited by Hellbound on Monday 10th December 09:30

[sanctum]

Do we really hark back to cars which are hard to drive fast, require an ammount of effort to keep on the road and which need a certain skill, ability and deft touch at the wheel to keep pointing in the right direction? Of course we do. But most people don't want to learn to drive, they just want bragging rights and stupidly fast, and if the car deigns to leave the road or cause a collision, clearly it was the fault of the engineers for not making it idiot proof!

[Rawwr]

Whilst reading that I did wonder if there was any scope for them offering up a new type of performance derivative based on the usual M recipe but stripped out and free of electronics but then I further wondered if those fantasy cars might suffer from Eurofighter syndrome and be unable to fly without the electronics and governance. As the article said, the driver is seemingly the least important component.

[Gadgeroonie]

the price of a 2nd hand M3 has just gone up !

[aeropilot]

With the exception of the E46 CSL, and the recent 1M, the M in ///M has stood for marketing since the demise of the E30 M3,

Given the way the 3 Series has 'expanded' in size, I think a termination of the lineage after the current E92 M3 might not be a bad thing.

I have a feeling that the M2 when it appears might be the closest to the 'real' ///M ethos of old. Might be a bit of a wait for that though.

[Bear Phils]

What's the problem? It's the same car with either 4 doors or a different number on the badge or have I missed something entirely?

Awaits woosh parrot...

[Rawwr]

aeropilot said:

With the exception of the E46 CSL, and the recent 1M, the M in ///M has stood for marketing since the demise of the E30 M3,

I know what you mean but I'm not sure I'd agree with that. E36 Evo was a great car as was the E39 M5. Then again, those are the only two I can think of adding to your list. Oh, E34 too.

[kambites]

Twincam16 said:

kambites said:

I think it's a bit unfair to portray this as a step change; the M division has been gradually migrating in this direction for several generations of car.

If it's what the market demands, you can't really blame them for doing it.

But surely the market for Msport only exists because of the halo effect of the M models. People want them because they look like the more desirable, more expensive models.

Yes but who's to say that the halo effect is stronger from "driver's cars" than from super-fast luxury cruisers?

[Chemical Ali]

End of M? There are more M's than ever. I dont understand.

Is the author saying end of M meaning special?

All manufacturers are the same. There are 4 or 5 rS models in audi whereas there were only 1 at a time. Whats the problem here? BMW, like any other manufacturer, either make an ok, poor, good or excellent car and we all decide whether to buy it. If its no good, it depreciates, if its good it holds its value and everyone wants it. Who cares what its called?

Look at porsche 911's. 993 - excellent and holding value superbly. 996 gen 1 terrible, now worthless. 996 gen 2, poor, 997 gen 1 good and still holding value and so on.

M = Marketing. Stop getting so starey eyed.

[gforceg]

Noe said:

Mr Robertson looks like a very bland and boring cock

M-cock

He looks like Tony Blair. Through and through.

[RichTBiscuit]

An excellent article - Nice one

BMW should not simply be blindly listening to the market - the customer often doesn't really know what they want. BMW should be listening and GUIDING customers into cars they want to buy and suit the 'M' philosophy.

[smilo996]

To be expected. If people continue to be more loyal (stupid) to a brand without considering how the product changes and why they used to buy BMW (the ultimate driving machine) then this is what will happen. Add to this the complete (as stated) lack of emotion brought to the market by BMW then anything that hints of out of control, fun will continue to disappear.
But will people continue to buy BMW's. No doubt.
We as consumers can only blame ourselves. Unfortunately.