RE: BMW M unveils standalone 750hp XM

[A Winner Is You]

WCZ said:

Escort Si-130 said:

They were even concerned about the dislikes that they removed the dislike feature from this vid.

the dislike function doesn't exist anymore

wouldn't want people to be upset in these times

More like large companies and news outlets gettingf upset that their poor standards were being publicly called out.

[nobrakes]

Looks like an SUV version of the Monkey’s red with white roof beach station wagon (Pontiac GTO).

[rotaryjam]

As others have said, BMW have basically sold out to the Chinese market, ditching almost everything in their past in the process.

Not sure thats going to go well for them long term as I feel that they have lost their unique identity.

[robsa]

southerndriver said:

(*) no woman would buy one.

Are you sure about that? Loads of women buy gigantic SUVs partly because they make them feel powerful. This beastly looking thing will no doubt have huge presence on the road, and some women love that.

[nismo48]

:

LuS1fer said:

LamedonM said:

I like it. Period

It's right up there with VD, herpes and Covid.

[dan98]

As others have said, the 'M' was relegated to nothing more than a trim level a long time ago by BMW.

114d 'M' Sport anyone?

It seems odd for BMW fans to cling on to something which is so far removed from the obnoxious awfulness that the brand itself represents these days.

[MikeM6]

dan98 said:

As others have said, the 'M' was relegated to nothing more than a trim level a long time ago by BMW.

114d 'M' Sport anyone?

It seems odd for BMW fans to cling on to something which is so far removed from the obnoxious awfulness that the brand itself represents these days.

Not quite right though, as BMW have continued to produce M models that have engines, sometimes gearboxes, and chassis set ups that were not available on regular models.

An M8 is set up quite differently to an 840i for instance. Yes they have muddied that clear distinction with M Sport trim levels and halfway house models like the M135i and M550i, but it isn't true that M was entirely relegated to a trim level. Obviously it wasn't, as this is an M car that is absolutely not just a trim level.

The reason it has caused so much disquiet and uproar is that for many M does mean driving pleasure first and relatively discreet styling. Why would you find it odd that anyone would cling onto something they loved and what back?

Ultimately, after some thought, I think BMW has decided that driving for pleasure is likely to be a thing of the past and so marketing their cars as for that purpose does not make sense to them. In the near future, how a car drives might not matter at all as they will either all be the same, or not driven by us at all. So how do you market and sell cars based on something they cannot do?

I think they are in the process of shifting the brand towards something that is noticeable rather than discreet and deliberately with attitude, as that is something they can market. I think that in years to come this will be seen as the point when BMW truly ditched it's heritage and forged a new path. One that does not involve the driving enthusiast.

[Stick Legs]

It always worked as follows:

Big M for motorsport = M1/3/4/5/6/8

Big M+Numbers for hot version = M135i/M535i (M635CSi is the exception)

Little M for marketing = 530d M-Sport etc.

This XM thing is a new direction and is frankly unwelcome in my eyes.

It’s a shame but I guess that up to them.

[Ouroboros]

Should have M for all proper cars.

The rest m-tech.

But wouldn't sell cars.

[F1GTRUeno]

fblm said:

F1GTRUeno said:

So why have people universally decided ugly is good then?

What a ridiculous assertion.

Look at the amount of current BMW's on the road then tell me they haven't decided ugly is good.

Not like they're collecting dust in showrooms is it?

[Bilkob]

I’ve been sick.

[Largechris]

Commercially, it’s very hard to understand the whole BMW ethos. Like loads of other PHers, I’ve been a buyer before (E90, not great, loads of problems fixed under warranty).
I would still go for a nicely designed saloon, but all the current range is gopping.

[F1GTRUeno]

Largechris said:

Commercially, it’s very hard to understand the whole BMW ethos.

They design cars they think people will buy and people are undoubtedly buying them. Not hard at all.

[Largechris]

F1GTRUeno said:

Largechris said:

Commercially, it’s very hard to understand the whole BMW ethos.

They design cars they think people will buy and people are undoubtedly buying them. Not hard at all.

Except they’re not, 3 series sales have declined for 5 years now, 4 and 5 series not quite as bad a decline. Yes they have crossover models which makes up overall volume but their market share against Audi and particularly Mercedes has declined dramatically.

[F1GTRUeno]

Largechris said:

F1GTRUeno said:

Largechris said:

Commercially, it’s very hard to understand the whole BMW ethos.

They design cars they think people will buy and people are undoubtedly buying them. Not hard at all.

Except they’re not, 3 series sales have declined for 5 years now, 4 and 5 series not quite as bad a decline. Yes they have crossover models which makes up overall volume but their market share against Audi and particularly Mercedes has declined dramatically.

Haven't all saloon/sedan sales declined though?

People want a crossover or a 4 door coupe or an SUV.

As you said, the extra models make up the volume. People haven't stopped buying BMW's no matter how ugly they make them, if anything you see more of them about now than ever before (although I have no idea if sales figures back that up). Plenty of ugly as st 1 series and X1/3/whatever about.

[ian332isport]

[LuS1fer]

ExecutiveAction said:

The 5 series is sublime. When they get rid of that, it’s game over. Labelling doesn’t matter. The M550i is an astonishing car. Where are they going when we are forced down the EV route? So who actually likes this? I don’t want it. I would buy an INEOS Grenadier instead, probably with a BMW 3.0d engine. Will people really buy an XM? I would think not. But a lot of girls seem to think that looking like a fat slapper with a Kim Kardashian backside and stick-your-cock-in-here lips is attractive. So what do I know?

Perfect

[swisstoni]

First of all, we have to remember that this is just a concept.
But that BMW have form for moving design on to uncomfortable places.

Bangle’s creations were met with an even worse outcry than this thing. Yet today you can find plenty of people to say that his designs still ‘stand up’ when more conservative contemporaries of those cars just look plain old.

I’m not saying I like where BMW are heading, but they seem to have learned that this sort of thing benefits them in the long run.

[MikeM6]

Not sure the outcry was that bad for Bangle cars, they were controversial but at least they were still exciting cars, especially with the naturally aspirated engines they were using at the time. They at least were sporting cars designed to be fun to drive.

A bit like Manchester United deciding that football is now in the past and they are going to focus on paying competitive video games instead. There would be some unhappy fans, but you could say that they are just looking to the future etc.

[Largechris]

swisstoni said:

First of all, we have to remember that this is just a concept.
But that BMW have form for moving design on to uncomfortable places.

Bangle’s creations were met with an even worse outcry than this thing. Yet today you can find plenty of people to say that his designs still ‘stand up’ when more conservative contemporaries of those cars just look plain old.

I’m not saying I like where BMW are heading, but they seem to have learned that this sort of thing benefits them in the long run.

I’m not disagreeing as such, at the time I got my E90 there wasn’t really a comparable option available from another manufacturer (eg Stinger, Giulia), and I thought the E90 design was way too fussy. However it has aged well and I now like it.

Where I’m confused is how this (people warming up to the designs over long period of time) benefits BMW in actually, you know, selling new cars. I would not have brought mine because of the styling originally, if there had been other options, and I’m not buying (any) BMW now for the same reason.