This 'M' thing.............

[Pugsey]

..........as posted under the 1m v M135i thread.

"This 'M' thing.............
It would be interesting if BMW deleted ALL lettering/numbers suffix from ALL their cars. Fascinating to see which models people would buy if the only differentials between them were price (and size/looks of course) - and for those who need to know these things, mpg/servicing costs. It would be really interesting to see which models petrol heads like us preferred to - and no peaking under the bonnet, looking at suspension, brakes, diffs etc., just a test drive."

[BullyB]

I think I would still get an M-Sport as I like the body styling etc.
got a 330i currently but thinking of getting a 318i next

[hesnotthemessiah]

I would still pick my E30 M3.

[VinceFox]

I'd buy the fastest 2 door manual 3 series.

So, an m3 then.

[rassi]

Still buy my M5 - debadged!

[benny 61]

hesnotthemessiah said:

I would still pick my E30 M3.

Is she a garage queen?

[hesnotthemessiah]

benny 61 said:

hesnotthemessiah said:

I would still pick my E30 M3.

Is she a garage queen?

Nope, definitely not.......

He's me on a recent charity day taking terminally ill kids (and their families) around a track near Sunderland.



Here's me leading the Supercar Driver guys to a charity meet in Sheffield city centre (very honoured).



Here's me at Malton



Here's me on a run over to Italia Autosport (again a charity day, this time for Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice in Sheffield).



Here's me at the 25th Anniversary of the E30 M3 at Gaydon (third in from the right)



Here's me at PH Sunday Service at BMW Bracknall



Here's me on a run out with some friends (not charity)



Here's me at All Marques meet at the Ace Cafe



Here's me at Race Proved (TVR specialist)



Here's me at Imperial War Museum with some friends




I could go on.......

[scarebus]

..... got a picture in the garage?

[VinceFox]

That's a pretty, pretty car.

[stevesingo]

hesnotthemessiah said:

I would still pick my E30 M3.

Me too.



And yes it has a garage where it rests after being worked...

[hesnotthemessiah]

scarebus said:

..... got a picture in the garage?

Only for the insurance company.

[benny.c]

stevesingo said:

hesnotthemessiah said:

I would still pick my E30 M3.

Me too.

Same here. It's by no means the best performing car I've owned but once it gets under your skin you're hooked. It's not a car you can appreciate and love after an extended test drive though, it grows on you.

[Pugsey]

benny.c said:

It's not a car you can appreciate and love after an extended test drive though, it grows on you.

Good point regards making a decision based soley on a test drive.

[StuH]

benny.c said:

stevesingo said:

hesnotthemessiah said:

I would still pick my E30 M3.

Me too.

Same here. It's by no means the best performing car I've owned but once it gets under your skin you're hooked. It's not a car you can appreciate and love after an extended test drive though, it grows on you.

I think that's the sign of a special car. Given that most of the time you can't use the performance on offer, it's the steering, noise, feel of the cabin and seating position, smell , and any number of little things that make some cars keepers, and I really don't think you know whether you'll bond with the car for at least 6 months or even a year or so.

[benny.c]

Looks aside, I was pretty underwhelmed when I picked up my E30 M3 and drove it the 200 miles home. Initially it felt like a quicker but more harsh version of my 325 Sport but the more I drove it, the more it revealed it's character.

I don't think I could part with it now.

Edited by benny.c on Thursday 6th December 12:11

[TEKNOPUG]

If you test drove all the models it would be quite obvious which is the fastest and most focussed car, so you would buy accordingly.

I'm not sure that I understand the question. Are you suggesting that people buy an M just for the badge and would actually be happier in a lesser model?

[Pugsey]

TEKNOPUG said:

If you test drove all the models it would be quite obvious which is the fastest and most focussed car, so you would buy accordingly.

I'm not sure that I understand the question. Are you suggesting that people buy an M just for the badge and would actually be happier in a lesser model?

No. I was suggesting that people would buy the car they truly preferred (without any clues from badge, spec sheet etc.) - from a purely driving point of view - and some who are confident they'd only drive a n/a engine car might be surprised to find they'd chosen a turbo, or some might choose an M135i over a 1M despite being convinced that they wouldn't. Some might even choose a 330d over an M3 - but lets not got there! I guess I was wondering have heavily influenced we all are by badges, specs etc. And re your last point yes I do think a few buy an M for the badge and would still do so even if there was a 'better' car for them in the range.

[original guvnor]

Pugsey said:

No. I was suggesting that people would buy the car they truly preferred (without any clues from badge, spec sheet etc.) - from a purely driving point of view - and some who are confident they'd only drive a n/a engine car might be surprised to find they'd chosen a turbo, or some might choose an M135i over a 1M despite being convinced that they wouldn't. Some might even choose a 330d over an M3 - but lets not got there! I guess I was wondering have heavily influenced we all are by badges, specs etc. And re your last point yes I do think a few buy an M for the badge and would still do so even if there was a 'better' car for them in the range.

On that basis I'd still take the Z4MC. Looks fantastic and there's no way you'd mistake an S54 for a turbo.

[TEKNOPUG]

Pugsey said:

No. I was suggesting that people would buy the car they truly preferred (without any clues from badge, spec sheet etc.) - from a purely driving point of view - and some who are confident they'd only drive a n/a engine car might be surprised to find they'd chosen a turbo, or some might choose an M135i over a 1M despite being convinced that they wouldn't. Some might even choose a 330d over an M3 - but lets not got there! I guess I was wondering have heavily influenced we all are by badges, specs etc. And re your last point yes I do think a few buy an M for the badge and would still do so even if there was a 'better' car for them in the range.

It guess with the current range or at least from the last couple of years, there is more choice in engines configuration and performance. Although aren’t all the new cars turbo-charged now anyway? Has there ever been a time when there have been performance models in the range that are appreciably different, such as N/A v Turbo or even RWD v 4wd? I think that previously, the M series have always been so far above and beyond the rest of the range that there had been little comparison. The lines may be more blurred now with such cars as the M135i and 1M or even the 550 and M5. 650 v M6 (or have I dreamt that a 650 exists?).

I think that a closer comparison would be between M series and Alpina versions through the years. They are closely matched in terms of performance but go about their business in a different way and with a different philosophy. I suppose that few prospective owners got to try both as there are so few Alpina dealers?

[Leins]

TEKNOPUG said:

It guess with the current range or at least from the last couple of years, there is more choice in engines configuration and performance. Although aren’t all the new cars turbo-charged now anyway? Has there ever been a time when there have been performance models in the range that are appreciably different, such as N/A v Turbo or even RWD v 4wd? I think that previously, the M series have always been so far above and beyond the rest of the range that there had been little comparison. The lines may be more blurred now with such cars as the M135i and 1M or even the 550 and M5. 650 v M6 (or have I dreamt that a 650 exists?).

I think that a closer comparison would be between M series and Alpina versions through the years. They are closely matched in terms of performance but go about their business in a different way and with a different philosophy. I suppose that few prospective owners got to try both as there are so few Alpina dealers?

Actually, in the past, some Alpina versions out-performed the ///M versions eg E30 B6 3.5S vs M3; E34 B10 BT vs M5; E36 B8 4.6 vs M3

However, I agree with you, and what I love about Alpinas is their more laid-back nature to performance, generally with a bit more torque and a bit more luxury, whereas it's more likely that an ///M-car might be more hyperactive, with a screamer of an engine

In more recent years the lines have become more blurred though, and I can't help but feel that lately it's ///M that is almost encroaching on Alpina's turf. I think I'll be sticking with the older models of both

One small point though, I do really want to have a go in a B3 GT3 at some stage!

Edited by Leins on Thursday 6th December 17:57