Thread: BRZ vs E46 M3
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Old 02-13-2012, 01:57 PM   #24
SVTSHC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZDan View Post
It is WAY more relevant to real-world driving enjoyment than the modern uber-M3's excess. If your enthusiasm is all about numbers, sure, modern M3s are "better". But any number of BMWphiles would agree with my point: the original was more pure and more FUN.
For the record I was joking before, just poking a little fun at your minimalist weight obsession :P.

But I'll add a little insight to this seeing as I've been working for the company for a while now. The current iteration of the BMW name/performance/driving feel, is that bread for competition. Sure minimalist vehicles are FUN but miata drivers, old school CRX owners, RX8 owners, and future FRS owners will tell you they don't produce the best all around numbers. Not to mention your perception of what is "pure and more fun" is highly subjective, most people just enjoy the feeling of being put back in their seat and then taking a corner at an ungodly speed; which regardless of how much they weigh, new BMW's are VERY capable of doing.

Also, you need to consider the demographic BMW's are marketed to and the competition that exists in that market demographic. Your typical M3 owner isn't your average joe making average joe money, that's just a fact; call them upper middle class at the very least. Now their reason for doing that is for the simple fact that luxury and prestige sell. Need an example? Take the Boss 302. It out performs the M3 in every sense of the word but what do you think impresses NON-Enthusiasts (the majority of the automotive market) more, actual performance or the Logo BMW and comperable performance that you can feel? Both cars will put you back in your seat, both cars corner extraodinarily well (albiet one a bit better than the the other), and both cars "in my opinion" look amazing. The big difference? Cost of ownership, Emblem, Luxury and prestige. Want proof, ask any random Man or Woman on the street "Are you a performance minded automotive enthusiast?" If they answer "what??" or "No, I don't know much about cars" or just simply "No" follow that question up with "BMW M3 or Ford Mustang Boss 302"; I can confidently say 4 out of 5 people will say BMW M3.

Now public image aside lets look at the M3's competitors, Audi RS4 / RS5, Mercedes C63 AMG, and the soon to be Cadillac ATS-V. All luxury sports coupe / sedans, all fairly costly, all not what you would call "minimalist". That's just the way things have turned out for the M3 and if they went back to the lightweight/moderate horsepower/maximum handling potential route, they would lose sales. Period. And the BMW M "cash cow" wouldn't be the BMW M cash cow anymore.

So like it or not, you're in the minority. Also, having driven many a e46/e92 M3 and a few e30's, I can confidently tell you they are PLENTY of fun and don't need to be as light as the e30 to stay that way.




Edit: Listen bro, I know it may seem this way but I have no personal vendetta against you or your ideals pertaining to cars. The only thing I'm saying is a world where manufacturers cater to enthusiasts with pre-existing platforms refusing to adapt to the needs/wants of present society is nothing short of fictitious. If they did, they'd all be belly up.

Last edited by SVTSHC; 02-13-2012 at 03:18 PM.
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