We Interview BMW M President, Dr. Nitschke, at 2012 Geneva Motorshow

[Tobbep]

Originally Posted by 671rover

I wouldn't care much what they call it, just as long as it handles and performs like an M car. That to me is much more important than a digit and a letter at the back of the trunk.

Good thing that some of us care...

[TheBingoBalls]

Originally Posted by theArgiope

I will totally stop buying M cars if they change the little plastic digit on the back of the trunk.

History of the M3 aside, you're not going to buy the car because of what they call it? Really? Some people are really all about the name/badge...

[M3_WC]

Reading the answers to those questions just leaves me even more confused. What direction BMW is headed in? Why some cars are built and some are not. Some weird sh*t is going on over there.

[JulieDriving]

As long as they did not get rid of the M3 name, even if it's just in sedan form, I'll be ok with it...

While initially not liking this M4 business at all, I can't see another option for BMW M - given Dr. Nitschke's answers in this interview - if the regular series coupe/convertibles are renamed the 4-series.

[HERR FSTIR]

For those unhappy with the potential M3/M4 nomenclature, consider that designating only the sedan as an M3 guarantees that a four door M version 3 series sedan will be available in the U.S. for at least the next couple chassis iterations (unlike the e46). If they change the coupe to M4, BMW won't be stupid enough to completely get rid of the M3 designation.

[BMW269]

Hey, just looks at this:
M3 E30 NA I4
M3 E36 NA I6
M3 E46 NA I6
M3 E92 NA V8

There are four generations, the first is simply first, the second is a revolution and the third is an evolution of the second, the fourth is again e revolution, it is the most GT and has a V8. All M3s had NA engine and where based on 2 door versions of the 4 door 3 Series. IMO here ends the M3 History and we can turn the page.
Will the M4 really deserve the M3 badge? Yes, but it will be just too different, so better to start a new page.

The M4 will:
-be based on the 4 Series which will be no more be just a 2 door version of the 3 Series, but a different car, like 5 Series vs. 6 Series, even if technically they are related
-have for the first time a turbocharged engine
-have for the first time in BMW history a V6

[SchnellM3]

Originally Posted by GOLFFRR

interesting. lots of diplomatic answers which lead us wanting more. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Only time will tell...

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Matei

I was saying that is pretty ironic for them to say that the M3 is an icon and after that they change this icon's name just because the coupe is bassed on the 4 series. And then the iconic name M3 will remain on the 3 series four door that was not so much of an M icon. The coupe was.

I would humbly suggest that the number of door is somewhat immaterial here. If you look back at the E30, they actually called the two door version a "two door sedan" because it was essentially just that - a standard E30 sedan body with two longer doors instead of 4 shorter ones. There was no attempt to make the car into a true coupe by changing the sheetmetal into something more racy. Even if it started out just subtly (with the E36, the coupe looke a lot like the sedan, but the greenhouse was indeed different), all successive generations of the 3 series have moved the two door more toward a true coupe, further and further from the four door model, up until today where they share no sheet metal at all. And of course the next generation will take it further still, and if rumors hold, christen a new model name as well.

One could make the argument that, by going back to the sedan form factor, they are actually returning to the cars roots. Would it look better if they based it on a special F30 with only two doors instead? I'll bet not. Would it sell better? Not a chance - people would just buy the F82 M4 instead.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by DrivenByE30

Previously, the 3 series model is made up of : Sedans, Coupe, Convertible, and Touring
Now, it would seem that BMW's small sedan model is broken up into two series:

3 series for the 4-door models: sedans, tourings, and GTs
4 series for the 2-door models: coupes, convertibles, and GCs

Fixed.

(When you enumerate all the different models, it is easy to see why a change is naming has become necessary)

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by antzcrashing

- I would like to see evidence that customers want this. Anything between 335i and M3 makes the M3 more expensive, more unattainable.

Oh? So the presence of the 335is suddenly made the E92 M3 less attainable?

It's just a badge guys, not an entirely new car.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by 宝马.e90

History of the M3 aside, you're not going to buy the car because of what they call it? Really? Some people are really all about the name/badge...

He was being fecetious. Notice the trivialization of the matter - "little plastic digit".

[hlmiii]

Originally Posted by Levi

Hey, just looks at this:
M3 E30 NA I4
M3 E36 NA I6
M3 E46 NA I6
M3 E92 NA V8

There are four generations, the first is simply first, the second is a revolution and the third is an evolution of the second, the fourth is again e revolution, it is the most GT and has a V8. All M3s had NA engine and where based on 2 door versions of the 4 door 3 Series. IMO here ends the M3 History and we can turn the page.
Will the M4 really deserve the M3 badge? Yes, but it will be just too different, so better to start a new page.

The M4 will:
-be based on the 4 Series which will be no more be just a 2 door version of the 3 Series, but a different car, like 5 Series vs. 6 Series, even if technically they are related
-have for the first time a turbocharged engine
-have for the first time in BMW history a V6

This.

Every word and implication of it.

[James T. Kirk]

Everyone hates abandoning the M3 icon.
Everyone is excited for any M variant that BMW cranks out.

[esqu1re]

Guy at bank to friend: "Hey, you wanna see my M4?"

Stranger overhearing conversation: "He's got a gun!!!"

[thesag3]

German Philosopher, Dr. Friedrich Nitschke proclaims "M3 is dead."

[jcnash]

Long time lurker....first time poster here. Ive been considering switching from a long line of MB cars Ive owned to BMW M.
And I completely agree with most of the other posters....I want an `M3` partly for the heritage that the name brings with it as my first BMW. Im gonna wait for the new model to show up and if the coupe is called an M4, Im going to just pick up a nice used 2012 E92.
BMW youve already lost atleast 1 customer because of the name change! Im sure Im not the only one.

[e46e92love]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

Ah, but the M4 will be a new icon...

Nope, sorry. Sometimes newer is not better. Sometimes sticking to a heritage is better. I run into people all the time who see my car, and smile, comment on the car and talk about how it is their dream car, right after I tell them it was my dream for 15 years before I finally got this one. My buddy has had ///M5s for years and he never gets that same emotional response from people. All ///Ms are special, but the ///M3 has become iconic like the 911.....what do you think would happen if they came out with a 912?

The name "///M3" has a lot of meaning, stop trying to reinvent it. Sometimes, your marketing guys do not know best.

Cheers,
e46e92

[JasonCSU]

Originally Posted by jcnash

Long time lurker....first time poster here. Ive been considering switching from a long line of MB cars Ive owned to BMW M.
And I completely agree with most of the other posters....I want an `M3` partly for the heritage that the name brings with it as my first BMW. Im gonna wait for the new model to show up and if the coupe is called an M4, Im going to just pick up a nice used 2012 E92.
BMW youve already lost atleast 1 customer because of the name change! Im sure Im not the only one.

Seriously? If the successor to the E92 M3 is outstanding in all avenues of performance, but is renamed to "M4", you would no longer consider it due to the name alone? That sounds like the definition of badge snobbery to me. I understand the heritage of the M3 name and how the designations for M cars are derived, but I also understand why BMW would like to differentiate the moniker between 4 door and 2 door models.

Are the people who are getting so worked up over the name afraid that someone might not know what an "M4" is when you tell them what kind of car you drive? If that's the case, I don't see why it would matter. True car guys will still know what an M3 and a potential M4 is. When you tell a non car savvy person what you drive, they probably won't know, or care what kind of car you are talking about.

[JasonCSU]

Originally Posted by e46e92love

All ///Ms are special, but the ///M3 has become iconic like the 911.....what do you think would happen if they came out with a 912?

Well, Porsche actually did come out with a 912:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_912

All of the 911 models after the first generation technically do have a different name like 993, 996 ,997, and the new 991 for example. For name recognition sake I suppose, the original model name has been kept though.

[BMW269]

Badge snobbery is really one of the dumbest things. Badge has nothing to do with heritage. Whatever name Porsche may give to the 911, it will always stay the same car with RR/R4 layout. The heritage of the 911 is not the number but its technical layout. The same goes for the M3, it is not its number but its performance for its FR layout with 4 seats which is the closest thing to a proper sportscar. Ferrari changes the name of their cars every generation, but they always keep their heritage.
Example: 328 -> 348 -> F355 -> 360 -> F430 -> 458

It will play no role if the 911 was now called 910 or 912 or stay 911, it will always be the same car and be inferior to the Cayman.


I can say those that bought their M3 because of its name, and not because of how good it is are plain idiots. Who care's how the car is called? Still funny so many care about the M3 badge, when at the end they delete the badges all around the car.

[aajami]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Oh? So the presence of the 335is suddenly made the E92 M3 less attainable?

It's just a badge guys, not an entirely new car.

I read a lot of people bickering about what the badge will say (and I've certainly added my voice to those calls in the past), but no one seems to mind the real, physical implication of all of this: the inevitable increase in price that the F32 and F82 will get over the F30 and F80. One of the primary motivating factors for BMW to split up the 3-series into two separate models is to insert a little market segmentation into the mix. It's not the introduction of the M Performance models that make the M4 less attainable -- it's the introduction of what is intended to be perceived as an upmarket model. After all, everyone knows that 4 is more than 3, right? The M Performance models simply become the consolation prize for those that could have made their finances work for a previous generation M car, but now have to settle for something they can afford given that the market segment they used to be in has moved up a notch or two.

[hlmiii]

Originally Posted by Levi

I can say those that bought their M3 because of its name, and not because of how good it is are plain idiots. ... Who care's how the car is called?

Right on.

The name doesn't hit the apex perfectly. The design and execution do.