M4 naming

[SCOTT26]

Originally Posted by southlight

Like I said, the decision has been made, it's gonna be called M4.


Best regards,
south

On latest spy photographs of the M4 , if you look at the grille in a high resolution shot you can see the "4" in the M badge.

The 3er Coupe is no more, The M3 Coupe is dead.

It is now the BMW M4 and an era for a new icon.
The M3 and the M4 are created to be two different cars.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by FVM3

yeah, now AMG, M are getting FI instead of NA. RS4 is still NA though

M3, C AMG, and RS4/5 are all currently in their final generations with naturally aspirated engines. M3 exits first this year; the other two exit next year.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by larryn

What strikes me as uber odd is the trend to have 4-door cars be odd number designations, and 2-door cars be even number designations.

Even: coupes (and convertibles and "Gran" coupes based on them)
Odd: sedans (and touring and hatchbacks ("GT"s) based on them)

Then they mess all of that up by introducing the X4, X6, and 6 Series Gran Coupe'.

X4 will reportedly come in a two door version and, as a side effect, fall more inline with the above. I suppose they could build an two door X6 too if demand were there (unlikely). And of course all SUVs are hatchbacks, but you can do two-box or box-and-triangle.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by e1000

Honestly, I don't really care, but I think the general issue with this is the sedan is keeping the M3 badge, but historically, it should belong to the coupe.

Although the E30 came in both two and four door versions, both were commonly called sedans. This was fairly standard terminology where two door models were literally the four door models with two longer doors substituted in and little to no efforts placed on further styling differentiation. The effect is that the E30 M3, even though it was a purposeful performance car with widened body, has a pedestrian looking silhouette. I think the F80 will pay proper homage to this look, even though it will have added two doors.

[SCOTT26]

" X4 will reportedly come in a two door version and, as a side effect, fall more inline with the above. I suppose they could build an two door X6 too if demand were there (unlikely). And of course all SUVs are hatchbacks, but you can do two-box or box-and-triangle."

They have cancelled out a 3dr X4 initially because customer demands for the premium entry class favour five dr accommodation instead of 2drs.
Porsche ran into the same issues with the Macan forgoing 3drs in favour of a more market friendly 5dr.

The forthcoming BMW X2 is being conceived as both 5dr and 3dr because of its more youthful market positioning.

Regarding the M3 and M4. M3 remains as a Sedan for now , although some favour a Touring and even some favour a GT.
Although both will probably be found under the M Performance brand and more likely with diesel power.

The M4 will come in Coupe , Cabrio and Gran Coupe.

An additional M with a "4" will be the X4M. The advantage of the X6M has lead to demand for a smaller performance based SAV within BMW and the new X4 will be that car.

[larryn]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

The M4 will come in Coupe , Cabrio and Gran Coupe.

Please, for the love of all things human, do NOT build a M4 Gran Coupe. Both the 5 and 3 series Gran Coupe are the most hideous BMW to grace the road in many decades. I have a little gag reflex now, seeing those cars. An M4 Gran Coupe would illicit immediate projectile vomiting.

[viciousfire]

Originally Posted by larryn

Please, for the love of all things human, do NOT build a M4 Gran Coupe. Both the 5 and 3 series Gran Coupe are the most hideous BMW to grace the road in many decades. I have a little gag reflex now, seeing those cars. An M4 Gran Coupe would illicit immediate projectile vomiting.

I think you've confused the Gran Turismo with the Gran Coupe? There are no 5 and 3 series Gran Coupes, only Gran Turismo.

And the 6 series gran coupe is stunning so I would mind seeing a M4 Gran Coupe.

[larryn]

Originally Posted by viciousfire

I think you've confused the Gran Turismo with the Gran Coupe? There are no 5 and 3 series Gran Coupes, only Gran Turismo.

And the 6 series gran coupe is stunning so I would mind seeing a M4 Gran Coupe.

You are correct! Thanks for pointing out my confusion.

So, they want to have a 4 door M3, a 2 door M4, and a 4 door M4? Nobody else thinks that is a WTF strategy?

[advantage20]

Originally Posted by viciousfire

I think you've confused the Gran Touring with the Gran Coupe? There are no 5 and 3 series Gran Coupes, only Gran Touring.

And the 6 series gran coupe is stunning so I would mind seeing a M4 Gran Coupe.

That would be Gran Turismo
Gran Touring is allegedly something else: wagon version of Gran Coupé, that is shooting brake. BMW could make a 6 Gran Touring (in reply to the Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake), and on a lower level a 4 Gran Touring, but no confirmation yet.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by larryn

So, they want to have a 4 door M3, a 2 door M4, and a 4 door M4? Nobody else thinks that is a WTF strategy?

Did you notice how the strategy is exactly the same as the one they are using for the successful M5 and M6 lineup?

[Uli_HH]

Originally Posted by turbolag

B9 RS4 and RS5 will go V6TT.

NO ... both will get an 4.0ltr.V8TT !!!

[Transfer]

Originally Posted by Uli_HH

NO ... both will get an 4.0ltr.V8TT !!!

?
http://fourtitude.com/news/audi-rumo...other-a5-info/

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Uli_HH

NO ... both will get an 4.0ltr.V8TT !!!

As far as I am aware, the engine choice for those cars has not yet been confirmed. Either the 3L V6 TT or 4L V8 TT could be used.

[ChrisK]

I just don't understand how much further BMW wants to dilute the brand. They are becoming the new GM!!!

[solstice]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

I just don't understand how much further BMW wants to dilute the brand. They are becoming the new GM!!!

It's a tough environment if you do not have an economy of scale where you have very large sales volume and can component and R&D share across it. If you want to stay an independent brand you need to expand into all segments and even create new which requires a multitude of models to capture and meet as many preferences as possible. You can do that by aggressive organic growth like BMW is now doing or you can buy other brands as VW has been doing. I would have prefered to just have the 3, 5 and 7 including the Ms were these cars are meticously honed for ultimate driving machine perfection but I think this would have lead to BMW becoming a takeover.

Look what has happened to Volvo, SAAB, Jaguar, Land Rover, Bentley, Aston Martin, Rolls Royce, Porsche, Lambourghini, Ferrari, Chrysler etc.

[manuelf]

Originally Posted by solstice

It's a tough environment if you do not have an economy of scale where you have very large sales volume and can component and R&D share across it. If you want to stay an independent brand you need to expand into all segments and even create new which requires a multitude of models to capture and meet as many preferences as possible. You can do that by aggressive organic growth like BMW is now doing or you can buy other brands as VW has been doing. I would have prefered to just have the 3, 5 and 7 including the Ms were these cars are meticously honed for ultimate driving machine perfection but I think this would have lead to BMW becoming a takeover.

Look what has happened to Volvo, SAAB, Jaguar, Land Rover, Bentley, Aston Martin, Rolls Royce, Porsche, Lambourghini, Ferrari, Chrysler etc.

@solstice: Thank you for elaborately pointing out the economical background! You must be tired of doing this meanwhile, aren't you?
And by the way - can someone of the admins please ban any post containing this nonsense buzzword "DILUTE" from now on? I can't stand this constant ranting by average joe, which ignores economical realities, using this diuting phrase anymore

[SCOTT26]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

I just don't understand how much further BMW wants to dilute the brand. They are becoming the new GM!!!

Not exactly a fair comparison. When BMW introduced the first EfficientDynamics concept in an X3 in 2005. GM introduced a new Hummer.
When the first line of BMWs featuring Efficient Dynamics was introduced in 2007 we had another Hummer.

BMW might be on an expansive product offensive , but the goal is to remain independent and product will keep this goal. BMW are very product minded, that means each product is developed to market demands , and crossovers , SUVs and premium compact cars are what the global market are demanding.

The problem with GM and other manufacturers is that they contain the word BMW so that the customer connects but with the constant mentioning of BMW in better than BMW , powerful than BMW is that they completely become unoriginal , they are too busy focused on BMW that they forget what they stand for.

Despite what people might think BMW is not mis-managed, ever since the days of Rover there is a vow never to go back to that time again .
If BMW where mis-managed then you would be looking at your upcoming M3 based on a VAG platform.

[zamboni]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

I just don't understand how much further BMW wants to dilute the brand. They are becoming the new GM!!!

Totally agreed first were the X series and now is the M turns.

[Parrots]

Are there any BMW's currently using the new 4 Series front lights because i spotted a black one today that has the same headlights as the new 4 series, i could not be sure if was the 4 series but it 100% had the same headlights which is why i noticed it.

[zamboni]

Originally Posted by Parrots

Are there any BMW's currently using the new 4 Series front lights because i spotted a black one today that has the same headlights as the new 4 series, i could not be sure if was the 4 series but it 100% had the same headlights which is why i noticed it.

Could it be the F30? Both looked very similar with same headlight assembly.

[Tåst]

Naming legendary M3 to M4 sounds like manufacturer want forget real enthusiast (people which make all this possible, all this legendary ///M history), they want only keep the market value crowing and maybe new market areas sell better when different number means different car. Still must say it´s only badge and you dont see it when you drive and might even forget it if car feels fantastic. Of course you can always re-badging.

[NISFAN]

This model expansion is quite easy to understand....

.....average new car buyer now buys, correction...leases cars, every 2-3 years on average. There is a high migration rate from those that bought a car early in it's life cycle (this explains the LCI a little, but still doesn't get the early e90 buyer to buy LCI e90 100% of the time). There is also a natural erosion in sales unless they discount to keep demand flat. Discounts are not good for business.

Introduce 2 or 3 models based on the same platform, stagger the life cycle start points and you get a more even demand across a particular platform. Good business