Spotted! Rare BMWs, Cochem, Germany
Posted: September 10, 2012 Filed under: Classics, Exotics, SPOTTED! | Tags: 2002, 2500, 507, BMW, Cochem, Convertible, CS, Germany, M1, Mind, motor, Over, spotted Leave a comment »
My first day in Germany earlier this year I was treated to these fine sights before I even had a chance to sleep off my jet lag. Evidently a BMW club was having a meeting near Cochem so there was some very interesting stuff rolling around this famous medieval city. There were others driving around but I found the M1, 2002 convertible, 2500 CS, and pair of 507s stood out the most. I had never seen a 507 in person before, and here I saw two of them go by on the street within minutes of each other. The thrill of seeing these cars helped me stay awake for quite a while before we finally rested. Read the rest of this entry »
Front wheel drive BMWs mark the end of an era
Posted: August 2, 2012 Filed under: AUTOMOTIVE INSIGHTS | Tags: 1, 1M, 3, 5, 7, an, Auto, BMW, brand, compromise, Drive, end, era, front, FWD, image, M, M1, M3, M5, M6, Mind, motor, of, out, Over, Paris, Reputation, ruined, sell, show, wheel, X3, X5, X6 4 Comments »
The sun sets on the legendary M5
By now most of us car folks know that BMW has been working on a line of front wheel drive cars, but today it has basically become official. I saw on Jalopnik that BMW will launch their first front drive car at the Paris Motor Show later this year. For me this marks the end of an era for BMW because they have finally made the commitment to stray from the ideals that made their great name. This is on top the fact that their entire line of cars has been getting bigger, heavier, and softer in recent years. In my opinion there are also no “true” M cars right now either, as all of the current ones put luxury as the priority over proper driving dynamics, when traditionally it was the other way around (see the fake engine noises in the M5). BMW has been going soft for some time now, whilst catering to the yuppy, poser crowd that just wants a status symbol in their driveway; the same people who buy X6s, X3s and whatnot. I see this as the end of an era for BMW because by making a front drive car they are showing their priority commitment to this plastic sort of customer at the expense of the brand’s own established identity and their previous customer base. BMW has always been about driving pleasure, now they are more about being a fashion accessory; going a similar route Toyota did back in the early 00s with the “green” stuff. They will likely be financially successful, but the BMW brand will have lost its significant reputation, in favor of becoming a cliché trademark of superficial and insincere culture. Cherish the memories folks, as there were some really great times over the years.
PS: Buy late model M cars soon because they will likely all be appreciating within a few years. I could’ve had an E30 M3 for 7k when I first got my license, now I’m kicking myself.
-Nick
