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IMO, what BMW should have done was:
- no "is" line at all, just a Performance Package as in the e46 for $5000 -320hp/332lbs, body kit, sport seats and suspension and some M-bits (steering wheel, Alcantara cloth, anthracite headliner, door sills, 19" wheels)- and available to all 3-Series regardless of number of doors. What's the problem with a 335i Sedan with the Performance Package for $47,000???
- make the 1M and the Z4M with the 335hp/369lbs N54 version with the overboost, MDM and full M suspension and differential.
I don't see any marketing reason for the "is" line as it is too close in price to the M3 and too close in concept to the Audi S-line, especially when a Performance Package would have been a logical expansion of their own Performance line of accessories.
This way there would be no apparent collusion between the 1M and the "is" line. To me it seems that in this particular case BMW is listening too much to a Wall Street-kind of executives, that just envision a bunch of potential money in the M Division in only the badge itself and nothing else behind it. They will make a lot of money, but the M Division will be a joke of itself.
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