Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul-Bracq-BMW
So, after all the search, have you made the choice for your racer? It must be a Cornelian decision! I am sure you'll have plenty of good time no matter the choice as the pleasure is in the process. If you particularly love the E46, go for it. If it were me, I'd try to make an E46 M3 CSL with manual gearbox so something in the spirit ;-)
About BMW running themselves thin, it's a reality unfortunately. Unlike Porsche that are NOT trying to copy anyone but run their own show, BMW are following Mercedes and Audi too much and are not walking their own path and when they do, they make really bad bad choice that cost them dearly. I'm talking about the 5/6 series GT, the Active Tourer MPV... What were they thinking???? Also having no supercar (or whatever they call) is a mistake for their brand image. It all started when they made the M1: after that they got cold feet. But now the M1 is considered by the classic car world as a blue chip BMW with the 507 and pre-war 328. One of my big gripes is that they cancelled the 1st M8 (early 90's), which would have been a game changer and created a brand new category. https://www.motormag.com.au/features...w-m8-prototype
The secret of Tesla IMO is not too much their cars (hardware), because they are pretty poorly build (Porsche will show them a thing or 2 about that) but their software (updated on a regular basis) and their charging infrastructure. They have understood that the electric car success hinge on how far owners can travel (or think they can travel) and invested accordingly. Their big problem is how to build all the cars they've received the orders for!
Cheers!
Cheers! |
Haha, a tough choice indeed. I feel like I do have some time though, as I planned on dual purposing my E90 for a couple years while I looked for my perfect track car. This one Imola Red E46 just caught my attention recently. It was so beautiful it almost disrupted my 2 year plan... Truthfully, I might start looking at E36s again. From a cost standpoint, it does make sense.
You are definitely not alone in the frustration with BMW's decisions, but I'm sure you know that. I get to ride in and sometimes drive a lot of brand new BMWs, ranging from various X models to 440i coupes, various 3 & 5 series models, M2s, etc... I do really enjoy them, but it seems like the focus of the brand has shifted from what it used to be. The industry as a whole is shifting, but there is something to be said for staying true to what you are. This is why I will slowly start to collect my favorite classic BMWs
Speaking of classic BMWs - that M8 in the article you shared kind of blew my mind!! Wow. Imagine what could have been if they had pursued that. When I saw the pics in that article, I was instantly reminded of a '92 850i a friend of mine was looking at buying recently:
I had never heard of this car prior to the link he sent me, but it kind of blew my mind too! Fascinating, truly.
I think what I find most impressive about Tesla is how they have managed to disrupt the whole automotive industry in such a short period of time. That is no small feat. Although they have far from perfect auto manufacturing practices, they have succeeded in making all the other major high end manufacturers scramble to create their competition. I agree that their strong points are definitely their software adaptability and their network of charging stations - these things are game changers. And yeah, from a business standpoint, the issue of not being able to keep up with demand can be a big problem. We all saw this coming though right? I have watched this company pull out of so many dire financial situations it is unreal sometimes, we'll see how they maneuver this one
