New BMW: Your Responses
Last week, we talked a bit about our hesitations with modern BMWs as the brand moves farther away from strictly enthusiast vehicles and transitions into a technology and mobility company, for lack of better words. While we thought maybe we were alone in this sentiment, it turns out, many of you agree. BMW is still a wonderful company that makes incredible vehicles, but when it comes to sheer driving pleasure, engaging experiences, and enthusiast-focused vehicles, we prefer the old versions rather than the new ones. This week, we are going to look at some of your responses and discuss how we all collectively feel about BMW as it heads into the future. | |
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Alan says:
“Sure the paddle-shift auto trans are quick, but they are not anything like the good old 3 pedal system under the dash and a moveable shifter in between the seats. Give me old school with more than 4 cylinders and a turbo. I want some displacement and the sound of that famous BMW inline 6.”
We agree, Alan. Of course, the SMG cars are incredibly quick, and the new automatic transmissions are smooth, comfortable, and quite intelligent, but they leave something to be desired in terms of appeal for a die-hard fan of the manual. There’s nothing wrong with automatics, most people prefer them. But since motorsport enthusiasts aren’t exactly most people, and BMW’s heritage is based on appealing to that demographic, I think we all feel a bit betrayed. At the least, we are all painfully aware the number of enthusiasts is shrinking to a point that BMW is quite noticeably shifting its market focus to appeal to people who are buying their cars. | |
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Doug wrote:
“I bought a 2016 M235i with a 6 speed last summer. Despite doing just about everything Turner offers to improve the steering, it feels way over boosted compared to my old E36 M3. I like the heated seats, heated steering wheel, and the modern stereo, but the turbo engine and steering make the car not as fun to drive.”
This is somewhat sad to us, me in particular. I have coveted an M235i 6-speed since they were introduced and have thought of it as a contemporary revival of the E30’s spirit. Hearing that the steering, one of the E30’s best features, feels removed and unrewarding makes my heart sink. Maybe with some mods, like the Turner Motorsport stage 1 package, the N55 under the hood could make up for the disconnected steering feel by offering a stupid amount of power, but according to Doug, he’d rather have a naturally aspirated S52 than the N55. Having an M52 swapped E30 myself, I share his sentiment. It isn’t about power, it’s about what it feels like when I put my foot down. I think Doug would agree. | |
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Allan O. responded:
“Whoever designed the Roundel with the clear outer ring obviously never had to replace one.”
While the new Roundel, according to BMW, is not designed to replace those on any vehicle and is strictly for the brand image online, I think Allan raises another important point. The thought of DIYers, enthusiast owners who care for and modify their cars, is effectively gone from the minds of engineers, designers, marketing agencies, and everyone involved with bringing us BMWs year after year. Not because they forgot about us, but because the market, the people who buy BMWs, has dictated that they would rather not work on their cars. So BMW and other manufacturers make vehicles designed to feature the latest technology that requires more and more specialist technicians to maintain. There is nothing wrong with that, but it’s effectively the opposite of people’s mindsets just two or three decades ago when our BMWs came with tool kits and spare wheels in the trunk. Now, only enthusiasts care about turning wrenches on their cars. As a result, modern vehicles are increasingly difficult to work on because they aren’t designed for a hobbyist to maintain, they’re designed for a trained technician with a panoply of specific tools and equipment to service. | |
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Dave writes:
“The company appears to be slowly but surely losing its way, particularly among automobile/driving enthusiasts and instead is pursuing technology enthusiasts. BMW has become infatuated with the pursuit of gaining the very last measure of "efficiency" at the expense of driving pleasure for enthusiasts. The most egregious example is their electric steering which killed road feel across their product line. That large sacrifice in driving engagement has to result in only minimal gains in gas mileage probably unnoticeable in real life.”
I think Dave makes one of the most important points here. BMW, and most manufacturers, are pursuing peak efficiency. They want to reduce their energy input and maximize their energy output, fine-tune the chassis and suspension for a perfect balance in controlled settings that have become an almost fractal-like diving focus into minutia. At a certain point, BMW is reducing the driving pleasure their vehicles evoke in favor of driving perfection. One of the biggest lessons I learned in my youth was to never let perfect get in the way of better. I know it means something slightly different than the way I use it, but I think the point stands. What makes driving fun are all the variables. The gaps we as drivers have to fill in with our quick reflexes and forward-thinking. When the car does it for you, it feels less and less like you have any real measure of control. This completely makes sense from a daily transportation standpoint for the masses, but even in my commute, I prefer to feel the car and have something that responds to and engages with me rather than something that just drives me from point A to point B. | |
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With these responses and more, we have a clear idea as to how our readers feel about the direction BMW has moved in recent years. I want to stress that there is nothing wrong with where they are going, quite the contrary. BMW is pushing the boundaries of technology concerning transportation, and doing so with beautiful creations that display that tech artfully. However, as the number of ‘traditional’ car enthusiasts shrink and the market heads in a direction that prioritizes technology over engagement, that means those of us leftover in the traditional crowd are losing our relevance and no longer BMW’s first consideration. Hopefully, BMW proves that they can do both. That they can appeal to the professional, the enthusiast, the technology-focused, and everyone in-between as they have for the past century.
I want to say a special thank you to all our readers and those who responded. I couldn’t address everyone in this article, but I do want to say that Turner Motorsport and myself greatly appreciate your support and continued enjoyment of Turner Motorsport Weekly. We love bringing articles to you every Sunday and are incredibly thankful for everyone who spends a few minutes each week with us reading each edition. So, on behalf of Turner Motorsport, we thank you. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to [email protected] where we can’t wait to hear what you have to say. You might be featured in an upcoming edition of Turner Motorsport Weekly. See you next Sunday, folks! |
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