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BMW has announced a new product range that will bridge the gap between the company's ordinary cars and its fabled M Division.
It will be called BMW M Performance Automobiles, and to better understand what it will offer, consider the original BMW M535i of 1980 (above). That landmark car foresaw the first M5, featuring a tuned chassis, more power and a subtly modified design.
BMW will offer exclusive engine variants, enhanced agility and prevision, and "design laced with emotional appeal". Further additions to the line-up will include petrol and diesel variants, while the all-wheel-drive xDrive will play a "significant" role in the Performance Automobiles category.
Top Gear drives the new BMW M5
"We are targeting our efforts at customers looking for more emotionality and more performance," says Dr Friedrich Nitschke, "but who don't want to forgo the everyday usability of their cars."
BMW will present these M Performance Automobiles at the Geneva motor show, which takes place between 8-18 March later this year. And if that's not enough, they've also confirmed the new M6 will get its world premiere at some point this year too. We'll be there as always...
So - tempted by the M Performance range, or would you rather just save up and get a proper red-blooded M car?
Open Car Bar
What do you think?
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blackstar1965 commented on this article
at 06:07 pm on 12 January 2012
Wouldn't that be redundant or even cannibalize sales? Wasn't the original point of the M cars to "target customers that want more emotionality and performance but don't want to forgo the everyday usability of their cars"? So many questions. So many ridiculous answers. How about BMW focus on making cars like they used to? Their products have become so diluted and complicated now that they've become undesirable; albeit impressive on paper, just not in pictures, not in practice.
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StigStew commented on this article
at 06:10 pm on 12 January 2012
Sounds great, second comment.
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LastOnSunday commented on this article
at 06:27 pm on 12 January 2012
I thought that they did this all ready? It's harder to find a BMW without M badges these days. Every 1 series seems to have a M pack of some sort or another fitted.
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Mariani commented on this article
at 06:36 pm on 12 January 2012
@LastOnSunday The same can be said about Audi these days, as for everything is 'rs'. Those sporty versions may help with sales, but wasn't that the task of the Ms? I'd go with Merc's idea of doing cars beyond the 'ordinary' AMG lineup. That's brilliant, as for you can buy a C(some numbers here) while dreaming with the C63 or even the Black Series. These 'm' things might as well just make everything less special.
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GENTIL79 commented on this article
at 06:37 pm on 12 January 2012
Geti it right Top gear! the model above is NOT from 1980, it's and E28 and was launched in 1981... the M535i didn't came until 1984!. The original M535i came in 1980, but it's different from the car in the picture.
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