Quote:
Originally Posted by DreamTime
Dang, lololol I do love the E9x generation, but that is a funny statement. I almost bought an E46 recently for my track car, but my mechanic talked me out of it because he though an E92 would be a better choice for me. The vast majority of my track friends suggest I get an E36. I am in love with the E46. So, this has proved to be a difficult choice for me lol.
Yes, I completely agree. I understand that as an auto manufacturer, you need to offer what the masses want if you want to survive. However, it does seem like BMW has lost a bit of the soul that makes it BMW. I think you have made a good point about Porsche. I feel like the takeaway from that would be - it is better to be great at a few things than mediocre at many things.
You know, growing up in CA I developed an appreciation for electric cars from a young age. I remember seeing car charging stations at malls when i was a kid, way before it was even a thing anywhere else in the country. And, I adore Tesla. They make amazing cars. Electric cars are fascinating, yes, and they are the way of the future for sure. I just can't help myself when it comes to the sound, feel, and overall driving experience of a perfectly crafted combustion engine paired with rear wheel drive and a manual transmission. I'm a sucker for that stuff... I think you might be on to something though, having both is not a bad idea  |
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!