BMW's M Division Performance Diesels Finally Confirmed

I'm all for performance but this further dilutes why BMW ///M was initially conceived. Although high performance is offered under the ///M umbrella, unfortunately, the ///M badge has become more of a marketing tool.

@hondacura4,

They have to, the ///M division would have never survived under its rather singular founding premise. So they broaden its appeal else AMG and quattro GmbH would eat them alive.

"the ///M badge has become more of a marketing tool."

That started back in the '80s; the European E28 M535i was essentially a standard 535i with an upgraded suspension, bespoke TRX wheels, and an M Technic body kit...

Don't get all the griping. The Performance Package on the e46 sedan was fantastic. Fan-freaking-tastic. I have zero problem with BMW taking a car, amping up the performance and giving it a name. Many non-enthusiasts don't realize how much BMW changed on their performance package cars - suspension, tranny, interior, features, obviously engines.

So moan about the M brand but this isn't just some skirts and a spoiler (Acura and their TSX SE for instance). .

I thought that's what the s-drive packages were and M was supposed to be the top car of each line, the best possible from the given platform. If they want to muddy the brand, fine. Can't wait for the fwd cars, and maybe a .5 series once the others all continue to grow in size.

@bimmerjay : Whoring the ///M brand out for volumes doesn't ensure survival ..... if that logic were true, then brands like Aston Martin, Pagani, McLaren, ....etc. would never survive.

Folks want what is exclusive - lack of supply pushes demand up (provided they make decent stuff ofcourse) - so if they want to make everything under the sun and call it an M, then why even have a BMW brand at all? Just have M instead. Sure a diesel M can be fast on the track (and so can a big fat 760i beat a Cayman on track thanks to prodigious power), but is it a sportscar?

Considering the high-reving nature of past M products diesel powered M offerings seems odd to me. It's the exact opposite of the philosophy of what M stands for. I would also point out that per this article, 545 lbs-ft of torque between 2000-3000 RPM is significant it's still slightly less than the maximum 550 lbs-ft in the ICE powered CTS-V. Considering the inherent torque-richness in diesels I would've expected more.

@half-ton but the CTS-V has a gas guzzler tax.

@blueguydotcom

Good point but I think you get the point I was trying to make also ;)

I think this is a good move by BMW; they're finally recognizing the need for more efficiency. Now if they could just hire better stylists....

@activ8,

I understand the economics and I'm not suggesting they are only seeking maximum volume. What I am saying is that many consider the founding principles of the ///M division to only allow BMW to build high-revving, NA barely-off-the-track versions of say the 1-Series, 3-Series, Z4 and maybe 5-Series. That philosophy simply isn't economically viable anymore - there aren't enough customers and the costs to develop bespoke, relatively inefficient high-performance engines are simply too high. Powertrain and chassis engineering costs need to be spread across more models and have to share more with their non-///M versions. To the die-hards this is seen as unacceptable brand dilution, despite the ///M models still representing the pinnacle of performance for their respective models.

Exotics can get away with such low volumes because they can command dramatically higher prices. BMW is not an exotic brand and couldn't charge an extra $25K+ for an M3. It's one reason the M3 GTS didn't make it to the States.

@bimmer - The revered e30 is not NA. I think it was the late 90s, early 2k where some BMW M mouthpiece made a snide remark about Audi's RS and MB's AMG lines using forced induction and how it wasn't as pure as the glorious M5/M3's NA engines. People ran with it as if it was gospel that M means NA.

Sadly I think people read half the story in the case of the performance package or half the history of M and then take it as the whole thing.

BTW, I am wondering if BMW's new performance package enhancements for the awful X6 (more HP/torque) will carryover to the other cars with turbos. It'd be nice if everything could get that bump with a simple box check on the order form.

"The revered e30 is not NA."

Are you saying that the S14 in the E30 M3 had forced induction? Not so.

road - Palmslap to forehead. Too much tea? Too little attention paid to what I was typing and what I was thinking I was typing? An alien stole my fingers and ID? Mistake on my part.

"BTW, I am wondering if BMW's new performance package enhancements for the awful X6 (more HP/torque) will carryover to the other cars with turbos. It'd be nice if everything could get that bump with a simple box check on the order form."

Yep, it already has. 320 hp/332 lb-ft is available as a performance package on the outgoing E90 335i since July. The F30 will likely offer something like it soon.