I'm not a GM guy, however, as discussed in another thread that went South, the M5 is being challanged by the Cadillac CTS-V. New reports from Germany (I don't have access to those reports ) is that the Caddy is running very strong and surpassing the M5 in many categories after some minor tunes. I am not saying this makes the caddy an overall better car, but the LS4 can't be ignored. It is supposed to be a tuners dream.
Maybe BMW will look to stay a step ahead. Or, as I guess you might surmise, they'll deal with it on the next generation M5.
Food for thought.
If I were BMW management, I would look at the CTS-V as a fast car without a customer base whereas there is a known customer base for the M5 / M6 cars.
Sure the CTS-V is faster but the M5 as been out for a few years now. Are my resources best applied at an old chassis like the E60 / E63 to address a "threat" from an insignificant competitor in this segment or do I go for the domination of all other cars like the new RS6 with the F10 M5?
I would clearly invest my money on the F10 M5...simply because there is no real competition for the M5 as the customer base is strong. Also if I were to divert my resources on fighting today's battle instead of setting a leading path.....that is a losing strategy. Also, there would be no way to amortized the R&D in the last year of the product's life.
BMW, BMW M are market leaders.....and will be setting the benchmark and not reacting to wannabes.
Harsh but if I were BMW management, this is what I would do.
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"Aerodynamics are for people who cannot build engines"...... Enzo Ferrari
Also if I were to divert my resources on fighting today's battle instead of setting a leading path.....that is a losing strategy. Also, there would be no way to amortized the R&D in the last year of the product's life.
BMW, BMW M are market leaders.....and will be setting the benchmark and not reacting to wannabes.
Specifically to those two points, well taken!
I agree.
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Mike
'08 M5, SMG - Black Sapphire / Black Merino
'07 X5 3.0si - Jet Black / Tobacco Napa Leather
'04 M3 Conv, SMG - Jet Black / Black Merino (Gone 9/11/07 )
'04 Mini 'S' - Dark Silver/White Top, (mucho mods)
'86 Porsche 951 -White (Son's money pit)
Past Rides (worth mentioning)
'98 M3 -Titanium Silver /Black Merino -Sold
BMW knows what they are doing. The e60 has 2 more years and its done. I do have one thing to comment on. For those of us who have been in the BMW community for sometime; did the e39 feel this long in the tooth only 5 years into the model life?
Not only does the e60 just seems like it is being beat up left and right it also seems like its is aging much faster than the e39 did.
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"Motion does not equal progress"...Cos
Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium...
I have read all the bulletins and I still do not understand why the i-Drive became so complex in nature. I thought the reason for i-Drive was less buttons and now BMW is adding buttons. The thing is I understand why Gen 1 of i-Drive did not succeed and that was because the demographic of the 7er was old. Now that the age is coming up with the technology it is becoming more accepted. So why all the new buttons?
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"Motion does not equal progress"...Cos
Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium...
I have read all the bulletins and I still do not understand why the i-Drive became so complex in nature. I thought the reason for i-Drive was less buttons and now BMW is adding buttons. The thing is I understand why Gen 1 of i-Drive did not succeed and that was because the demographic of the 7er was old. Now that the age is coming up with the technology it is becoming more accepted. So why all the new buttons?
Audi's MMI success
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"Aerodynamics are for people who cannot build engines"...... Enzo Ferrari
I have read all the bulletins and I still do not understand why the i-Drive became so complex in nature. I thought the reason for i-Drive was less buttons and now BMW is adding buttons. The thing is I understand why Gen 1 of i-Drive did not succeed and that was because the demographic of the 7er was old. Now that the age is coming up with the technology it is becoming more accepted. So why all the new buttons?
I think you're equating simplicity and ease of use to minimizing the number of buttons, and I don't believe that's the case. One of the biggest problems with Idrive is it takes many inputs (click, rotate, push) to switch between the major functions. (Voice control is worthless if your window is open, if you're in a car with other people having a conversation etc...) As an example, if you're in Nav display, it can take you half a dozen inputs to get to an FM station. THAT is complex, and ridiculous. With the Audi, and hopefully the new BMW system, you just hit one button and you're there.
More buttons = simpler operation.
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Mike
2006 E60 M5 Silverstone II/Silverstone/Aluminum, All Options, 35% tint, Aluminum Pedals, Valentine V1 and Passport 9500i Hardwired, Blinder Xtreme M40, Michelin PS2's on 20 inch BBS RS-GT's, Winter Pirelli Sottozeros on OEM 19 inch wheels, Resonator Delete, Charcoal Filters Removed, Eibach Springs and Spacers, Active Autowerks ECU, BMC Filters, RPI Air Intakes, Evosport Pulley. Retired from track duty 10/08. Dinan diff replaced with OEM at my cost due to failure at 56,000 miles.
I think you're equating simplicity and ease of use to minimizing the number of buttons, and I don't believe that's the case. One of the biggest problems with Idrive is it takes many inputs (click, rotate, push) to switch between the major functions. (Voice control is worthless if your window is open, if you're in a car with other people having a conversation etc...) As an example, if you're in Nav display, it can take you half a dozen inputs to get to an FM station. THAT is complex, and ridiculous. With the Audi, and hopefully the new BMW system, you just hit one button and you're there.
More buttons = simpler operation.
Agreed.... I have had a couple of rental A6's with MMI and I can use it without crashing.
The iDrive in my M6 is good but good luck using it while driving...
The NAV system is almost shameful in how unfriendly it is to program
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"Aerodynamics are for people who cannot build engines"...... Enzo Ferrari
1994 E34 M5 Touring
2007 E60 M5
) is that the Caddy is running very strong and surpassing the M5 in many categories after some minor tunes. I am not saying this makes the caddy an overall better car, but the LS4 can't be ignored. It is supposed to be a tuners dream.
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