|
Post Reply |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
09-12-2019, 09:23 AM | #1 |
Global Moderator
6389
Rep 2,309
Posts
Drives: E90 M3 6MT
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: USA
|
BMW M CEO Teases the Idea of Standalone M Sports Car but Rules Out Halo Car
Featured on BIMMERPOST.com BIMMERPOST NEWS BMW M Boss Talks About Potential Future M Sports Car Speaking to Top Gear, BMW M boss Markus Flasch seems to hint at a dedicated BMW M sports car in the works. While this is certainly exciting news, the M boss was also quick to shoot down any speculation of a halo car or hypercar at the close of the conversation. “Standalone M cars are obviously something that my team likes to work on,” says Flasch. “It wouldn’t be the first time; we did it with the M1 many years ago. We have some very concrete plans for something new.” It's natural to expect that the formula of the new car would follow that of the renowned M1 with a mid-engined, two seater setup. But the M boss is keeping his options open. “Not necessarily,” says Flasch of the mid-engined & two-seats formula. “That’s an option. But it’s not the only option.” Expectations should be similar with the powertrain in that BMW M is not necessarily looking to history for the answer, but rather the future. “We are working on electrified combustion and we are working on fully electric cars, but we will only bring those options to customers when they offer an advantage in terms of character, in terms of performance. We won’t do it just to be first on the market with a particular type of powertrain. That’s not what our customers are after.” When it comes to powertrain, BMW M has already announced the strategy of heading towards eventual electrification of its cars. It's reasonable to expect a hybrid powertrain, although it's still too early in the stage to commit or confirm a specific powertrain. “It’s too early to talk about propulsion,” he says when we wager that halo car might be electric-powered, “but a brand new model without a predecessor is more suitable than a model with a predecessor.” BMW had previously said in the past that there was to be no overlap between BMW i and BMW M with respect to the i8 platform. While this will continue to hold true for the i8 until it bows out, BMW M and BMW i are currently cooperating at a much closer level. “We have never worked on the i8,” says Flasch, “but the i and M divisions are in constant interaction, we meet a minimum of once a week and there are no dogmas or taboos between us. We share thinking.” When asked about why BMW M isn't going head-to-head with the AMG One (i.e., a halo car/hypercar), Flasch rules out the necessity for an AMG One competitor. “It’s a fascinating idea as we have a lot of competitive engineers, so a halo car is always a thrilling idea. But M is so strong – 2019 will be our best year of sales ever – the brand doesn’t need a halo car. Business- and image-wise I’m a little bit mixed about if this is necessary. I like the idea, but it needs to do a job.” ________________________________________ This news follows continuing developments on BMW's implementation of electrified technologies in BMW M vehicles. In 2016, BMW executive Ian Robertson said that BMW was open towards electrified, hybrid M-cars. In 2017, BMW M's then CEO Frank Van Meel spoke of pure electric M-cars as inevitable in the future, with hybrid powertrains being available during the transitional period. In early 2019, head of BMW i Robert Irlinger and M CEO Markus Flasch confirmed cooperation between BMW i and M in electrification technology. Flasch addressed concerns by promising to keep M car character despite electrification.
__________________
2011.5 E90 ///M3 | 6-Speed Manual | Slicktop | Jerez Black | Fox Red
E9x M3 Press/Media Archives Thread | S65-based Racing Engines Thread |
09-12-2019, 10:40 AM | #2 | |
Moderator
7525
Rep 19,368
Posts |
He remains cryptic, but this
Quote:
Perhaps (hopefully) Flasch is being coy, and it is the word "engine" that he means to temper his statement against. In other words, if they intend to go with a pure BEV, there would be no engine, but instead a dual (or triple, or quadruple) motor EV which might still be a two seater with a cab forward design, built on an architecture loosely derived from the i8. |
|
09-12-2019, 11:00 AM | #3 | |
Second Lieutenant
165
Rep 254
Posts |
Quote:
The Supra and Z4 are built on the CLAR platform and aren't necessarily heavy with many journalists claiming that the Supra is the best BMW right now. Whatever platform this car is car is built on, it will be a performer if the chassis is designed from the bottom up to do so like the Supra and Z4. You can only modify a commuter car chassis so much which is what holds back a lot of performance oriented models |
|
Appreciate
0
|
09-12-2019, 11:30 AM | #4 | |
Moderator
7525
Rep 19,368
Posts |
Quote:
You can build compelling performance vehicles on CLAR, I agree. But for a flagship product that is presumably meant to push the envelope (with a price tag reflecting that), starting with a purpose built body cell is the approach that typically results in the products that enthusiasts get the most excited about. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
09-12-2019, 12:00 PM | #6 |
Lieutenant General
17682
Rep 10,737
Posts
Drives: M4 CS. Former G82, x2 F82, F80
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jacked out of my mind
|
I'm starting to think these hideous grills they're forcing on us are a precursor to nothing but hideously ugly electric cars coming in the future. They're giving us a shot of the nasty now to ease the pain later on. It's the only thing I can think of when it comes to the current BMW styling.
It's a good thing they have competition with plenty of other manufacturer's product to choose from! |
Appreciate
0
|
09-12-2019, 12:22 PM | #7 | ||
Global Moderator
6389
Rep 2,309
Posts
Drives: E90 M3 6MT
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: USA
|
Quote:
Quote:
This has been an ongoing discussion as of late and we may also refer to comments that BMW made 6 months ago in this thread where Flasch still mentions an emphasis on character and Robert Irlinger (Head of BMW i) mentioned benefits of a hybrid setup. Based on that, if this project does come into fruition, whether through something like the Vision M Next or something else, a hybrid setup is still entirely plausible.
__________________
2011.5 E90 ///M3 | 6-Speed Manual | Slicktop | Jerez Black | Fox Red
E9x M3 Press/Media Archives Thread | S65-based Racing Engines Thread |
||
Appreciate
1
mkoesel7525.00 |
09-12-2019, 01:23 PM | #8 |
Private
37
Rep 65
Posts |
Many questions vs. only one molten answer:
My oppinion of the interview. -> ONLY WHEN DAIMLER JUMP FIRST OF A HIGH BRIDGE - THEN WE JUMP TOO... Not the best tactic for a global company! the most powerful letter in the world implement something else |
Appreciate
0
|
09-12-2019, 05:31 PM | #9 | |
Retired BMW Genius
2903
Rep 3,404
Posts |
[Top Gear]:BMW has confirmed a standalone M Division sports car
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
09-12-2019, 06:38 PM | #10 |
Banned
1770
Rep 6,696
Posts
Drives: F30 340i
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: San Diego,CA
|
If M is so strong why does it seem there are more people than ever switching brands?
|
Appreciate
0
|
09-12-2019, 06:41 PM | #11 |
Administrator
41313
Rep 21,248
Posts |
I'm no statistician but "seems" doesn't sound like it's based on actual stats at all. Or do you have sales stats that only BMW M CEO has access to?
__________________
Check on the Latest BMW News
Become a fan of Bimmerpost Facebook Follow us on Bimmerpost Twitter Subscribe to Bimmerpost Youtube Channel |
Appreciate
3
|
09-12-2019, 06:49 PM | #13 | |
Captain
1413
Rep 610
Posts
Drives: M340i
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Dallas, TX
|
Quote:
__________________
Retired: 2011 328i
|
|
Appreciate
1
Tanckx61.50 |
09-12-2019, 06:54 PM | #14 |
Lieutenant
462
Rep 577
Posts |
A true marketer. “I like the idea, but it needs to do a job.”
Couldn’t say it better. Is the AMG One an authentication of the brand, does it help position MB in the future, increase the health? If BMW is hitting sales records and they think the X3/4M is going to be the best sellers, why move R&D. |
Appreciate
0
|
09-12-2019, 06:57 PM | #15 |
Banned
1770
Rep 6,696
Posts
Drives: F30 340i
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: San Diego,CA
|
It's strange to me as a forum moderator you edited your comment from neutral to an offensive statement. Do you see how there was a question mark at the end of my statement? As in...it was a question.
|
Appreciate
1
M3 Adjuster7909.00 |
09-12-2019, 07:00 PM | #16 | |
Colonel
2003
Rep 2,499
Posts |
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
09-12-2019, 07:02 PM | #17 |
A family of bimmers
2757
Rep 7,743
Posts |
M is "so strong" for 2019 because of all the m performance cars are now lumped into m sales figures, no?
__________________
2018 PB/Black G01 X3M40i | 699M | ZDA | ZPP | ZPX | Maxton front lip | X3M vents | 15mm Spacers | Diamond G20 style grills |
Appreciate
0
|
09-12-2019, 07:02 PM | #18 |
Moderator
7525
Rep 19,368
Posts |
|
Appreciate
0
|
09-12-2019, 07:13 PM | #19 |
Major General
9748
Rep 6,098
Posts |
This car is hella ugly and looks nothing like a BMW.
I have to wonder why Audi, Mercedes, and even Lexus have launched a number of halo exotic sports cars over the decades but BMW hasn't. And no the wimpy i8 doesn't count.
__________________
Former
-2008 E90 328 black/brown -2012 Lexus IS250 black/black |
Appreciate
0
|
09-12-2019, 07:53 PM | #20 |
Colonel
2380
Rep 2,369
Posts
Drives: G87 M2; E92M3 MT&DCT; M3 euro
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: nyc
|
Halo car is an entity that wholly shows the technological advancement of the brand; it would be very odd to the public if they were to release any "hypercar" at this moment without having achieved top position at renowned racing series like F1 or Le Mans.
The industry has come a long way since the pure ICE era and BMW is certainly not at the apex of the game.
__________________
Pass me if you can.
|
Appreciate
1
Law6389.00 |
09-12-2019, 08:30 PM | #22 |
Lieutenant
322
Rep 489
Posts |
Bmw needs a dedicated sports car to compete with Mercedes and Cirvette and 911 etc. They're sort of getting flak for the 8 being big, not because it's slow but because it's technically outside of regulations and competes on a waiver.
My guess is a dedicated M car would be designed with GT3 homologation in mind to go directly with the AMG-GT |
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
|
|