Where in the announcement did BMW say anything about reducing the performance or production of its traditional ///M models? If anything, producing a somewhat less cutting edge performance range will allow even greater differentiation and "purity" for the "true" ///M cars - less compromise, less need to cater to the playboy executive who only drives an M car around city streets.
Put it this way, do you buy the badge or the car? I think BMW knows exactly what ///M means to the company and has no intention of dissipating the goodwill or ethic of ///M. To do so would defeat the primary objective which is to sell more cars!
Cries of devotion to the ///M moniker per se (rather than the vehicle) sound somewhat hollow.
|