Re: Bad move, BMW

[Michiel van Wessem <jmvw@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Don,

Terrific post. I agree with you 134%

Having moved from the Netherlands to the US, I can tell you it's American
to go so crazy about comfort. Look at American cars, even ten years ago,
everything was electric. Look at their size - that too is a comfort
feature. Once in the horizontal plane, now vertical too with SUV's. In the
Netherlands, cars are small, because of high gas and luxury taxes and
because of parking. And you don't even see recliners there!

Too bad BMW wants it cars to be statusmobiles. I like the fun element more.
Let's hope they'll do the 2003.

Michiel (87 325es)

At 01:40 PM 1/7/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>I'm probably behind the curve, and you may all know this already, but I
>just found out that BMW has dropped all 4-cylinder motors for the U.S.
>
>Dumb dumb dumb....
>
>I had already decided on a 318ti as our next car, and now they won't have
any!
>
>4-bangers have some notable advantages in a light car, among them
>certainly, is cost.
>
>Once again, it looks like BMW has forgotten that an affordable, small,
>light, nimble car, with a *four cylinder engine*, a lot of charm, no power
>sunroofs, power seats, power locks, windows, etc. was what put them on the
>map, and saved the company from the "luxury" mindset that almost ruined
>them in the 50's and early 60's.
>
>Looks like the "luxury" crowd has won again.   Even the M cars have all the
>amenities and the price to go with them today.   Rubbish I say!
>
>What did an '02 cost in 71?   If I remember right, it was around 3500.00.
>In todays dollars, that's what 10-12K? .     Even though inflation doesn't
>account for it, let's call it 20K!
>
>Now what I want to know is: *Where is that equivalent car today?*
>
>Well they don't make one, do they?
>
>Boneheads.
>
>Luxury luxury luxury....
>
>Millions of us do not care about luxury.  We don't need heated seats, our
>arms and fingers work fine; we don't need mechanical assistance opening the
>windows, sunroof, adjusting the seat, or locking the door.   We don't need
>ABS, we don't need traction control, we don't need a trip computer or GPS.
>(What's wrong with maps?)
>
>We just need a great car.
>
>And what we are -getting- is "luxury" at rich-guy-only prices.   dumb dumb
>dumb..
>
>Sooo, Hanz und Franz, if you're listening; make us a nice 2002 reissue.
>Make it worthy of the name, and make it for real people to afford.
>
>Or mebbe soon, the current line will be called "baroque angels" too...
>
>
>DC
>
>
>-----------
>Don Cicchetti - BMW CCA member 122043
>dcicchet@domain.elided
>'71 2002/M42 (waddya mean that motor don't go in there?)
>
>-Beatnik Motor Werke-       0=OO=0
>-----------
>
>
>
>

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