[Mako]

I was getting my winter wheels swapped out today and met a guy at Discount tire with a 2006 M3 vert, has had it for almost 10 years now, only 37,000 miles, more of a summer car for him. He was asking me about my 335i and what I knew about the new versions and Ms (lucky for him I'm more knowledgeable than 99% of BMW CAs).

He was so confused with the 3/4 name change (just started researching cars), but the sad thing is that he wasn't the type of person that knew nothing about cars and just looks for the most expensive or prestigious one, he actually is a car lover and huge BMW fan (said he has owned BMWs since 1974, had a 2002 ti). I told him they just recently changed the 3 series convertible to the 4 series name along with the coupe and he said he thought he saw online he could build a 3 series convertible (most likely saw a used 2012/2013 convertible). He was also surprised when I told him the M3/M4 was the same car, same engine, he thought for sure the M4 had more power,

just goes to show its all marketing, BMW probably loves it when people think the 4 is "better" than the 3, because it means they can start to widen the price gap (which I am fine with if they made more changes like a 6 vs a 5 series...). Makes you wonder how many people think the same, or that a X4 is better than a X3 or X6 vs X5... Really the only one that applies to is the 6 series which really is "better" than a 5 series. Also makes you think that the M4 sales have widened the percentage over the M3 because of the same thing, the uneducated buyer who just wants the most expensive sporty BMW in that size will want the higher number after the "M", and the people on these forums are really just a small fraction of M buyers (hopefully no one here bought an M4 over an M3 for that reason).

[AcidMal]

If you look at the model pricing history, you will see that the gaps are being prepared to and slowly increasing.
The 3 and 4 series are both now are entering a higher bracket and will bear a premium over 1 -2 series. They are climbing In price and size and quality. (Other than the interior rattles!!!)

The SUVs as well are doing this with the expansion of the rang into x7 and X11 etc.

Mercedes and Audi are doing the same things

[Doctor///M]

Glad I wasn't fooled! Dodged a bullet there!!

[Wah]

Last year, I told my wife I was getting a new car. When she asked which one, I told her, "the same, except the newer version" (I had an E92 M3)... and left it at that. When I brought my car home, and she saw the M4 logo, so started flipping out at me about why I think I can just go and buy a "higher" model without telling her. I told her they renamed the coupe to the 4-series, but she didn't believe me.... haha.

[Sephiroth]

It is a sample size of 1...but i understand and sympathize with your point.

[Law]

Yup that's the reality & the bean counters in Munich are laughing all the way to the bank.

[P-Bass]

Originally Posted by Wah

Last year, I told my wife I was getting a new car. When she asked which one, I told her, "the same, except the newer version" (I had an E92 M3)... and left it at that. When I brought my car home, and she saw the M4 logo, so started flipping out at me about why I think I can just go and buy a "higher" model without telling her. I told her they renamed the coupe to the 4-series, but she didn't believe me.... haha.

sounds like a real solid relationship...

[meez]

This thread sucks.

^ more informative than original post.

[Never Convicted]

So then we're all agreed. BMW should stop all marketing immediately, only sell cars with odd numbers in their series, and duel it out with the Malibus and Tauruses and Japanese Toaster Cars. Maybe change the X5 to a "9" so as not to confuse anyone.

Good thing you schooled this guy. If he had walked into a dealership and said he wanted an M3 convertible, they would never have known what he was talking about!

[M4TW]

Once you've made the upgrade in perception from the 3-series to the 4-series, you'll never go back.

[TOOFST]

The 6 series is better than a 5 Series?? In what way? 2 different cars for 2 different people, but not better.

[Rain49king]

I recently rebadged my AW M4 with a black badges. I know some of you will cringe and for the record I didn't do it, but I was tempted to throw M3 badge on the M4 for my own sanity.

[fecurtis]

Originally Posted by Mako

I was getting my winter wheels swapped out today and met a guy at Discount tire with a 2006 M3 vert, has had it for almost 10 years now, only 37,000 miles, more of a summer car for him. He was asking me about my 335i and what I knew about the new versions and Ms (lucky for him I'm more knowledgeable than 99% of BMW CAs).

He was so confused with the 3/4 name change (just started researching cars), but the sad thing is that he wasn't the type of person that knew nothing about cars and just looks for the most expensive or prestigious one, he actually is a car lover and huge BMW fan (said he has owned BMWs since 1974, had a 2002 ti). I told him they just recently changed the 3 series convertible to the 4 series name along with the coupe and he said he thought he saw online he could build a 3 series convertible (most likely saw a used 2012/2013 convertible). He was also surprised when I told him the M3/M4 was the same car, same engine, he thought for sure the M4 had more power,

just goes to show its all marketing, BMW probably loves it when people think the 4 is "better" than the 3, because it means they can start to widen the price gap (which I am fine with if they made more changes like a 6 vs a 5 series...). Makes you wonder how many people think the same, or that a X4 is better than a X3 or X6 vs X5... Really the only one that applies to is the 6 series which really is "better" than a 5 series. Also makes you think that the M4 sales have widened the percentage over the M3 because of the same thing, the uneducated buyer who just wants the most expensive sporty BMW in that size will want the higher number after the "M", and the people on these forums are really just a small fraction of M buyers (hopefully no one here bought an M4 over an M3 for that reason).

Yeah it's not that complicated. They just applied the same rationale between the 5 Series and 6 Series and applied it to the 3 and 4 Series for just the exact reason you described. Although I think BMW may have decided to change the naming convention late into the F3x development. The two cars don't look TOO entirely different and hell the interiors are the same. I think that BMW must've seen the success Audi was having with the A5 (nothing more than an A4 coupe but they did an excellent job of making it look entirely different) and wanted to apply the same thing.

At least the 5 and 6 have more differing appearances both inside and out, but that's also probably why BMW charges a lot more for a comparable 6 Series than a 5 Series. Much higher margins for minimal design differences.