[Art__Vandelay]

Originally Posted by Wolf

I see what you didn't get there.

Okay I may have quoted the wrong statement, but it refers to the general discontent here. And I'm far from being pleasured with everything they're doing recently, mainly related to the design though (but that's not something I blame the M division for).

[M3Fury]

Originally Posted by Falafel Combo

I doubt their jobs are as "fun" as you have imagined.

I would imagine that they have to sit through powerpoint presentations just like anyone else, crunch deadlines, targets, budgets, satisfy fickle consumers, constantly undergoing public scrutiny all while expectations of them to deliver higher and higher sales are higher than ever.

It's gotta be stressful!!!

Haha! Would you rather endure all of that for hair dryers, packaging materials, or M cars?

[DCG]

Whatever it takes for BMW to finally get "M xDrive" in the M3 / M4 I'm all for it!

And while you're at it just make the Competition Package standard.

[Nkc]

Wow, this new head honcho is only 30? I have some hope for the M brand especially if his car of choice is a Z3M-coupe.

The last boi seemed to lack enthusiasm for the M brand and was heavily on the safe side of things. Good riddance.

[deemo319]

Frankly, there were was probably about zero BMW M fans that trusted Van Meel.

[stein_325i]

I think this will be good for BMW and new M Cars. He oversaw the 8 series which is a car already praised by Car and Driver in its prototype state for a communicative chassis and steering feel. If he can work his magic he did on the M850i onto other M cars, I think it will do BMW some good in getting its mojo back.

https://www.caranddriver.com/amp/rev...e-drive-review

[marcva]

Originally Posted by Croatian test driver

I don't quite understand the criticism about the performances of the M cars. Are they so slow recently? I mean I can understand when someone is complaining about the design or the sound of the cars. But the cars aren't slow comparing to the main competitors.

And the engine downsizing is something all big manufacturers are doing. Same with the replacement of the manuals (actually the M division still offers manuals, while I'm not sure if AMG or Audi RS still have cars with manual transmission). Same with the weight (again, comparing to the main competitors) etc. etc. The complaining is really getting outrageous here (not talking about you, but in general).

It's just basic word play on his name...

[10"]

Originally Posted by Nkc

Wow, this new head honcho is only 30? I have some hope for the M brand especially if his car of choice is a Z3M-coupe.

The last boi seemed to lack enthusiasm for the M brand and was heavily on the safe side of things. Good riddance.

Promising that he's young and drives a Z3M.

BMW M has been doing OK but lacking some passion since Segler left...

[crazyzxf]

Originally Posted by M3Fury

Wish I were at least 10% as passionate in my job as I would be in their jobs. To those who say "it is all what you make of it." GFY.

making cars is not as a joy as driving one.

[Darth One]

Originally Posted by NEFARIOUS

Does that mean M cars will now be... Flaschy? How about a car as quick as The Flasch?

All I'm saying is that he better recapture the essence of the M brand or he'll be a Flasch in the pan...

[aussiem3]

Originally Posted by Law

When Van Meel was poached from quattro GmbH to M GmbH four years ago, we already had an idea as to why BMW would want the ex-head of quattro to be the head of M.

In comes the F90 M5, with M xDrive and then the speculations about Van Meel's role in the AWD-ification are confirmed.
At the same time, right before our eyes, the M Performance Automobile line becomes nearly all xDrive-based, (i.e., M550i, M760Li, X3 M40i, X4 M40i, X1 M35i & upcoming M340i), with no RWD option except for the M240i.

BMW took the initiative to poach the head of a division (quattro) world renowned for its AWD systems and got what they wanted.

For me personally, I never saw Van Meel as a traditional/true BMW M type of guy, and to his credit he never really pretended to be.
It seemed like he knew exactly why he was chosen for the role and it was exactly what BMW execs wanted.

A necessary evil, perhaps.

But it'll be interesting to see where things go from here.

Very well summed Up!

[tetsuo111]

Good riddance and don't let the door hit you in the patooshi on the way out.

M withered and lost miles against the competition under Van Meel.

[antzcrashing]

Bespoke engines! Manuals! Kill all M SUVs! NA engines! One can dream

[awhk]

Hopefully BMW M won't get watered down like AMG 65, 63, 53, 45, 43, 35...

[roastbeef]

sweet, he has been putting out garbage.

[Teutonic]

Now please replace the Head of Design...

Yeah, that Skoda guy please...

[SeanWRT]

Guys there's a misunderstanding of the job duty of the project manager here.

In most companies, project manager isn't the one that's engineering the products or even deciding what they should be. Instead, it's hired by that person to manage and ensure the successful execution of the project. Successful means project delivers what project approver/initiator wants, within given time and under given budget.

That is to say, good or bad the way 8 series is as a product, he's not responsible for it. He's responsible for that it showed up as is.

And he will be responsible from now on for the realization of the vision of whoever it is behind M curtain.

[adc]

Frequent change at the top is indicative of chronic or unsolved problems.

Actual personalities of those two involved aside, I find it a bit disheartening that the flagship BMW division cannot find a sufficiently strong and passionate leader, with a sufficiently strong vision that can endure the test of time, and who doesn’t want to move over to anything else.

You know, like Andreas Preuninger over at Porsche GT.

Someone who lives and breathes Motorsport and wants to make M cars be head and shoulders above the competition (as much as that is possible in an era of omnispread technology). But at least someone who doesn’t want to rise to the top because the M division is already the top of his list.

[nick3753]

Originally Posted by awhk

Hopefully BMW M won't get watered down like AMG 65, 63, 53, 45, 43, 35...

You can't be serious?? Please tell me that was sarcasm.

[SeanWRT]

Originally Posted by nick3753

You can't be serious?? Please tell me that was sarcasm.

M35/40/50s are how they watered down the M badge. They should've created the S line to fill the gap like they did with 335is a decade ago.

AMG approach is the best IMO if you had to do it. AMG-ness increases with 35, 43, 45, 63 and the future 73. Low number is entry level but still holds a position of AMG.

With BMW, however, the focus is on the M badge legitimacy. No one other than some of their owners accept M35/40/50 are entry level M, which is a problem because that's mostly how they're sold as the factory intended.

[brad850csi]

Originally Posted by SeanWRT

M35/40/50s are how they watered down the M badge. They should've created the S line to fill the gap like they did with 335is a decade ago.

AMG approach is the best IMO if you had to do it. AMG-ness increases with 35, 43, 45, 63 and the future 73. Low number is entry level but still holds a position of AMG.

With BMW, however, the focus is on the M badge legitimacy. No one other than some of their owners accept M35/40/50 are entry level M, which is a problem because that's mostly how they're sold as the factory intended.

73 is historic for AMG

[Moupe]

He drives one of the top M cars of all type, the original M Coupe!

This homeslice gets two thumbs and two big toes up from me. Yahooooo!