[SeanWRT]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

Where I live:

• 430i xDrive
• 430i xDrive M-Sport
• M440i xDrive
• M4
• M4competition
• M4CS
• M4CSL

Where I live we have even lower models like G20 325i, which to my knowledge doesn't exist anywhere else. The reason behind is simply our local manufacturing capability is far ahead compared to anywhere else, and is more than just sufficient to support as many variants as market can want. They even consider phasing out the 330i models because very few want it. The most would skip right straight to the M3, simple solution.

And...the 325i accounts for 95% of the G20 ever sold here...as told by my SA.

There're far far more people stretching out budget from a lesser market to buy the entry level model of higher end, than people paying premium for range topping models.

This very human nature is super exploitable, and every manufacture is trying to create as many market segments as their production capability allows. And easy trick is they do a few low value for the money models at every class and makes you think you should look up a class to find yourself the bang for the buck model...

[brad850csi]

Originally Posted by SeanWRT

Where I live we have even lower models like G20 325i, which to my knowledge doesn't exist anywhere else. The reason behind is simply our local manufacturing capability is far ahead compared to anywhere else, and is more than just sufficient to support as many variants as market can want. They even consider phasing out the 330i models because very few want it. The most would skip right straight to the M3, simple solution.

And...the 325i accounts for 95% of the G20 ever sold here...as told by my SA.

There're far far more people stretching out budget from a lesser market to buy the entry level model of higher end, than people paying premium for range topping models.

This very human nature is super exploitable, and every manufacture is trying to create as many market segments as their production capability allows. And easy trick is they do a few low value for the money models at every class and makes you think you should look up a class to find yourself the bang for the buck model...

In effect that is people gravitating to the lowest of a chassis, or the highest. Whereas in the E39 as an example people had about 6 different engines to choose from that may have met different niches.

[Straight6Dave]

Originally Posted by SeanWRT

Where I live we have even lower models like G20 325i, which to my knowledge doesn't exist anywhere else. The reason behind is simply our local manufacturing capability is far ahead compared to anywhere else, and is more than just sufficient to support as many variants as market can want. They even consider phasing out the 330i models because very few want it. The most would skip right straight to the M3, simple solution.

And...the 325i accounts for 95% of the G20 ever sold here...as told by my SA.

There're far far more people stretching out budget from a lesser market to buy the entry level model of higher end, than people paying premium for range topping models.

This very human nature is super exploitable, and every manufacture is trying to create as many market segments as their production capability allows. And easy trick is they do a few low value for the money models at every class and makes you think you should look up a class to find yourself the bang for the buck model...

It has nothing to do with local manufacturing capability. The only real variation in the Chinese market 3 series is just a lengthened chassis and different output levels for the B48. It's largely driven by a perception in the West that the Chinese market is status obsessed and it's big no-no to drive a car that's as nice/expensive as your boss (whether that's true or not).

That's the only reason you can buy an extended length 3 series in China whereas everyone in the west would've just bought a 5 series.

[KoenG]

iM2 with 1000kW next year!? Can this be real?

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/spy-shots/bmw/im2/

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by KoenG

iM2 with 1000kW next year!? Can this be real?

The prototype is real, as discussed in depth here:

https://bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1810818

An electric M concept car that uses this technology is also a real possibility for next year.

There will be no actual product called "iM2" next year, not least because there will be no M2 in BMW's vehicle lineup at all next year. The G87 starts production in November for delivery in the spring of 2023, and that vehicle will be powered by an S58 gasoline engine. An electric counterpart is technically possible at some point, but extremely unlikely given what we know about BMW's electric roadmap. Instead, an electric M2 (or a small, M2-sized high performance electric coupe, at any rate), will most likely wait until at least the next generation, which will with near certainty be built on the upcoming Neue Klasse architecture debuting in 2025.

The first electric proper M vehicle might be the extreme-performance G60 5 Series that will probably use a production version of the drivetrain in the Katharina test car. Whether that will be called i5 Mnn, i5 M, i5M, M5i, or something else is not yet known.