[The long haul]

Originally Posted by Jblack4083

At first i was like "damn here go the AWD boring sounding BMWs" but now that I'm thinking of it, he will probably take advantage of being freed from Audi's AWD / cookie-cutter culture.

It's not like M was going in a great direction anyway lol. Either way you cut it, we're headed toward an all turbo, all wheel drive, M lineup.

BMW has the same cookie cutter philosophy let's be serious here and they're styling to me (styling is subjective) is far better than BMWs albeit their driving dynamics blow. Audis dynamics that is.

[DDS2015]

Maybe he'll give us a proper halo car? A true R8/911 fighter?

[cs4444]

Originally Posted by e92_bryan

Why would they pick some one from another company that has different views of what a performance car is

His views do not necessarily reflect Audi's views. He was an engineer hired by Audi and worked around their corporate culture, I'm sure he can easily adapt to BMW's culture. An engineer/manager can think for themselve : ), and also design what they are asked to. It's not like he's an Audi robot who can only produce understeer and AWD.

[kinimod]

Title says CEO, article says chairman. And then a V8 turbo. Which makes this post as credible as Cosmopolitan opinion on quickly losing weight.

In either role it is unlikely he will be deciding about technical details that are being discussed here, but about financial performance and hiring executives that he knows and likes (more folks from Audi)

[ChiTownM]

Originally Posted by Jblack4083

At first i was like "damn here go the AWD boring sounding BMWs" but now that I'm thinking of it, he will probably take advantage of being freed from Audi's AWD / cookie-cutter culture.

It's not like M was going in a great direction anyway lol. Either way you cut it, we're headed toward an all turbo, all wheel drive, M lineup.

At least Audi built the R8.....we have to content with the I8, which is an awesome car, but we have nothing like an R8, AMG GTS, 911 GT3, GTR, Huracan, ZR etc. I am ready for some real M showcase with true BMW traditional setup and telepathic steering again and naturally aspirated power to the rear wheels

The latest M cars are technology marvels and perform incredibly well but somehow the M Soul is gone a little bit IMHO. M division is making a killing which is , now give us something spectacular

[chipotle_napkins]

Mhmm. The M8 better be good

[wdeerfield]

I'll take awd m cars. Nothing wrong with an m car that I could use year round up here in upstate ny. All you "purists" need to get with the times already.

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

I'd say misprint. They just built the S55, plus the comment was about the old M boss.

Originally Posted by bwco

If it's not a misprint, are we gonna see the turbo 4.4L V8 stuff'd in the M3/4?

Originally Posted by Mdecisive

Turbo v8 m3 and m4 saloon?

This is just a case of a journalist not knowing what he/she was talking about. They clearly mixed information about the last generation and the current generation. Nitschke oversaw the development of the F8X M3/4, so you can bet that's what the reference was to.

[signes]

Here comes a turbo 4, AWD (front biased), under steering, numb M(insert number here...)

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by Diver

I bet he turns out to be a very competent executive and a real car guy.

Yeah, who knows what the conflicts were. There are plenty of rumors surrounding the new R8, but it's impossible to know how van Meel fit in to that equation. There's not a single car guy on the planet who doesn't know what M means to BMW.

[Schnell_1]

Originally Posted by e92_bryan

Why would they pick some one from another company that has different views of what a performance car is

Diversity of thought, which eradicates groupthink and inbreeding.

[Jadar]

Great now everything will be front wheel drive bias and handle with understeer! Lol JK

[Oaktree]

Audi chassis and handling has come a long ways in the last ten + years, I say welcome.

[xDrive35i]

Originally Posted by Diver

I bet he turns out to be a very competent executive and a real car guy.

Yeah I bet this ends up being really great for BMW.

[pruettfan]

Originally Posted by Rev ///Me

BMW M GmbH will get a new chairman from 1 January 2015, with Franciscus van Meel taking over from retiring chief Dr. Friedrich Nitschke.

The appointment is notable because van Meel, 48, joins BMW after leading Audi’s quattro GmbH division – and has not even joined BMW Group yet: his first day is 1 October.

Van Meel has worked at Audi AG since 1996, in chassis development and technical management, becoming MD of quattro GmbH in 2012.

However, earlier this year, van Meel was reportedly stood down from leading quattro and reassigned to Audi’s Chinese division, after rumours emerged of a fallout with Audi development boss Ulrich Hackenberg over the direction of the new Audi R8. It seems BMW has taken advantage of Audi’s internal strife and poached the former rising star.

It’s a fond farewell for Nitschke, who’s worked at BMW Group for 36 years. He worked up through the company and first came to the public eye in 2007 when he took over vehicle development for MINI. In 2011, he became BMW M GmbH Chairman, creating the BMW M Performance Automobiles division and also leading the new turbo V8 M3 saloon and M4 Coupe.

Dr. Herbert Diess, Member of the Board of Management for Development, said: “The position of M GmbH on the market has never been better in the company’s history and it continues to achieve sales record after sales record.

“Friedrich Nitschke has done outstanding work over the past years and has made a crucial contribution to the success of the company. The entire Board of Management of BMW AG would like to express its gratitude to him.”

source: http://www.motoringresearch.com/car-...ion-0923949788

Motoring research sucks at research "new V8 turbo M3 saloon and M4 coupe". Seems like this is written by someone who knows nothing about the company he is writing about.

[Mdecisive]

After leaked details of the new C63, I fear for the top spot of the f8X gen. The amg is going to be a monster and they say it will be about the 3600lbs (give or take) so I would happily welcome a revised 4.4 s63TU or a new turbocharged s65 variant for the f8X gen..

Wishful thinking though

[PetrolFumes]

Wtf...AWD Ms will be no fun at all

[antzcrashing]

Guys CEOs dont make decisions, VPs of engineering do

[Luminor513]

AWD is necessary evil as they make the cars more and more powerful. When G series M5 come out there is prob a good chance AWD will be standard or at least an option.

[jhynes]

Originally Posted by ///mawana

Here comes AWD Ms!

+1

[BLACK OPS]

Originally Posted by xDrive35i

Yeah I bet this ends up being really great for BMW.

And really unfortunate for Audi. In trying to lockdown the market there's no better situation for BMW than sleeping with the enemy

[xDrive35i]

Originally Posted by BLACK OPS

And really unfortunate for Audi. In trying to lockdown the market there's no better situation for BMW than sleeping with the enemy

That's why I'm moving to Porsche!