by "Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
Published 04/06/2017 at 12:35
by "Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
Published 04/06/2017 at 12:35
Tags: Branding
STARS: 3
It’s actually logical. Remember that Audi completely changes the model designation when you bump up the performance, so your old A4 became an S4 and the “S” designated Audis were pretty much the top end performance Audis for us in the US.
Using current designations (which is another story in branding), you would have people shopping the 330i, C300, and A4. But when you go to shop the 340i, C400 (which is currently skipped due to branding), and then the “Congratulations! Your A4 has evolved into S4!” *confetti and glitter*, then its apparent which car has the sales advantage. You know what other line of well known performance branded luxury cars completely separates their models from the regular line up? M cars!!
AMG doesn’t actually separate the models, but they do go from three digit numbers to two digit numbers. Expect that to change very soon and the 43 models be separated from the regular cars.
The US is EXTREMELY sensitive to branding, so something as small as people believing Audi S and BMW M are still direct competitors is very real. Thus you will end up with the M340i and AMG C43 (because C450 AMG didn’t take the branding far enough) being created to get the performance arms on the cars and to be Audi S4 competitors.
This is where it gets even more tricky. These are $50,000-plus “luxury sport vehicles.” Many people may not have a more hardcore daily driver than these cars and they are around the performance limit for legal US roadway driving and exceed at least 90% of the other cars on the road.
When these cars are actually using parts and being “touched” by the automaker’s performance arm then they should be branded as such! I mean a W203 C55 AMG made 362 hp and was over $50,000. An E46 M3 made 333 hp, did 0-60 mph in around 5 seconds and was another vehicle around that $50,000. A B7 S4 made 340 hp and started at just under $50,000.
Now an AMG C43 makes 362 hp (coincidence?), a BMW 340i makes 320 hp (bet that hits 333 hp or 338 hp in M340i trim), and an Audi S4 makes 354 hp. All start around $50,000. They are pretty much the direct successors to those top performance variants, except now they are pulling 4.5 second 0-60 mph times where 5.2 seconds was mind blowing, get about 6-10 mpg better fuel economy with the same type of driving, and are way easier to live with! The only thing holding these cars back are “1LE” style track packages and a manual. Boom, W203 C55 = C43, E46 M3 = M340i, B7 S4 = S4. Price, prestige, power but more performance.
That’s the story of AMG 43 (and eventually 50 and 55) as well as BMW M Performance. It’s Audi’s fault for not moving “S” up and bringing in the “RS” for all their future lineup. This is also how we ended up with V-Sport, F-Sport (in theory), and whatever Infiniti “Red Sport” is.
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
04/06/2017 at 12:53, STARS: 2
I think we get it, we just don’t like it. :)
"Vicente Esteve" (vicente-esteve)
04/06/2017 at 13:11, STARS: 0
I am very confused as why BMW hasn’t names every six cylinder model their M..40i .
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
04/06/2017 at 13:22, STARS: 0
My earlier kidding aside, I completely understand why M-B is doing this. What bugs me a bit is that they’re diluting the AMG brand a bit in the process. I have gotten my mind around the “random letter - Sport” designations (I DD an F-sport, sigh...), but I would feel like a poser driving an ‘E43 AMG’, despite possibly being interested in that car otherwise. Part of it is because of the various designations the luxury manufacturers toss around, there are only 3 that mean anything to me - BMW M, AMG, and Audi’s RS (not S). BMW M used to mean hand-built performance engines, and AMG still does. All 3 mean the best performers that company makes. Of course, those of us on here know those details a lot better than the random person cross-shopping the S4, 340i, and C43 AMG...
"Saracen" (manualdoucheelitist)
04/06/2017 at 13:25, STARS: 0
not every 6 cylinder model has M-specific parts or tuning.
"syaieya" (syaieya)
04/06/2017 at 13:50, STARS: 1
I gotta dissagree on the thought that the 43 dilutes the brand. Sure, we would all like every amg powerplant to be the best and most special thing ever in a car finely tuned by craftsmen. But not every amg was the end all be all. The first two official AMG mercedes were basically stock 6 cylinder chassis with a little engine bump. And looking back to the 80s you were most likely to see more cars like Ringo Starr’s 190E 2.3 AMG instead of the hammer.
Just having amg rims on a car is enough for someone to tack “amg” package on an ad so if youve got a brand you might as well own it. Especially when the new 43s will spank almost any AMG south of a supercharged 55 motor.
"fintail" (fintail)
04/06/2017 at 13:57, STARS: 0
I call them “half baked” AMG. Dilution, just like the others - as they all chase sales volumes. I don’t know if I buy the moving up idea, as that’s just a part of better tech. These badges are about sales and profit margins.
I once had a C43 AMG, full-on AMG:
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
04/06/2017 at 14:15, STARS: 0
That’s all fair - and it’s their brand, so it’s their duty to do whatever it takes to maximize the $ they can get out of it - not cater to my biased opinion. It’s certainly true that the 43's will kick the butt of the older AMG cars, although I would attribute that to rising performance of all cars, in general. I just hope that they don’t go the way of BMW and discontinue those special, high-end, hand-built engines at the top of the range at some point. That’s probably what I really fear—
"syaieya" (syaieya)
04/06/2017 at 14:22, STARS: 1
Truth. Losing that handbuilt nature would really tank the aura of top AMG.
The 43s will fall to time like the rest of the middling models. But if they value their brand and the massive profit margins theyll keep the top models special.
One of the big reasons that many people i know with the 55, 63, and 65 models give to why they bought that over something similar in price is that handbuilt engine. They like that extra little flair to the story.
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
04/06/2017 at 14:27, STARS: 0
Yes, that cache adds value, whether real or perceived. Owning an AMG someday is something I aspire to, and while I could certainly afford a C43 or E43, and I’m sure they’re great cars, I don’t see them as aspirational. I don’t really think M-B will stop making the handbuilt engines, though, as long as they’re using IC engines.
"Vicente Esteve" (vicente-esteve)
04/06/2017 at 18:13, STARS: 0
Oh yeah, I do realize that X4M40i’s are indeed tuned differently. But if I were BME I would give all the six cylinder cars that M.... treatment.
"Vicente Esteve" (vicente-esteve)
04/06/2017 at 18:13, STARS: 0
BMW*