Aussie BMW M car scandal unvieled!

[Falcon500]

Sorry for the dramatic name i just really wanted attention (j/K) but the other day i bought and old issue of wheels magazine (August 1993) and it has an interesting article about BMW australia idea for acar

M-CAR LOOKS without M-car prices-or preformance-is BMW Australia's plan for a proposed rangeof sporty 3 and 5 series models.
Topping the mock M-cars is an exclusive-to-Australia 540iS featuring manual transmission and M5 body kit, interior, wheels and possibly suspension. BMW Australia is also finialising specifications of an M-kitted 318iS and an M3-style 325iS, both due later this year.
The 540iS is awaiting approval from Munich, which is also considering BMW Australia request to allow its S range to wear the exclusive M badge. Non-Motorsport models masquerading as M-cars is a sensative issue at BMW HQ, which has just reorganised BMW Motorsport and renamed it M GmbH.
"it's a real problem for BMW to badge a car M when it's not," says former BMW australia managing director Ron Meathchem.
Meathchem, 62, hatched the local M-car plan in the months leading up tohis depature. Long term, he plans to turn BMW Australia's race base-training centre at Norwell on the Goald Coast into M's Asia-Pacific branch.
"We want to cater for people who cant afford an M3or M5, but want something that looks like them at an affordable price," he says. "So, initally, mainly cosmetics, and then maybey as we get older and better, we can do engines."
Meathchem believes a cut-price, M-look 540iS would go close to matching the performance of the M5 now only available here only to special order. "It would be a model specific toAustralia, built for usby Motorsport. I think it'd br a fabulous car, nearly as quick as the M5. We're thinking of $140,000 versus $195,000."
If it goes ahead, the 540iS will be available next year, coinciding with the 5-speed manual 540i.
An interesting explination to som,ething i have been wondering myself and no doubt FPV with what up with his old mans car.

[fpv_gtho]

this is actually the first ive heard of such a thing, but ive always been under the impression that in the way of bodykits, suspension and brakes etc for those wanting more out of their BMW but dont want to pay for an M model can get M sport upgrades......

[Falcon500]

Well its the first i have heard of it too but it all makes snese all consdiering how bland there were top drive still. Also the point ios its good pose value my car looks more expensive then it really is and not many people really need the extra mods.
Them old mags really unearth some interesting facts like how their treating the then new VR as the best commo holden ever made and its getting praise much like the BA falcon did in 03. And the proposed VT sucked! It looked like a ford scropio or something (a bland family sedan from pommyland) and holden wanted to use the old auroa engine rather then the proposed genIII as it was old technology....

[fpv_gtho]

well didnt the Gen3 come like 2 years late or something? ive heard Holden wanted it for the VT in 1997 but they finally got it 1999....

if you can you should check out some wheels mags from 1978 and see how close they got to the XD with the drawings, its freakish lol. also ive seen some pictures of what they thought the EF was going to look like and they were pretty far off, same with one pic of what they thought the BA (at the time they were callign it the AV) was going to look like in a special they done, september 2001

[Falcon500]

well didnt the Gen3 come like 2 years late or something? ive heard Holden wanted it for the VT in 1997 but they finally got it 1999....

if you can you should check out some wheels mags from 1978 and see how close they got to the XD with the drawings, its freakish lol. also ive seen some pictures of what they thought the EF was going to look like and they were pretty far off, same with one pic of what they thought the BA (at the time they were callign it the AV) was going to look like in a special they done, september 2001

I dont know the full sotry its from over then fence and i dont go looking for that info specifcly (but i will look on in intrest if layedin front ofme) butit came out in the VT statesmandearlier then anything else and was later joined by the rest of the range when the stock pile driedup. I got the entier publication on the EA26 project and the concepts were no where near as good looking as the finished product. And spy photosof the EL and stuff are ineresting not to mention the soon to be restlyedmustang and other such...more interesting read then the new ones if you ask me...they didnt winge as much and offerd moreinfo.

[fpv_gtho]

im pissed off with wheels at the moment, theyre screwing me around. every day since wednesday ive been walking to the local shops in 40 degree heat to see if the newsagency has the new wheels magazine and they havent got it!!!! none of them!!!!! because of this im thinking its a supply problem or theyve purposely held the issue back. someones suggested that theyre holding out for a story on something, but the only thing at the moment i could think of was they had a late inclusion for something about the typhoon, in which case it would be easier to do a full coverage of it from MMS for next months mag

[Falcon500]

I save my money and just read what i find interesting at the newsagency i only buy AMC, performance ford and street machine.

[fpv_gtho]

ive never really been big on those 3 to be honest. street machine to me is severly holden biased (the proofs in their street commodores specials), performance ford focus too much on tuned fords for my liking and well australian muscle car, theyve never really had an issue thats made me pick it up wanting to read it cover to cover

wheels provides a pretty good global aspect on most things so theyre alright if you can get around all their whinging about the smallest of things. i'd probably rather motor but they can really have a negative attitude towards some thigns

[Falcon500]

Wheelshave proven to make some of the stupidest decision as well picking such car of the years as the VN commaodore, A camira (which was a flop world wide),leyland p76 and other such lemons and they cant admit when there wrong too. Motor when they dont take a shine to something theymake it clear and sually change there minds makeing them look like arse's also they can display some very dodgy jornalisum (eg chageing mind mid sentence and not comming to any solid conclusions) at least with mags likeperformance ford and AMC there notcomparing cars and justraging on a car because they can...i have no comments to be made on street machine though....they claim not to be biased but i just exclaimed bull shit when i read that.

[fpv_gtho]

how can a magazine that goes off and has another magazine called "street machine: street commodores" say that theyre not biased, its pretty stupid...

for now though i'll keep reading wheels until they really piss me off about something, they may do it with the next mag with the 5 way local test by giving the avalon 1st place

[Falcon500]

how can a magazine that goes off and has another magazine called "street machine: street commodores" say that theyre not biased, its pretty stupid...

for now though i'll keep reading wheels until they really piss me off about something, they may do it with the next mag with the 5 way local test by giving the avalon 1st place

Well dont forget theyhave had a ford special edeition recently...and hell when the mag was at its peak it had several annauls likeengine mods (when the tech was still decent) and brand specific annaul they even had one for mopar!
I used to read wheels all the time...the reason a very unpopular kid done me a favor and stole them from the libery for me....i have only bought 1 since i finished school.

[fpv_gtho]

well the street commodores comes out liek monthly or something as well as a yearly special so its an ongoing commitment of street machines. wheels say the results of this 5 way local test will leave you shocked. im thinking every test the BA's been in its come out the better overall car and even the VY2 hasnt changed that so i think its gunna win. maybe they mean the VY2 wont come 2nd or something, who knows, i'll find out tomorrow

[Falcon500]

Well their still whatpulls in the croud at one stage i got a double issue of a performance commadores NOT tech what so ever! in the first one and in the second one they talked about carbon fibre rocker covers! and the cars were hardly any diffrent from each other they noly thing they all ahd diffrent was that they all had diffrent exteior interior colours, diffrent sound systems and diffrent people building the engines....very sad magazines.
Wheels do what ever they can to make a quick buck thats more then likly the reason they dubbed the BA car of the year because itll stir people up!

[fpv_gtho]

well i think the BA honestly deserved it. it beat the honda jazz and mazda 6 which have been recieving endless applause for their design and ergonomics etc. and the BA could be considered a new model based on the AU's floorplan and front suspension, the rear end was completely hacked away at and redone for the control blade IRS to fit in perfectly

[Falcon500]

Well true enough but they are also in the buiness of selling mags and while most mags worth their salt would of coverd up the fact they crashed a lambo wheelsused the shock value to sell they now are more intrested in market share then cars themselves.