[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by SakhirM4

That has never happened in the past - has never been BMW's goal or target - why would they do it now?

In 1971, I bought a brand new Corvette for $5800. There was no BMW in that price range or performance that could compete. The 2002tii was a great car, but it was no Corvette. BMW didn't build one then and they never will.

Apparently you forget the M1 and Z8. Both are 2-seat sports cars. Maybe the Z3M Coupe? Z3M Roadster. Z4... All sports cars. None match the performance of the Corvette, or Porsches of various guises of the day. My point is, now BMW has to turn to Toyota to build the next Z-series BMW? And Scott26 (I really don't think he works for BMW anyway but that's beside the point) says "The engineering of the joint project can not be compared to other sports cars in the same price level." What in the hell does that mean exactly? And what is the price level? Does this mean a Toyota priced at a MX-5 level for $30K and BMW Z5 at $65K both with performance of a Corvette, or boxster/Cayman?

Just another ambiguous statement from the Scottster that means nothing, but implies BMW is the greatest automotive engineering house on the planet.

[TomHudson]

Manufacturers will turn to development of supercars, or enter into sports car series to encourage engineers and designers to join their team. That is why Toyota entered formula one. Their market group at the time was mid to late 40s! With bringing in young talent, they could then put a new energy into their products and attract a younger age group.

Since BMW is doing very well with their current engeneering designs and practicalities, there is no need to spend the money to showcase their talents currently and attract talent that is already there.

Besides, there is a huge trend towards saving the environment through electric vehicles in saving us from ourselves with self driving cars… Barf barf barf.

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

And when BMW creates a sports car that can beat a Chevrolet Corvette at the same price point, please call me. 1-888-NOT-GOING-TO-HAPPEN.

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Apparently you forget the M1 and Z8. Both are 2-seat sports cars. Maybe the Z3M Coupe? Z3M Roadster. Z4... All sports cars. None match the performance of the Corvette, or Porsches of various guises of the day. My point is, now BMW has to turn to Toyota to build the next Z-series BMW? And Scott26 (I really don't think he works for BMW anyway but that's beside the point) says "The engineering of the joint project can not be compared to other sports cars in the same price level." What in the hell does that mean exactly? And what is the price level? Does this mean a Toyota priced at a MX-5 level for $30K and BMW Z5 at $65K both with performance of a Corvette, or boxster/Cayman?

Just another ambiguous statement from the Scottster that means nothing, but implies BMW is the greatest automotive engineering house on the planet.

I responded to your comment about a BMW that could beat a Corvette at the same price point. While they were great cars, an M-1 or a Z8 were not in the same price point as a Corvette and actually could not beat a Corvette in performance. BMW has never been a competition of the Corvette and they have never tried to be.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by SakhirM4

and actually could not beat a Corvette in performance.

I think the M1 would have had no problem beating the contemporary '79-81 C3 corvette?
Sure obviously not the same pricepoint but the m1 was pretty much a racecar in its days developed as a homologation special

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by SakhirM4

I responded to your comment about a BMW that could beat a Corvette at the same price point. While they were great cars, an M-1 or a Z8 were not in the same price point as a Corvette and actually could not beat a Corvette in performance. BMW has never been a competition of the Corvette and they have never tried to be.

It's possible BMW hasn't tried because they can't...? You are making a circular argument.

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

It's possible BMW hasn't tried because they can't...? You are making a circular argument.

Are you kidding me?? I said that BMW has never made a car with Corvette performance in the Corvette price point and never will. My statements just supported my point - no circles involved

[ShocknAwe]

Love when people justify what they say with "As a previous M4 owner" considering the very first of those rolled off in 2014.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by SakhirM4

Are you kidding me?? I said that BMW has never made a car with Corvette performance in the Corvette price point and never will. My statements just supported my point - no circles involved

No, I wasn't kidding.

[FriskyDingo]

Q: When will BMW make a proper supercar?


A: Never.

[scoobysaurus]

i8 + S63tu = supercar. But I guess we've established that it's never going to happen.

[Artemis]

Proper supercar ? Quite likely, BMW thinks back about the E26 M1 with mixed emotions. Back in the day, due to adverse circumstances, the commercial version of the E26 M1 had a complicated birth:

"The project’s failure had become complete by 1980. The budget of BMW Motorsports had been slashed nearly 75 percent. The Procar contract was sold to England’s BS Fabrications. Under attack internally for diverting engineering effort from street cars, and yet anxious to develop the turbo four-cylinder for Formula 1, Neerpasch left BMW Motorsports. Everyone understood that the M1 had failed as a race car because its development proved too costly and could not keep pace with changes in racing regulations—two important failures in silhouette racing, as any IMSA or NASCAR competitor will attest.
The production of the M1 halted in December 1980 at 430 cars—35 to 40 of which were race cars. Since family sedans had saved BMW from bankruptcy in the early Sixties—not exotics like the 507 sports car—BMW saw little reason to perpetuate the M1 in the face of what it saw as a declining market for exotics."
(source: here)