[stuka]

M3 and M5 touring please.

Always liked those unobtanium RS4 and RS6 Avants.

Had an S4 Avant in Imola yellow that was really awesome, but desperately needed the RS4 motor.

LCI M3 Touring for the US will be so much win.

[kinimod]

Originally Posted by antzcrashing

Guys CEOs dont make decisions, VPs of engineering do

This.

[FogCityM3]

It is telling that BMW M has not promoted someone internally. In every company best to promote from within (especially with a presumably deep talent pool), unless there is a strategic direction shift or you are getting the best in the biz. I have a feeling it's the former. Combined with rumors of V10 M5s, there may be recognition that the M division may have veered a little too much off course lately and this may be a return to the roots.

As for VPs of Engineering making decisions, that is true for vehicles, but the CEO has power to hire, fire, promote, demote, and compensate. And that includes everyone below him. The CEO post is about strategic direction and how to best effectuate it.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by FogCityM3

It is telling that BMW M has not promoted someone internally. In every company best to promote from within (especially with a presumably deep talent pool), unless there is a strategic direction shift or you are getting the best in the biz. I have a feeling it's the former. Combined with rumors of V10 M5s, there may be recognition that the M division may have veered a little too much off course lately and this may be a return to the roots.

As for VPs of Engineering making decisions, that is true for vehicles, but the CEO has power to hire, fire, promote, demote, and compensate. And that includes everyone below him. The CEO post is about strategic direction and how to best effectuate it.

Kinda like billy beane across the bay bridge.

[F82FTW]

Originally Posted by duvinclunk

And 80/20 weight distribution.

Lmfao, no joke.

😔

[qbix]

Hope this guy will bring R8-like car to BMW's portfolio.
If we have to go AWD...

[jaehshim]

thank god i bought the right BMW before this guys adds unreliable engine, DSG, 80:20 weight distribution and wagon awd M cars lol

[Leo_328i]

Originally Posted by aajami

I don't know what kind of arguments were happening over the direction of the new R8. But I do know that it's shedding weight and staying naturally-aspirated (at least the V10 model is). If Ulrich was the one pushing for that direction, then you assume Van Meel was pushing for something other than lightening the weight and keeping the engine NA, which is bad news.

Anyway, I guess time will tell. Given how far car product pipelines run, we likely won't see his influence for a number of years.

Good observation, judging by the date and content of this video I think you are correct.

Prior to being Head of Quattro, he was in charged of electric mobility for Audi as well.

Proof here in first 2 minutes of this video -

[EnI]

Originally Posted by aajami

This is me reading WAY too much into these paragraphs, but they scare me for the following reasons:

While they make great cars, Audi chassis aren't known to be as nimble as BMW's. Would hate to see sacrifices be made to handling in order to accommodate AWD cars.

I don't know what kind of arguments were happening over the direction of the new R8. But I do know that it's shedding weight and staying naturally-aspirated (at least the V10 model is). If Ulrich was the one pushing for that direction, then you assume Van Meel was pushing for something other than lightening the weight and keeping the engine NA, which is bad news.

Anyway, I guess time will tell. Given how far car product pipelines run, we likely won't see his influence for a number of years.

Mind the CEOs are executive officers = business managers, not technical / R&D directors.

CEO is there to EXECUTE business & product strategy decided by BMW AG Board of Directors, a strategy which had been greenlighted by BMW AG Supervisory Board.

So, a CEO coming form a rival company does not mean products of M GmbH will change (=become more Audi-like) because of that.

Van Meel is a great CEO, and BMW AG are very proud & happy to steal him from Audi (before anyone else could do it). Van Meel will definitely lead M GmbH as well as Nitschke have.

...

Regarding R8 ... Van Meel was very much in favor of e-tron version of R8, while the Audi's R&D boss & a majority of Director's Board were against it (at that time). There would be a significant differences in car architecture - depending on drivetrain being primarily ICE or (PH)EV - that's why that decision was so important.

So, therefore the new R8 is architecturally still an ICE car, and not a(n) (PH)EV - like eg. the BMW i8.

A possible e-tron version of R8 will be just a car with ICE architecture - featuring electric drivetrain ... and not being a car with EV-specific architecture.

That was the main reason van Meel left Quattro GmbH.

Also ... with BMW i program (and especially i8) now alive & kicking some of the know-how & tech can be trickled down to M cars as well. And having van Meel on board (prior to Quattro GmbH CEO he was a head of Audi's electro mobility program), a man with similar & compatible views (he is a true advocate of electro mobility), will make this strategy come to live even more effective.

So ... I would say BMW AG plans with M cars are to give M cars some "BMW i magic dust" ... Or, to give some i car a bit more of an M character. And therefore they wanted a CEO who totally supports electro mobility solutions.

[kevinlevrone]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

If you have the option of both, neither will be spectacular.

Yeah, they will cancel each other in the continuum transfunctioning space.

[kevinlevrone]

The simple plain fact is that BMW's RWD and probably RWD in general is overwhelmed by the the increasing amounts of power and torque. I can feel this every day with my car, and I hate it. It looks more logical to have AWD traction. Imagine what will happen when electric engines with full torque at 1 RPM or KERS-like systems will be commonplace in sports cars.

Tire development may still sustain this system in the future for a (short) while but why limit traction with only 2 wheels when 4 wheels are available for more traction ?

I am sure that there are solutions to the RWD vs AWD dilemma. Look at the Ferrari FF. It has a brilliant AWD system which is 50% lighther and a conventional AWD and can be enabled or disabled as needed, with very little drivetrain loss.

I would say that it will be good from BMW to have some AWD expert helping them. It's just ridiculous to have brilliant engines but no way to fully use the power.

[Pure]

I also think they should have promoted someone to take several years working in the division BMW M.
If Van Meel wanted to work for them you should have offered a lower position.

No reason why any person selected to lead Team M 10 years working for BMW and give the presidency?

On the other hand talking about Audi and the problems that Dr Hackenberg is a guy who has power is harmful and caused the departure of Van Meel.
When Michael Ditch remained head of Audi and entered Hackenberg had strong differences with the output and caused Ditch.

Over time we hope that BMW has taken the right decision to hire Van Meel as president fits the M division rules and does not intend to change its essence.

[GOLFFRR]

the doc will be missed. Wish nothing but good luck to the new guy. Im excited to see what he brings to the table. Lets hope its something we all can get excited about

[slalomfever]

from what I've been reading, he was the man behind the development of the R8. Maybe BMW-M will finally have a "flagship" sports car to compete with other higher end brands.

[gulshan]

BMW needs to poach the guy from mercedez who decided to put a twin turbo V8 in the 2015 c63 amg

[Falafel Combo]

xDrive ///M cars are here. Please accept my offerings to the Gods.

[clbmw]

Originally Posted by gulshan

BMW needs to poach the guy from mercedez who decided to put a twin turbo V8 in the 2015 c63 amg

Haha yeah, or maybe up the BHP a bit in the M3/4, the C63S looks like it may be a monster

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by slalomfever

from what I've been reading, he was the man behind the development of the R8. Maybe BMW-M will finally have a "flagship" sports car to compete with other higher end brands.

This makes sense.

[STi2Three35i]

As a former BMW owner (E46 M3, 2 E92 335s, 135, M6, and X5) .... and now owning a 2014 B8.5 S4, I can all promise you, you're in good hands.

Audi's are spectacular cars. Yes, BMW does great things... but some other things not so well. Same thing applies to Audis... some things great... others not so well.

Hopefully the addition of van Meel will make those not so great things about BMW a whole lot better.

[uhn2000]

Originally Posted by FogCityM3

It is telling that BMW M has not promoted someone internally. In every company best to promote from within (especially with a presumably deep talent pool), unless there is a strategic direction shift or you are getting the best in the biz. I have a feeling it's the former. Combined with rumors of V10 M5s, there may be recognition that the M division may have veered a little too much off course lately and this may be a return to the roots.

As for VPs of Engineering making decisions, that is true for vehicles, but the CEO has power to hire, fire, promote, demote, and compensate. And that includes everyone below him. The CEO post is about strategic direction and how to best effectuate it.

This the best analysis I could find on this thread - Audi has been on an explosion ever since the R8 and they have not slowed down one bit! M needs to stir the pot and get back to making wild cars AKA V10/V8 NA Monsters! This is a fantastic decision by ///M considering all the crap at Audi.

[tallshortguy]

The M CEO is the one who will be presenting the M designers and engineers positions to the board and BMW CEO, I would have liked to promote from within as well but he seems well regarded and we are at least getting someone who headed up a successful performance/motorsport division. With rumors of penny pinchers fighting for more FWD and M fighting for RWD, the best thing that can happen is that M gets a CEO who is good at fighting for their position.

[BMW269]

Finally. Now we might see M7, Z4 M and M Supercar.