Autocar - First for car news and reviews

The UK’s allocation of BMW M3s has sold out. Some 700 cars were reserved for UK buyers for 2007, and they’ve all gone.
Each car was ordered with an average of £4700-worth of options – taking the averge price of the car up from £50,625 to £55,325.
The most-wanted option is apparently the 19-inch alloy wheels – the very same wheels that BMW’s chassis people reckon do nothing for the car’s dynamics.
One of the next most popular options was the DAB digital radio.
In 2008, sales are expe...Read the full article

Autocar:

The UK’s allocation of BMW M3s has sold out. Some 700 cars were reserved for UK buyers for 2007, and they’ve all gone.
Each car was ordered with an average of £4700-worth of options – taking the averge price of the car up from £50,625 to £55,325.
The most-wanted option is apparently the 19-inch alloy wheels – the very same wheels that BMW’s chassis people reckon do nothing for the car’s dynamics.
One of the next most popular options was the DAB digital radio.
In 2008, sales are expe...Read the full article

 

 

In light of the 'revelation' about the 19 inch wheels - is it fair to say that where this option is specified - the owner is not someone who cares for vehicle dynamics but someone who cares more about a bit of bling?

And if that's true - what's the point of owning the thing in the first place - why not buy a 330i and spec it out a bit? It'll still be cheaper.

Has BMW M series ownership devolved to the lowest common denominator?

A triumph of money over common sense with the conclusion reached that the owner knows the cost of everything but the value of nothing.
 

At this level the choice of a £43,000 M3 with 18" wheels or a £45,000 M3 with 19" is not about "money over common sense"... more like alot of style and alot of engineering with a touch more alloy. It may be news to some but not every owner buying an M3 is  aiming to skin a corner at 88mph on the perfect racing line. 

JJBoxster:

At this level the choice of a £43,000 M3 with 18" wheels or a £45,000 M3 with 19" is not about "money over common sense"... more like alot of style and alot of engineering with a touch more alloy. It may be news to some but not every owner buying an M3 is  aiming to skin a corner at 88mph on the perfect racing line. 

 

I don't agree with you but if you read the post than you would have seen I was simply posing questions and not opinions.

But if we are in the business of opinions - what would you know anyway - your Mother's Micra sit's on considerably less.

And don't witter on about driving at 200mph in your imaginary Porsche - I also did that this evening on my Playstation.

FFS.