[Cresterk]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

Are any of the M-Sport BMWs in India different from the regular car in terms of performance? Or is it always just a cosmetic package with performance underneath?

The first gen X1 came with different seats, bigger infotainment and all wheel drive on the M-sport Xdrive variants when it was first launched. Slowly these features were removed in later years even as the price was increased.


The X3 and 530d m-sport variants came with adaptive suspensions, additional performance customisation modes and launch control. Not sure which all are parts of the 30d since there is no non-msport version of the 530d.

[Kochikaran]

BMW has no shame in calling a car with 132 BHP as their M Sport version. I no longer feel underpowered in my 2020 Honda Civic.

[Hayek]

Don’t see an issue with any BMW being called an M Sport - M Sport is a Trim, not a performance based designation.

Am not even upset with BMW offering a X1 18i with the 136 HP engine - I drove an X2 18i in 2019 across Spain and did not even realise that it had such a low power engine - it happily cruised at or above the speed limits all day long.

What is disappointing is that the 18i is the only petrol trim that is available in India. Yes, the vast majority of X1 buyers will buy it for the badge, the space it offers relative to the GLA and will probably not drive it themselves. But there are all of us - the Team BHPians (and it does rain BMWs here) who want a car that we can push - and would have liked at least a 20i trim to be made available.

[sandeepmohan]

Ladies and Gents, common. That BMW badge is super snob value. Its got the M badge too. What more do you need! The valet opening the door for you at the Taj doesn't know or even care if you're driving a BMW fitted with 1.5l Turbo horses. You arrived in one of these German beasts and you'll get your Salaam sab treatment no matter where you go.

On the other hand, I'm now starting to think if a Fortuner is really all that overpriced. Cause you'll get the same Salaam sab treatment in one of these + you're automatically a politician :-)

[vij]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Ladies and Gents, common. That BMW badge is super snob value. Its got the M badge too. What more do you need! The valet opening the door for you at the Taj doesn't know or even care if you're driving a BMW fitted with 1.5l Turbo horses. You arrived in one of these German beasts and you'll get your Salaam sab treatment no matter where you go.

But most of the peers will know and probably think this fella has got more money than brains...
I can't be seen in this

[Tutenkhamen]

<weird conspiracy theory>
stuttgarts have partnered with Bawarians for this DoA product so that folks take a test drive, shell out a bit more and straight away end up buying a GLC, a GLA35 or even a GLA220d which have far more performant engines!

And they’ll do profit sharing from the number of Benzes sold

“Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilisation”
- MK G (probably)
</weird conspiracy theory>

[SNA411]

Originally Posted by Hayek

Yes, the vast majority of X1 buyers will buy it for the badge, the space it offers relative to the GLC and will probably not drive it themselves.

X1 - GLA - Q3
X3 - GLC - Q5
X5 - GLE - Q7
X7 - GLS - Bentley Benteyga (Audi doesn't want to be in this segment)

X1 is massively cramped compared to the GLC.

[Hayek]

Originally Posted by SNA411

X1 - GLA - Q3
X3 - GLC - Q5
X5 - GLE - Q7
X7 - GLS - Bentley Benteyga (Audi doesn't want to be in this segment)

X1 is massively cramped compared to the GLC.

Typo. Thanks for pointing it out. Will ask the Mods to edit

[Mustang Sammy]

In terms of performance to price ratio, my old S-Cross is much more a BMW than this sorry offering.

[Ghibli]

Are there no sensible management pundits, who know the importance of guarding the aspirational value of their brands? How could they be so dimwit?

I always thought that if I ever earn enough money, by all means, X1 would be my first bimmer, but with this PUNY PEANUT offering, I feel cheated now and it feels like aspirational value has crashed with circuit breaker.

There was a time when all my family looked at Honda with so much of high regard, but in their attempt to compete with cheap Maruti, they introduced weird products that were never in line with Honda Pedigree. Ford also went the same way. Look where it landed them.

Volkswagen and Skoda may not have garnered much success in India, but they still have that aspirational value. And king Toyota surely knows how to keep people hooked in spite of skyrocketing prices. It always serves to sell expensive quality luxury products than to dilute your brand and hit your own leg with an axe.

Even my 2014 Tata Nano gives more 'Sheer Driving Pleasure' per rupee I guess, compared to this half crore sluggard.

[Theyota]

Originally Posted by SNA411

X1 - GLA - Q3
X3 - GLC - Q5
X5 - GLE - Q7
X7 - GLS - Bentley Benteyga (Audi doesn't want to be in this segment)

X1 is massively cramped compared to the GLC.

I have recently booked an X1 PHEV. It is way more comfortable than GLA. I would put it in the same category as GLB, both from size and price perspective. I have spent a fair amount of time comparing X3/GLC/Q5 and below series cars before booking..

[VwRabbit]

Why don’t they at least spec the M sport trim with xDrive and offer at least some value proposition for the buyer ,only Audi offers Quattro(Q3) as standard in the luxury German trio entry level SUV segment now.
I remember checking out the X1 20d xDrive Msport in 2017 and I thought that was overpriced then but compared to what BMW is offering now that was a steal.

[octane_100]

I don't know why people on this thread are complaining!! Hey, didn't you read that it gets a bigger grille??

[turbowhistle]

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

This is brand dilution at its finest. If every car is an M-sport, then no car is.

That's it! There you said it, case closed!

I have loved BMW more than any car brands and even as a fanboy, I can see through this bullshit move. BMW should just make it standard and call it a day. Soon we will see M320i and people will lap them up.

I also hate how generous BMW is with //M emblems on an M-Sport, I have a humble 20d M-Sport and it has 12 //M logos on the car . I simple try to park away from full fat //M cars, It's like you can't do away with the //M bling if you want the M Streering wheel or Alloys.

[Theyota]

M Sport is just a trim package as indicated above already. I think we are mixing it up with “M performance” or transitional M which were/are performance cars. You can say BMW has diluted M brand. But this has happened long time back.