Team-BHP - Why is that BMW M cars are selling better than AMGs / RSs?

TBHP is reporting a photo or spotting of an M3/M5 every other day now. I guess, there will be more than 50 M cars in India now?.

But I hardly read about a spotting of Merecedez AMG or Audi RS cars. Wondering, since they are the competitors for BMW M.

Is the reason that they are not available or much more expensive ?.

I am so waiting for someone to buy the Audi RS4 in its trademark blue shade.

Couple of reasons, the biggest being the M models are marketed well enough by BMW. The rivals do not market the sport models half as much. "Ultimate driving machine" title helps BMW greatly, these sport models are bought for pure driving pleasure, on that aspect BMW is rightfully ranked at the top by most buyers. And last but not the least, the points mentioned by Nitronium, they back their cars up well with their packages !

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nitronium (Post 1844765)

BMW offers a whole range of insurance packages that neither Merc nor Audi have an answer for. They don't seem to have the courage to provide a 5 year comprehensive warranty like BMW does, and for that, kudos to them!

Quote:

Originally Posted by artofzen (Post 1845767)

I thought Mercedes is offering C63 AMG in India!!?. Isnt that so?.

And is BMW offering the 5 year warranty on its M range?

Yes the C63 AMG as well as all other AMG's can be imported as CBU via MB dealerships. But they are not being pushed/marketed as well as the M's.

The 5 year warranty is at an additional charge under the BSI package. Standard warranty is 2 years.

Apart from being the better drivers car, the car's are more successful because of the brand cachet. An M is still known relative to an AMG.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sahil (Post 1845772)

The 5 year warranty is at an additional charge under the BSI package. Standard warranty is 2 years.

I didn't know the 5 year warranty was available for M cars. If so, then BMW have a definite advantage. The reliability is disastrous for these cars especially the first production years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guess? (Post 1845785)

Apart from being the better drivers car, the car's are more successful because of the brand cachet. An M is still known relative to an AMG.

I didn't know the 5 year warranty was available for M cars. If so, then BMW have a definite advantage. The reliability is disastrous for these cars especially the first production years.

Don't know about India but here in US, AMG is more popular compared to M. M5 is hardly seen and E55 AMG is seen more often. Same can not be said for C63 as M3 is more popular though. And somehow BMW does not sell M version for 7 in US. They sold their Alpina B7 as a limited run.

Very interesting observation / question artofzen!
Hadn't quite thought about this earlier. But now that i have :

1) "M3" and "M5" etc have their own unique identities as models. As opposed to AMGs which are a slap on badge - in terms of branding. In India all the slap-on badges mean sporty leather gearknobs and a sticker job, nothing else.

2) Guys who would go for the AMG / M-power cars are obviously enthusiasts. That said - they'd probably chose a vanilla BMW over a vanilla Merc anyway (ie for self-drive) simply because of the driving dynamics. Same would carry over to the AMG/M.

3) AMGs are like seldgehammers. Raw display of power in most cases. Perhaps a smaller percent of Indians in this buying segment wants something like this.

4) In the US i felt like a lot of people bought AMGs just because it was the "top" available variant of that model. ie. For the extra level of kit offered. A lot of $$ wives. (Not sure about other parts of the world). Also, once again the difference here; the M3 is not presented as the "top" 3-series imo.

5) Manual transmission! M3 - check. AMG - whats that?
(Would be interesting to know the MT / AT breakup of the M3s sold here. Probably a low % would be MT, nonetheless, still a point.)

Good points Rehaan. But still am really surprised that there would be such disparity between M and AMG sales in India.

I really wonder if Mercedes dealers do promote AMG at all?. Any idea about the cost of AMG Vs M?. ie M3 Vs C63 AMG?.

But then even on TBHP , people prefer M3 over AMG/RS based on the poll :)

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intern...vs-e92-m3.html

BMW offers its entire M range in India except the X5 M and M3 sedan.
Even the SAC X6 M is now available in India in addition to the M3 coupe/M3 convertible, M5 sedan, M6 coupe/ M6 convertible.

Audi perhaps is the most laggard company in India, fist of all their diesel cars are not available, leave alone launching the RS5, RS6, TT RS and R8 V10 here, which are developed by their in house performance division called quattro gmbh.

I really love the RS cars more than the AMGs and would like to see them here soon.

BMW M for me. As Rehaan rightly pointed out in every aspect. Enthusiasts prefer BMWs to Mercs or Audis. While Mercedes' sport more power (to make up for handling disadvantage), Audis are driver focussed but still not as much as BMWs. M is the answer to enthusiasts.