New car prices are beyond comprehension. The fact that a M240i costs 1.2 bar is just...madness. New M2 and M240 now properly out of reach for most.
As somebody entering the new car market for the first time - it does hurt.
There's also a "narrowing" of the market. We had a long chat about this when the M4 launched and it's price was on top of a new 911. Now it's looking like the new M2 will launch deep in Cayman pricing territory. Essentially BMW pricing itself alongside Porsche across their sportscars.
As a consumer it gets really hard to justify - the previous M2 was a fantastic car. But when you're north of R1m the expectations for interior quality, specialness etc. start ramping up heavily. Look at how many M2s are on the road? It's cool, sure, but it's not special or rare and the interior quality is, essentially, equal to a 116i.
Even now, looking at the new model M240i - I can't help but not get excited by the interior, the idea that it's sacrificing drive feel for 0-100 times and making the entire car a more anodyne experience.
Isn't the whole point of BMW, and certainly of a R1m+ BMW, to get something you *want* to drive because it feels good to do so? Is a 4s 0-100 really that exciting? The first 10 times, yeah, but honestly, after that you'll be bored and want a 3.5s, or a 3s and after all of that some dude in an EV in 10yrs time will do a 1.8s 0-100 and embarrass... This really is the last generation of pure petrol engined cars, at least buy ones that are interesting.
