Quote:
Originally Posted by 3RDSECTOR
It's not a matter of political correctness, and to each of your points:
1. First of all BMW doesn't use rare earth metals in the production of their batteries like every other automaker that manufacturers EVs. So there is no "political correctness" there, BMW actually walks the walk. In comparison to the industry standard BMW is a clean as you are going to get.
2. BMWs have never been known to be wild, aggressive or "in your face" per se. They have always been handsome understated vehicles. This car fits that description.
3. It has "zero charm" to you. It is an elegant take on the modern small city car. Basically it's an improved take on cars like the i3 and the Isetta.
4. Styling changes in cars, or for that matter any consumer products are inevitable. I'm sure there were people with your exactly mentality in 50s when the long tail-finned cruisers gave way to boxy sedans, muscle and pony cars. Also, the purpose of this BMW in particular seems to be totally lost on you. This is not built to be the next M car that's in search of lap records to demolish. It's a city car built as a runabout.
It's not about trying to "not offend" it's simply one living their life in a way that takes into consideration the feelings, emotions, and struggles of others. Basically it's being a unselfish and decent human being, but that's obviously too much to ask from some. And nowhere did I imply that one had to be a stereotypical "Kyle" in order to blame anything they don't like on the wokeness boogieman. There are plenty of steakhouse regulars that are BMW enthusiast who are vehemently resistant to change because they are extremely comfortable with the way thing are and have a deep fondness for the status quo.
There is nothing wrong with a brand expanding it's net in search of new clientele. The vast majority of the time, the very car that enthusiast hate and rally against with fervorous passion are the very vehicles that fund the R&D budget for cars they actually enjoy and desire to obtain. Life gets better when you can simply enjoy things for what they are instead of seeing a massive conspiracy in every aspect of life.
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BMW does seem like they are making extra efforts for the production of the batteries themselves and that is laudable, but as I've pointed out, the whole cycle of production and distribution, and especially the generation of electricity that isn't magically pulled out of thin air but is still mostly being produced with dirty methods, isn't nearly as green as it portrays itself to be. I'm not against it per se because we all know electric and hydrogen will ultimately be the way to go (there is no comparing with the short-sighted luddites from the early 20th c.), but the forced abruptness of the transition, the unbelievable demonization of ICE and the ridiculous taxation for instance in the EU, are totally out of balance with the alleged greenness of today's electric powered cars.
Regular non-M BMWs have never been too wild and rambunctious and in your face, sure, but the choice doesn't have to be limited to either a bloodthirsty beast or a soap box; up until recently, BMWs have typically had a sensual feline look with an understated aggressiveness to them, that has evolved over the decades while remaining instantly recognizable (think E24, E36, E39, E60, G20...). It seems like it won't be the case anymore, and that isn't fatality but an admitted design philosophy and marketing strategy -- again, Tesla proves you can ride the technological wave while maintaining a sleek and elegant style if you so choose. You are free to like pod-like people movers but that's not what BMW claims its soul is about; hopefully this concept only prefigures a limited number of models and not the entire lineup's design language, this remains to be seen so I won't yet throw stones at them, but what can be made out from the Vision Next 100 or the Vision M Next isn't exactly enthralling.
Change just for the sake of change isn't any better than no change for the sake of no change when not being offered a convincing alternative. Change for the sake of change would be another principle of "wokeness" which this car completely embraces. As already pointed out, it seems like BMW aren't only looking for clientele expansion but are in fact totally fine with a complete renewal i.e. getting rid of their car enthusiast base and replacing it with trendy product worshippers. Once again, this is an openly admitted strategy (see Dukec's interviews, "no icons", "no dogmas", etc., which really means "no principles") and as a business they are free to hop on this bandwagon; but they can only keep milking for so long what made them and what they've been standing for (feline design, "Sheer Driving Pleasure", etc.) until the incongruence becomes blatant, and at that point, good luck competing with younger, fresher, start-up companies that will be even more advanced in the appliance-like design paradigm, without the precious heritage component that BMW is now eagerly flushing down the drain.