German Cars are Very Much Like Diamonds

In the way that they are marketed.

Recently there has been much talk about certain German manufacturers (namely BMW) being “The Best”; reasons being “The Ultimate Driving Machine”, “They have a great image”, “They look cool”, but one person (I forget who) put it exactly right saying (in essence) “BMW is the best because when you drive it you feel like you’re driving something special, you’re driving the ultimate car”. This got me thinking about other things that make you feel special, and one thing came to mind: Diamonds. A diamond is the ultimate symbol of wealth, it is beautiful, it is expensive, it is flawless. So what if you can buy imitation glass or cubic zirconia, when you can have the real thing and feel great about yourself.
But why a diamond? A diamond is nothing more than a piece of carbon that has been exposed to high heat and temperature to become a shiny, glass-like object. The answer is marketing. The ideas of “A diamond is forever”, “diamonds are a girls best friend” were all coined to sell more pieces of useless diamond, and thus now a diamond is equated with everlasting perfection. And so too BMW is equated with driving perfection, with wealth and money, with power and with agility. If you have a BMW you are young, virile, active, sporty, a fun-lover, a success. You are making a statement about the rest of your life, that it is great and so are you. So what if an RS4 is faster round the ’ring? A BMW is cooler. So what if Audi make a better interior, if M-B has more luxury, if Lexus is more reliable? A BMW driver doesn’t care, he’s too busy being active and fun.
This isn’t an attack on BMW, or BMW drivers, I am heaping praise on BMW for being so damn clever that they could make a whole life ethos out of a propeller badge, simply due to marketing, PR and advertising. BMW drivers (most on this site are real enthusiasts however) are quite image driven, and will have a BMW and an ipod and Gucci shoes and a Razr phone and the trademark bigger alloys and possible re-badging. A BMW shows you’re independent, aspirational and well-off, and you know it, your friends know it, the public know it, and most importantly, BMW themselves know it, and so can concentrate on what their buyers really want (i.e. instead of interior ergonomics, interior looking good, and instead of ride quality, big alloys and a halo car).
Perhaps this is why Audi is yet to succeed in The United States, as “Vorsprung durch technik” is not going to understood by many (quite literally), and the brand itself stands for little in America’s mind, due to little advertising and of course the dreadful 60 minutes fiasco. Obvious wealth tends to sell in America (think how many big, flashy cars you guys buy i.e. bling Cadillac and huge-statement-of-wealth-Mercedes) and Audi, with understated looks and once-sober styling did not appeal, but new designs show improvement, and some real stand-out designs, which will begin to change people minds.

GermanNut - 7/31/2006 10:52:07 PM

+1 Boost

BMW drivers (most on this site are real enthusiasts however) are quite image driven, and will have a BMW and an ipod and Gucci shoes and a Razr phone and the trademark bigger alloys and possible re-badging. A BMW shows you’re independent, aspirational and well-off, and you know it, your friends know it, the public know it, and most importantly, BMW themselves know it, and so can concentrate on what their buyers really want (i.e. instead of interior ergonomics, interior looking good, and instead of ride quality, big alloys and a halo car).

Oh my good lord. You hit this one right on the head. Well I'm a soon to be BMW Driver (in another year and 2 months.

I have an iPod , just picked up a very nice pair of casual Gucci loafers and I have a Razr Cellphone in dark grey from Motorola.

A BMW shows that you are wealthy to an American. An Audi shows that you are wealthy to a European. and to a Chinese person.

Well I guess both Audi and BMW appeal to me and I'm image conscious.

AUDIMAN4 - 7/31/2006 11:29:37 PM

+2 Boost

I disagree with the part about Audi not appealing to the wealthy. In every category including the compact, midlevel, and ultra luxury segments (A4, A6, A8 respectively), Audi's owners have higher annual salaries and more education than any other luxury make.

Audi owners are a different breed--more reserved, and are more likely to be old money.

MercBasher - 7/31/2006 11:56:05 PM

+2 Boost

I disagree to - I don't think Audi's are understated - they were in the 1990s but now they are "in your face" with the gapping mouth grill.

SixxFive - 8/1/2006 12:20:32 AM

+1 Boost

Your stereotyping and categorization of BMW drivers as Gucci shoe wearing, i-pod listening, Razr phone talking image whores clearly illustrates the point of how humans can be so intelligent yet so stupid and ignorant.

Tummy - 8/1/2006 12:33:38 AM

+1 Boost

What's this 60 minutes fiasco people keep talking about? Is it on YouTube? I don't think most people associate Audi with that incident anymore.

I had a BMW 3 series. Didn't like the arrogant dealers and bad vibes I got from strangers / pedestrians. Traded for a rock and tree Infiniti.

Y2006 - 8/1/2006 2:59:51 AM

0 Boost

God can someone please shot German he is the most annoying person that has every grace his site. Yeah Sixx that is so ignorant and stupid and also very childish he's probably a child any so don't even take him seriously or even pay him any mind because he always makes himself look like an idiot.

tincanman99 - 8/1/2006 8:59:12 AM

+1 Boost

Personally I dont get the BMW thing. Most owners are anything but enthusiasts but are busy showing everyone they own a BMW. Vapid, self centered yuppie metrosexuals. I guess its a holdover from the yuppies in the 80s when BMW was the king before the SUV's took over.

Though I have come close to buying one twice. But the dealers are horrible to deal with on the whole. Arrogant, condescending, nasty and just wont deal at all. Here is the car, this is the price and if you dont like it, to bad.

I am a VW/Audi guy. Have owned several VWs and several Audi's and they rule in the winter. Ever seen a BMW without snow tires in the winter (4 wheel drive 3 series not withstanding)? Not a pretty sight with the average inept BMW owner. I will drive by you in my Audi waving the entire time.

If I am going to buy a car to make statement I am buying a Porsche. As my father says a BMW is a nice car but a Porsche is a Porsche.

Loki - 8/1/2006 10:45:53 AM

+1 Boost

I equate the reason that consumers purchase BMW's for the same reason that people buy jeans with holes already torn in them. Both products have a low reliability - but both products "look" cool and are hip and trendy.

Rupert - 8/1/2006 12:08:43 PM

+1 Boost

i wrote the article and in response to some peoples comments...


AUDIMAN4: i wasn't trying to imply that audi owners weren't wealthy, it is a different kind of demographic, less obvious weath. exactly like you say.

Mercbasher: i said once-sober styling, but now they are changing to become more "out-there", witht the big grill (which has become a big fashion)

sixxfive: i reckon most bmw owners have at least one of those things, and i think it is a true statement. bmw drivers will be reading stuff or GQ or any of those technology magazines, keeping up-to-date with all the latest "thing". and if they don't have gucci shoes, an ipod or a RAZR they'll have a D&G suit, a phone that plays music and a blackberry.
bmws, while we on this site see them as marvels of automotive engineering, are seen by many (and bmw's key demographic) as lifestyle accessories, and as the article says, a great thing to be seen with, like diamonds.

and will, lexus don't have souls, they are just reliable. and they advertise. and they're not a success in europe.

Rupert - 8/1/2006 3:28:45 PM

+3 Boost

even the best diamond has flaws

MercBasher - 8/1/2006 6:48:19 PM

+2 Boost

BMW is a big seller in the US primarily because of heavily subsidized leases on the 3 series. If Audi and other manufacturers matched the subsidies I'd expect the BMW to lose share rapidly.

However I don't curse BMW for this, I think competition and low prices are great.

Rupert - 8/1/2006 7:12:34 PM

+2 Boost

japan likes boxes. and merc. not bmw. a mercedes is THE japanese car of choice.