Quote:
Originally Posted by duky
I feel like you're asking the wrong question. It seems like you need to better understand your priorities and choose a car that aligns with those. BMW telling you who their target audience is shouldn't influence that. I know a 33 year old, unmarried, with no kids who drives around in a 7 Series. He's happy with it despite (probably) not being the target user persona for BMW when they designed it. You just need to find what makes you happy and not worry about BMW's product marketing priorities.
Now if you're not actually asking the question to inform your 3-year commitment and it's just an educational question then sure I'll engage. To the point made by @wyndi335i above, I think BMW is targeting whoever will buy it which could include the {original E46 buyer from 2001 who is now 20 years older with a 1-car home and kids}, a {retiree who wants some of the engagement of a smaller car but doesn't want to feel aches and pains with every bump}, or even the {newly rich 30 year old who knows little about cars but saw that the price tag is high but affordable, it looks exotic, and sounds really "fast"}.
BMW's goal is volume and to get volume you have to appeal to multiple customer segments.
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I think the question about who it targets is about what kind of outcomes the buyer is looking for not their demographics.
You have the purist historic M buyer who wants one for the raw feel and performance. The fact that they previously looked great (see pig snout) and can function well as a daily was a bonus.
Some people purchase an M3 for the prestige of owning one and its styling. Performance and raw feel maybe a bit less important to them.
Now you also have the previous 335/other turbo car 0-60 guys. Looks and gapping people is what is important.
Every gen seems to be pointed more and more towards the two latter buyer profiles and us purists are losing out. Just my .02 as a previous e46,92, and f82 owner.