[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Cdnrockies

Lexus was actually still the number one selling luxury brand in the US for the 11th straight year. 2011 appears to be the year that they will finally give up the title to BMW.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/201...-mercedes.html

Yeah, I was thinking 1st quarter this year. But, some things have transpired since the article you cite was written, and it doesn't look like its BMW who they have to worry about the most:

http://wot.motortrend.com/lexus-fall...011-64755.html

As to the OT, I'm not sure why some get so upset about the possibility of an AWD option in an M5. Like the other gentleman in the mountains, I'd consider one. RWD is capable in the winter (I drive my IS F year round with no issues), but in a bigger car like the M5 AWD would help.

It's a matter of spreading resources even thinner and as a result perhaps diluting the products more. Granted, lots of AWD performance cars exists, sure. And some performance cars come with either AWD or RWD. Great. But, imagine what sort of outrage would transpire if Subaru started developing a RWD STi or Nissan built a RWD GTR. Oh but who cares... right? What about an AWD Mustang? Corvette? No problem?

I guess maybe it just feels like when you have the formula down already, sometimes its best to work on refining other things - like perhaps cutting weight or improving efficiency. BMW seems to reinventing itself and throwing out the baby with the bath water in the process.

Ultimately this all sounds hokey to me. I believe M will continue to make both RWD vehicles and AWD vehicles just as they do today. But I don't see them any more willing to spend a pile of cash on an AWD M3 than I see them willing to spend big bucks on a RWD X6 M. See? And as I said in the parallel thread on M3Post, how do you justify canning the M3 sedan, and then building a M3 xi coupe? Really? You are telling me more people want an AWD M3 coupe than a RWD M3 sedan? No F-ing way man. I don't belive that for a second. Look at 335xi coupe sales and 335i sedan sales - no brainer folks.

If there are more M vehicles coming with AWD then here are my best best on what we will see:

X3M
X4M
M3GT xi (with no RWD option)
M5GT xi (with no RWD option)
Maybe, maybe, maybe... an M4 GC xi (no RWD).

That's it.