+1, Sir Osis you nailed it I think. I grew up lusting after them, esp the sport models. Now they are everywhere (in Calgary, EVERYWHERE) as status symbols, and then most auto publications lose their minds at the sight of a new model and give reviews that are like reading what a 14 year old boy thinks of Megan Fox (thanks for the fair review here) despite any shortcomings. You won't find a review of anything BMW, that doesn't describe it as a drivers vehicle, even if it was a wheelbarrow. You get the feeling then that you can't be an "enthusiast" if you don't drink the kool aid.
They still make some great cars, but so do lots of other companies and they don't stand apart as much as they once did, no matter the hype or the prestige.
Despite what you say that they are now EVERYWHERE, and even if they have become a status symbol and what not,
let me ask you and all other BMW bashers this. Is this a bad driving machine or is it still the leader? Yes, there are some (very few) that caught up in most aspects of performance but it doesn't take away from the benchmark.
And listen to all the critics contradict themselves! They say BMW used to be the driver's car but then in the same breath they say "Oh, the new 4 banger knocks at idle". How in the bloody world does it affect the driving dynamics?
So those self-proclaimed enthusiasts complain about rough idle and body shaking during engine restart in the "ultimate DRIVING" machine? Are you serious? If that's such a big deal then Lexus is your car - quiet and smooth.
I have test driven various makes. Lexus is only getting in on the performance game. It's still the luxo car first and foremost.
Infinity is a hooligan car. Plenty of raw power at similar performace levels but it totally lacks the finesse of the German car. The G37 is not a gentleman's car, it's still a teenage dream (for some come true).
Acura TL is a very capable sedan but in typical Honda fashion, it strikes a balance, or rather a compromise if you will, between adequate performance to liven up things, and cabin comfort with latest technology.
Every time I get back into my 328i, I feel the difference, it is subtle and at no point in time did I suffer from the buyers remorse seeing all the competition out there. It's not without its flaws but I call them character.
If you lusted for an M3 or an M5 when you were a kid then what's happened? Aren't they still the benchmark performance sedans?
To me, the BWM is a car that feels right at home in any situation - spirited driving, daily commute, highway cruiser, going to the opera, and yes as a status symbol and conversation piece too.