In the sports journalism world, blogs are filled with these sorts of questions. Two teams will be playing one week and blogs for both teams will ask their fans which player from the other team they’d take for their own. It’s unrealistic and a bit silly but it’s fun and lets fans imagine what it’d be like with another team’s star player on their own favorite team. For instance, I’m unfortunately a New York Giants fan and I’d take anyone at this point. But that scenario got me thinking, which non-BMW would I most want the Bavarians to bring to their own lineup?
It’s a tough question, as there are a lot of holes in BMW’s current roster, segments that other car companies fill but BMW doesn’t. There are also segments of cars that other companies flat-out do better than BMW. So choosing just one is quite difficult. However, I think I narrowed it down to just a few and maybe even just one.
The first position of need for BMW is a supercar. While BMW doesn’t really have any plans to build a supercar, unfortunately, fans have been clamoring for one for ages. So let’s give the fans what they want and pull a supercar from another lineup. But which one? That’s the tricky part. There are so many good ones to choose from but I think the one I’d go with is the Audi R8 V10 RWS. It’s the new rear-wheel drive version of Audi’s mid-engine supercar with a naturally-aspirated V10 engine and stunning good looks. It’s hard not to love a rear-wheel drive, mid-engine V10 supercar. In fact, it’s impossible.
Another interesting choice would be a hardcore track monster, just done properly — the Porsche 911 GT3. While the BMW M4 GTS is a good car, one can’t help but think BMW missed the mark a bit. It’s too complex, too heavy despite having so much carbon fiber and based on a humble 4 Series. And even though the M4 GTS is a lot of fun, it pales in comparison to the 911 GT3. It’s simply not as enjoyable to drive, not as precise and not as thrilling. The M4 GTS is a good car but the 911 GT3 is transcendent. So it’s certainly be one I’d willing to make a trade for.
The last one is a bit interesting. Maybe it’s just me, but the Mercedes-AMG GT is something that’s almost impossible to not love. It looks incredible, with that massively long hood, incredibly short rear deck, and it sounds like artillery fire. It’s an explosion of automotive senses, power, feel and noise, and it looks incredible doing it. BMW, at least at the moment, doesn’t have a proper car to compete with the AMG GT, so it would be a fun car for BMW to steal. Although, BMW’s upcoming M8 could negate the need for such a car. But since we don’t know exactly how that car will be, the AMG GT is still a car that would be for BMW to have.
If I had to choose just one, though, it would be the Audi R8 RWS. BMW doesn’t have a proper mid-engine supercar and it doesn’t seem like it has any plans to change that. It’s also one of the most interesting and exciting new supercars on the market. Any Audi R8 is incredible but the RWS is the all-new rear-wheel drive variant and we all know that BMW fans love their rear-drive cars.
Which non-Bimmer would you pull from another brand’s roster into BMW’s?
