^ I almost added that BMW might be the lone maker that can find a satisfying middle ground.
Before turboing, the M3's were V8. The new ones are turbo, but everyone us trying to keep up with the horsepower jonses these days, so I don't see anyway around forced injection in the near future.
My X5 is the last of the natural V8's, 4.8L
Ye auncient wysdom of Sir Francis Bacon, on expense:
http://www.literaturepage.com/read/francis-bacon-essays-60.html
Last edited by Dudley Clarke (2014-10-09 08:06:46)
Last edited by Sammy Ambrose (2014-10-09 08:32:54)
http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21635759-why-luxury-so-hard-pin-down-rose-many-names?fsrc=scn/tw_ec/a_rose_by_many_names
^So to qualify as luxury it must be rare, hand-crafted by Europeans (preferably Italians or English), conspicuous and pointlessly expensive, but there is another quality, or lack of, in certain luxury items, having a short life span e.g. luxury jumpers. They'll last as long, as well, a M&S jumper.
I thoroughly reject the notion that inflated price alone qualifies as luxury.
Ostentation in the form of recognizable, perishable or quickly dated overpriced hooey is the definition the masses accept.
Bain & Company, the venture capital firm Mit Romney was with, has a some extensive studies not of luxury goods, but of luxury customers.
http://www.slideshare.net/morellimarc/bain-ww-luxury-consumer-2014