Perfection, it is said, is achieved not when there isn't anything more to add but when nothing unessential is left to take away. The application of this adage applies liberally throughout the world of luxury and is especially evident in the world of vehicles.
There is a huge contrast between the two paradigms of what makes a supercar truly worthy of its name. Is it the expression of raw power and an attention grabbing appearance? Not always so. Dozens upon dozens of vehicles have exaggerated appearances with prominent profiles and ostentatious frills and features meant to evoke the form of a high-powered racer but fail to deliver the smooth ride. Although the better designed of this lot may still be high-performance vehicles, their appearances often have little to do with their superiority.
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| Image source: bmw.com |
Is it, then, in how the power is translated into performance, of how easily the engine wields the power? Perhaps. Racers themselves are the products of form following function. Their heavily specialized high-performance vehicles are meant specifically for the tracks and have little need to accomplish the practical considerations of long-distance comfort.
Many lines of supercars, including those of BMW, usually go a different route with the same paradigm. As they have to carry passengers demanding nothing short of comfort for what could be hours-long drives, the makers eschew all but the most necessary of frills while maintaining the high-performance machinery of their racing counterparts, while adding quality craftsmanship and materials to the vehicle's more practical features.
These vehicles, which set the standard by which supercars are defined, strike a perfect balance among speed, performance, comfort, and safety through features not readily prominent to the undiscerning eye. The end results still maintain the characteristic shape of a passenger vehicle but are unmistakably sleek and spectacular to motorists.
A fan of BMW vehicles, Dan Leimel is the proud owner of a 2015 M5. For more updates on BMW vehicles and the craftsmanship that goes behind them, visit this blog.
