They want to know why the 30-year old design of the recently deceased Citi-Golf resulted in the sportier models costing over R100 000. More commonly, people want to know why on earth luxury German cars are so far out of reach because of their excessive prices.
I’ll be the first to admit that often, I am stumped as to how to justify the cost of these four-wheeled wonders that we simply can’t do without. Many are ridiculously overpriced.
And then this past weekend, it all made sense. Well, some of it.
I had the fantastic opportunity to drive a virtually brand new BMW 335i Coupe Steptronic. It is one of my personal dream machines and a vehicle defined by orgasmic numbers: 3-litre engine, twin turbo chargers, 0-100km/h in about 5,5 seconds and, as of December 2009… a R617 700 price tag.
335i is more than just a pretty face
Over R600 000 for what many will describe simply as a “fast, nice” car. Yet what so many people without a penchant for motoring often overlook is the substance in the detail.
True motoring aficionados (and admittedly those with a healthy balance in their bank account), see so much more in their prized possessions than a chunk of metal bolted onto four wheels.
It’s the same as an artist that only buys their materials from the most exclusive stationery store and not the CNA at KC, even though that painting of the sea through a quaint kitchen’s window will probably end up looking pretty much the same.
Or, by the same token, it’s the reason that an IT guru spends hundreds of rands more on a wireless mouse with an ergonomically designed shape with grippy supports for your hands when it essentially does the same job as an R80 version that you can grab at Clicks.
So with that in mind, allow me to try and justify the price tag of a luxury sports car like the 335i.
Its engine is a masterpiece, being incredibly potent, aurally pleasing when pressing on, whisper-quiet when cruising, and with not a hint of lag when accelerating. The small turbo charger operates at low engine speeds and the larger one takes over at higher speeds – an exceptional technological rarity in engine design.
Unbeknown to many, award-winning engines like these aren’t conceptualised, designed and produced overnight; the best materials are used and the most incredibly adept engineers spend hours, days, weeks and more perfecting its every detail. To put into production an engine of this complexity requires far greater resources, skill and time than an engine in Corollas, Corsas, Golfs and even some cheaper BMWs and Mercs.
To the chassis we go, then. The suspension is supple when you’re in a relaxed mood but sporty when you aren’t. Turning the wheel is effortless and the sharp responses of the car make it feel like a much smaller machine. A Tazz feels way more cumbersome and is just over half the weight of this BMW.
Inside the car, I’m going to ignore the very long list of ultra-modern features fitted to it and focus on the basics.
Unlike “normal” cars, the 335i doesn’t rattle or squeak at all (and it will likely continue to not rattle or squeak for many more years to come).
Nothing in the interior that shouldn’t move, moves. All the plastics have a classy and cushioned feel without the cheap, shiny, hard textures of lesser vehicles.
When you go over bumps, you don’t feel it 
reverberating through the steering wheel.
The sound of the indicator clicking can be heard, but it’s distant and somehow just not as annoying as in your car. The roof-mounted grab handles float back into position after use whereas the same items in your car snap back into position with a hard, loud bang.
Shifting into drive, you don’t feel the car physically changing gear. Only the illuminated electronic display tells you what the transmission is doing.
I could go on and on. All the things I’ve just mentioned are tiny when taken in isolation and will be mostly unnoticed by the average passenger. Together, however, they allow for an extremely comfortable machine designed to make your journey a most pleasurable one; a representation of precision engineering at its best. And notably, it isn’t a remotely cheap undertaking to produce a car as refined as the 335i.
I emerged from the car feeling like I could spend days exploring its every astonishing detail.
On a more sane level, a Toyota Auris is more expensive than a Toyota Yaris for a reason other than it being larger. The Auris is quieter, smoother, and more attention has been given to it to make it feel like the more costly car that it is.
In every price range across all manufacturers, these subtle yet significant differences can be seen and help account for the sharp rise in price as you go further up the scale.
Yes, I can hear many of you shouting in fury about all this refinement mumbo jumbo and the “experience” that a car provides; it is essentially about getting from A to B and in that regard, the atrocious new Chinese cars do the same job as the BMW for a lot less cash.
And it’s also true that many of the people driving around in flashy cars like the 335i bought it for a reason that’s not nearly as tangible as those that I’ve mentioned. They have no clue what has gone into producing their pride and joy.
What absolutely can’t be denied, however, is that the few fortunate individuals able to afford these dream machines are paying a hell of a lot of money for a hell of a lot of the best that man can offer them in the shape of a car.
Seems like a fair trade to me.
