BMW’s fast limo speeds straight into trouble.
In an advert featured in the UK’s Telegraph Magazine earlier this year, BMW promoted its lightning-quick M760Li (the fastest-accelerating BMW ever made) by listing its performance stats, accompanied with the strapline “Luxury just lost its manners.”
Seems fine, right? Typically cheeky BMW advertising? The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) and Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) disagree, saying that it was irresponsible of Munich for promoting their immensely-powerful flagship model as an immensely-powerful flagship model. The ASA then proceeded to block the company from re-using that advertisement, and instructed them “to ensure they did not make speed or acceleration the main message of their future marketing communications.”
Both BMW and the Telegraph have defended the advertisement, saying that the century-sprint time of 3.7-seconds does not exceed the national speed limit, nor does the phrase “for some, the climb to the top is quicker” suggest anything other than its intended message to reflect the success of M760Li owners. BMW also dismissed the ASA’s complaint about the phrasing used in the strapline, saying that it was nothing more than “advertising puffery” according to the agency.
BMW explained that the ad would not be making a return though, as “we always seek to ensure our advertising is compliant with the relevant rules and standards.” We find it a little silly that you can’t seem to call a pot a pot (or a limo-rocket a limo-rocket). We don’t quite understand what else could be the headlining feature, considering a bi-turbo 6.6-litre V12 lives under the bonnet.
However, that means that manufacturers will be more reliant on motoring reviews to tell the public their cars are blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fast, because we’re (still presently) allowed to do that. You can read about the performance BMW can't tell you about here.
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