Visiting New Jersey, the BMW M4 doesn't suck, Q3 auto sales, and John Cena's fake Lamborghini
You can't see him, but you'd definitely notice his Lamborghini.
It’s been a week! I’ve been on the East coast driving the new BMW M4 and I’m impressed. We made a stop by Princeton and had learned a bit of automotive trivia – turns out cars tie in to almost everything we do – and spent a lot of time behind the wheel. Q3 sales rolled in, too – and we’ll take a quick look at the winners and losers.
Jersey Slide
Princeton, NJ, is a town with seriously rich history and a lot to write about. But it’s probably not what you think of when you think “car culture.” Color me surprised when I found plenty of industry-relevant attractions all around town. The first is “Von Neumann corner,” named after mathematician and budding auto enthusiast John von Neuman’s frequent car accidents. Von Neumann was “regularly arrested for speeding,” and reportedly purchased a new vehicle every year. This might be because his rigs would rarely last that long, with constituents quipping that “the way he drove, a car couldn’t possibly last more than a year.” This was circa 1940 or so.
Next, we stopped by Princeton University Library, also known as Firestone Library. Yep, that Firestone – the tire mogul Harvey Firestone – lends his name to one of the largest libraries in the world. You’ll find over 7 million books, six levels, and 43 miles of bookstacks. A hodgepodge of study spaces, art galleries, archives, and more, it’s definitely worth the visit – even if you’re there more for sightseeing than reading.
When visiting one of the premier educational establishments in the country, do as the locals do and catch a lecture. We sat through an interesting one that talked about how radio and architecture related through the Cold War. How’d this tie in? One of the subjects was the Radiocentro CMQ Building in Cuba, which eschewed a more obvious and monolithic design for something that integrated into the existing neighborhood and society a bit more elegantly. Among other attractions, it touted a car dealership on the ground floor! While admittedly tangential, our time in Princeton reminds us that cars are an integral cultural component of society and have permeated into almost everything in one way or another. A huge thanks to my friend Adrian, Princeton resident and generally awesome tour guide.
2025 BMW M4 Review Coming Soon
I’ve got to go light on details before a full review goes live on BMWBLOG – don’t want to scoop myself – but I’m pleasantly surprised by the 2025 BMW M4. Viewing the car through any sort of contemporary lens reveals a communicative, immensely capable four-seater sports car. Is it compromised compared to older M models? Sure. Is it a bit bigger than we’d like it to be? Of course. I really wish my demo was the manual-equipped version I’d initially requested, but again, what can you do. Not to give too much away, but I do feel like the car’s biggest downside might be its biggest positive: it’s simply too capable to be truly interesting to drive at non-criminal speeds. We’ll see – well, you’ll see – in a bit when I drop a full review.
Q3 Sales Published – Any Winners?
To summarize, Q3 saw a little bit of normalization compared to the last quarter. As you’ve likely already read elsewhere, Stellantis, BMW, and others have cut 2024 earnings citing everything from massive recalls to interest rates. Hyundai won pretty big, seeing a 5 percent rise in quarterly sales that almost washed out the 7 percent decrease sister company Kia reported. But Honda took the sales trophy, generating a 10 percent sales gain. Ford’s F-150 Lightning sales helped buoy the brand and allowed Ford to outpace competitors and report a 0.7 percent increase in sales. GM reports a 2.2 percent decrease, while Toyota reported an 8 percent fall.
While the usual cadre of small SUVs dominated top sales positions, there were some surprises. The subcompact segment is apparently burgeoning, as Mitsubishi managed to sell twice as many examples of its Mirage subcompact in Q3 2024 compared to last year. Nissan moved over 4,500 Leafs, which represents a 187.5 percent year-over-year increase. It’s not too surprising; with rising costs elsewhere and Nissan currently advertising a $259/month lease deal, it’s probably the most cost-effective EV on the market. Of course, it is still a Nissan.
Experts blame a slow August for Q3’s shortcomings and haven’t changed their outlook on new vehicle sales in Q4. The end of the year is here, the longshoreman strike was resolved almost as immediately as it arrived, and rates are falling. I’m surprised experts aren’t calling for a bigger end-of-year push, but they’re probably being a bit cautious as the political climate shifts.
The John Cena Fake Lamborghini
We’ll leave things with some levity and talk a little bit about the insane Diablo VT Roadster replica commissioned by none other than wrestler-turned-Thespian John Cena. It has popped up on Bring a Trailer not terribly long after the project’s completion; likely because Cena can afford to buy a real one if he wanted. The build took around 20 years to complete, and features a 5.0-liter V12 engine sourced from a 1988 BMW 750iL paired with a Porsche five-speed transaxle.
Is there a reason you shouldn’t buy this? Even the curmudgeons in the comments section are praising the replica, claiming fit and finish far exceeds what Lamborghini was doing in-period. And based on what I’ve heard and seen, I tend to believe them. The car looks the business and will probably cost a fraction of what true Diablo ownership does. While you’ll miss the ridiculous yowl of the true Lambo V12 – regardless of whether it’s an early 5.7-liter or later 6.0-liter car – those same Lamborghini owners might be enviously admiring your car’s fit and finish. Anyway, the auction sits at $76,000 as of this writing. Real Diablos command $300K-ish; I expect you’ll get this one for a lot less.
Sources – Qualia Computing, Reuters, Cox Automotive, Bring a Trailer