In a gutsy move, BMW is abandoning their “Ultimate Driving Machine” moniker for one a bit more of the times, based on ‘joy,’ safety,’ and ‘value’.

Jack Pitney, VP of Marketing for BMW North America says, “We hope to really add some humanity to our brand and show the diversity of its buyers.”

Their new ad campaign features more people than products, experience over engineering, and an overall air that is less exclusive, and more accessible. In a diversion from their previous message, the voice-over in the new ad says, “We realized a long time ago that we don’t just make cars, we make joy.”

The new ads seem to be drawing mixed reviews on the authenticity of their claim. Some fans are fervently loyal to the “Ultimate Driving Machine (or UDM, for those in the know),” which emphasizes luxury, prestige and engineering. Others are okay with the brand standing for something more real, like safety.

I like one comment from WSJ.com, which is, “The safety angle is real, the higher income people I know like the safety aspect to justify their purchase decisions. But really, mommy wants to look cool and hot in line waiting to pickup the kiddies at school, she does not want the minivan or suburban.”

I think that says it all.