Pretty sure that's just something the chauvinists say to make themselves feel better. It's no different from when non-owners say that all BMW drivers are chauvinists (or worse)...
That said, there are a lot of BMW owners who buy mostly for the badge, and it does seem to be the case that virtually all of those opt for the automatic.
This is probably a case of basic logic failure: "all badgemongers buy autos; therefore, autos are for badgemongers." Tempting conclusion, but unsound reasoning.
Either way, I do think it's pretty straightforward that an automatic transmission makes a BMW less worth having over, say, a Mercedes. It doesn't completely defeat the point; it just undermines it. Presumably, if you want a BMW over a Mercedes for reasons other than image, it's because you value involvement and dynamics. Why give up the part of the car that is most efficient at delivering half of that equation (involvement)?
That said, there are a lot of BMW owners who buy mostly for the badge, and it does seem to be the case that virtually all of those opt for the automatic.
This is probably a case of basic logic failure: "all badgemongers buy autos; therefore, autos are for badgemongers." Tempting conclusion, but unsound reasoning.
Either way, I do think it's pretty straightforward that an automatic transmission makes a BMW less worth having over, say, a Mercedes. It doesn't completely defeat the point; it just undermines it. Presumably, if you want a BMW over a Mercedes for reasons other than image, it's because you value involvement and dynamics. Why give up the part of the car that is most efficient at delivering half of that equation (involvement)?