Roy, you've hit so many points on the head and I can say that I agree with you wholly on your stance in this conversation.
Mate, you are absolutely spot on with this. As much as the BMW much be a more refined car & include all of these other options, some people just don't need them or neither want them.
M3GTR, the argument isn't "Which Car Is More Refined; M3 or 427." You wouldn't have any arguments there on any side. You don't need to convince people of just what options these "M" spec cars come out with because it's quite clear to most people exactly what they are and what they include. That said, when people are weighing up what car to purchase for that sort of dollar, as mentioned, they can watch Top Gear, check out Drive.com.au, Motor, Wheels etc etc, the sources are endless where people acquire their information about new cars. It's how they react to this information that will cut a clear winner in their mind of the car they want to buy.
To be short, who gives two f**ks what Jeremy Clarkson says. It's like reading the newspaper and deciding not to see a movie because a critic gave it 2/10. You might go and watch it and even though "It's storyline went no where" or "The ending was average" you laughed your ass off and you might just go back and see it again. These people saw in the movie what this critic didn't. It's the same principle.
What some things do for some people, may not do it for others. The best in your eyes doesn't have to be the best in someone else's mind. It's quite a simple logic. I don't think an M3 is worth $150,000. It's a car. I don't agree with any car that to pay off would cost as much as paying off a house. Its a piece of metal. It's the same with the HSV. Different features for a different market.
I don't think the arrogance is coming from Holden or HSV. It's the arrogance of people who can't accept what HSV have done, and the fact that it's not to their tastes or "standards" so to speak. If being able to price a car at $170,000 and have more demand than supply for the car, then I think the word to use isn't arrogance. The word to use is "successful."