^ No, break-ins are for real.
Long term gas mileage, over-all power (esp torque) and general motor response wear less with an easy break-in. A gradual break-in; consistant slow motor speeds aren't good either. Top speed runs are also important and recomended (In Germany, a strong argument for European delivery [Autobahn]), but not when you're redlining every gear. It's not just the motor, but everything on the car.
That said the the motors in our cars are run with special break-in oil in Germany, or where ever they may be made. New cars also need a lot less break in than cars traditionally have, esp German cars. The idea is still simple, think of bending a paper clip: the car's made of metal, moving metal is bending metal, when it's pushed it's being stressed, when stressed hard the first time metal is more likely to break than it is when stressed after warming up.
Instead of running the chance of stress fractors, you're making it more able to handle what you want it to do down the road.