View Single Post
      01-27-2014, 10:42 AM   #159
burnsniper
First Lieutenant
251
Rep
386
Posts

Drives: AW F80 ZCP & 1M BSM
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: On a Creek in the Mountains

iTrader: (0)

I attended the DC Auto Show this weekend and sat in both the M3 and M4 (as well as the 228i). Here are some impressions:
  • Big props to BMW for having all of their vehicles open and available to sit in and molest. MB and Audi had their RS/S/AMG vehicles either locked or on turntables.
  • In my opinion the M4 looks too much like the 435i M sport.
  • On the other hand, the M3 looks quite a bit different than a 335i M sport (thanks mainly to fender flares/wider track).
  • BMW needs to give us the M4 truck lid design on the M3.
  • Both the M3 and M4 look much less aggressive in person than in photos. This is both a good and bad thing: (1) The good - the "genitalia" up front is much less pronounced and looks good. The cars will retain much of the "stealth speed" that previous M cars have (E39 is the best example of this). (2) The bad - the carbon fiber and colors are really the only things that are going to make these cars stand out from the regular series cars.
  • I am a big fan of the Yas Marinas blue.
  • On the other hand, the Silverstone looked rather plain and dare I even say "Camry like." However, Silverstone looks like a very liveable color - will hide scratches, dirt, etc. and won't attract LEO attention.
  • The interiors of both cars felt a bit "cramped" this both a good and bad thing. (1) The good: (1) the aggressive bolstering of the seats (the seats are great), smaller steering wheel, and flaring of the center console effectively shrink the car around the occupants making it feel smaller and more sporty - great for the enthusiast. (2) The bad: the flaring of the center console really reduces the amount of foot well space (especially on the passenger side) - I can see this being a big problem in NA (compounded by the aggressive seat bolsters) especially for cars in this price range and size (I haven't noticed this in the 3 series loaners that I have driven).
  • The interior quality was a mixed bag. (1) The good: the interior is clearly nicer than the standard 3/4 series cars, has a top notch fit and finish, and is overall better quality than the E series cars. (2) The bad: the driver "touch points" - the wheel, seats, door pulls, etc. seem to have taken a step back in material quality from the E series cars. Also, while the interior hits all of the "modern" design points - carbon fiber, tech heavy, contrast stitching and trim, better looking plastics, etc. it pales in comparison to what I saw the Audi vehicles (RS7 especially) and even some other BMW cars - I3, 7 series. The 228i's interior was almost on par with the M cars which is a bit disappointing given the price delta.
  • The carbon fiber roof and strut bar are absolutely gorgeous and a step up from the E92 (roof). I do wonder if the strut brace is going to "yellow" over time due to heat (similar to what is seen on aftermarket parts or even Audi RS vehicles).
  • The black wheels on the M4 looked much better than the wheels on the M3 (the ones that are in most of the press shots). In my opinion both wheels need more spokes to keep with the M/CSL look and tradition (we can hope this happens on the LCI/competition pack models).
  • The M4 was getting way more attention by show goers than the M3. However, I personally prefer the looks of the M3.
  • The new headlights/halos/double slatted kidney grills look great.
  • The exhaust system (pipes, muffler better hidden, etc.) looks much better than on the E92 cars.
  • Interestingly, the engines did not appear to be set as far back (relative to the front suspension) as in the E series cars (N54/N55 included).

In conclusion, based on looks alone I do not see any reason why someone would be compelled to upgrade from an E9x M to an F8x M car. I do think that "BMW" has a winner on their hand for new enthusiast shoppers - the cars are attractive with nice fit and finish and feel "more sporty" than the competition RS/AMG. If the cars drive as well as typical M cars they should get great reviews. However, I can see NA buyers (non enthusiasts) migrating to the MB AMG C63s for a feeling of more space, more power, and more luxury.

Last edited by burnsniper; 01-27-2014 at 10:48 AM..
Appreciate 0