RE: BMW X3 M spy shots

[iphonedyou]

vz-r_dave said:

Not really, my opinion still stands but then this is PH so I shouldn't be surprised that a car/suv like this would get good praise and a following. Perhaps I need to change forums, that I will say.

You'd change forums to get away from people liking a car that you don't? A car that presumably has no appreciable impact on your existence?

This gets odder and odder, it really does.

[aeropilot]

vz-r_dave said:

toppstuff said:

aeropilot said:

vz-r_dave said:

aeropilot said:

vz-r_dave said:

smilo996 said:

This really diminishes the M brand.

It just seems profligate to be building ever new and ever more powerful SUV's which have precisely no advantage over an estate car or MPV, yet they contain at least double the materials and take more effort to make. They are much more dangerous in a crash for other road users. Another self indulgent imported idea from the US. Car companies love them though because margins are higher.

The prime reason for purchase seems to be the feeling of being superior.

Your last sentence sums it up, small people, small willies etc.

Unlike being small minded of course.......

Indeed. The closed minded, arrogant and rather condescending tone toward people that choose to own SUV's is rather odd.

I see it very simply - for all sorts of reasons, some people like a car that is higher up and with better ground clearance ( myself included - it suits my needs better).

Given that I therefore need an SUV of some kind, I see no reason why I cannot be offered the choice of having a fast SUV.

Given the choice between a slower, slugging SUV and a fast, better handling SUV, why the hell would I choose the slow one??


I honestly see no other reason why anyone would buy one other than to accommodate for some sort of complex.

You need to get out more then........

Not really, my opinion still stands

Yes, it's your opinion, but, it's one based on refusing to accept there are choice factors that are not occurring to you, because you are either deliberately choosing to ignore them as they don't suit 'your' needs, or are just blind to them, but they certainly suit other peoples needs.

As they other poster said, raised ground clearance is becoming a 'must have' for me, as well as the higher seating position, but, I don't see why I should be forced into some sort of soot chucker powered mummy wagon as a result....so, a Macan GTS or better still this X3M fits the bill perfectly.

[Ranger 6]

KrisP said:

We've got one of the X35d's, and I haven't seen another one yet.....

You won't see mine. I've taken the badges off

We love it, I'm certain if they give it more power it'll need better brakes.

[SturdyHSV]

aeropilot said:

raised ground clearance is becoming a 'must have' for me

• looks at profile for location
• West London
• sniggers

Driving over the proles certainly takes its toll on a low front splitter

I'm being deliberately obtuse here as I'm sure you have the ability to travel outside of the M25

[aeropilot]

SturdyHSV said:

aeropilot said:

raised ground clearance is becoming a 'must have' for me

• looks at profile for location
• West London
• sniggers

Driving over the proles certainly takes its toll on a low front splitter

I'm being deliberately obtuse here as I'm sure you have the ability to travel outside of the M25

Actually, you'd be surprised at how many 'off-road' locations I can encounter within the M25 boundary on a frequent basis, plenty of farm land and other sites straddling the border of the M25 to the west/north-west/north sections of the M25.....and yes, funnily enough, I do travel beyond the magic circular car-park on a frequent basis

The underside of the 135i has taken a bit of a accidental bashing on many occasions now

[Stenn]

I've got a current model X3 30d on order (in non-bling xline trim) so I'm not against these at all. I'm not sure I really see the value in a 'performance' version though. You can give these as much power as you like, it's still going to be a big heavy bus and no real fun to drive. Even the 30d still gets to 60 in under 6 seconds - that's as nippy as I need a family wagon to be.

[iphonedyou]

Stenn said:

I've got a current model X3 30d on order (in non-bling xline trim) so I'm not against these at all. I'm not sure I really see the value in a 'performance' version though. You can give these as much power as you like, it's still going to be a big heavy bus and no real fun to drive. Even the 30d still gets to 60 in under 6 seconds - that's as nippy as I need a family wagon to be.

Think that's the key. As nippy as you need it to be. Not everybody.

[aeropilot]

iphonedyou said:

Stenn said:

I've got a current model X3 30d on order (in non-bling xline trim) so I'm not against these at all. I'm not sure I really see the value in a 'performance' version though. You can give these as much power as you like, it's still going to be a big heavy bus and no real fun to drive. Even the 30d still gets to 60 in under 6 seconds - that's as nippy as I need a family wagon to be.

Think that's the key. As nippy as you need it to be. Not everybody.

And........the BIG and.....I don't want a fking diesel engine!!

Edited by aeropilot on Tuesday 26th April 16:34

[Stenn]

aeropilot said:

iphonedyou said:

Stenn said:

I've got a current model X3 30d on order (in non-bling xline trim) so I'm not against these at all. I'm not sure I really see the value in a 'performance' version though. You can give these as much power as you like, it's still going to be a big heavy bus and no real fun to drive. Even the 30d still gets to 60 in under 6 seconds - that's as nippy as I need a family wagon to be.

Think that's the key. As nippy as you need it to be. Not everybody.

And........the BIG and.....I don't a fking diesel engine!!

Can't argue with that

[nickfrog]

vz-r_dave said:

Not really, my opinion still stands but then this is PH so I shouldn't be surprised that a car/suv like this would get good praise and a following. Perhaps I need to change forums, that I will say.

I think your opinion says a lot about you actually. It's a free world, that's why you can express your views. And also why other people may like different things. If you were right objectively about SUVs vs Estates then I could almost see your point but they have advantages over those (smaller footprint for similar practicality and higher driving position).
I don't see the point of a very powerful SUV either btw, BUT I am glad they exist for someone who prefers them. I am not too fussed about what other people prefer anyway.

[leglessAlex]

Apparently Audi's version, the RS Q3 is actually a really nice car to hustle down a less than well surfaced B or A road because of the slightly longer travel and higher ground clearance.


Certainly some of EVO's writers like Dickie Meaden and Jethro Bovingdon (I think maybe even Henry Catchpole?) have said that the Audi is much more of a drivers car than it really has any right to be.

[Vee12V]

leglessAlex said:

Apparently Audi's version, the RS Q3 is actually a really nice car to hustle down a less than well surfaced B or A road because of the slightly longer travel and higher ground clearance.


Certainly some of EVO's writers like Dickie Meaden and Jethro Bovingdon (I think maybe even Henry Catchpole?) have said that the Audi is much more of a drivers car than it really has any right to be.

RS Q3 is the size of an X1, not X3 (vs Q5).

[AH33]

I suppose if it's fast the rest of us don't have to look at it as long, so it does have at least some point.

[nickfrog]

AH33 said:

I suppose if it's fast the rest of us don't have to look at it as long, so it does have at least some point.

Correct. That should help reduce the amount of jealousy that some people on PH have for anything new and remotely expensive.

[PHMatt]

Chuck the M550D engine in there
380bhp and about eleventy million pounds of torque.

It'll never be a drivers car so why bother with a drivers engine? Just make it fast in a straight line and not too heavy on the wallet.

[aeropilot]

PHMatt said:

Chuck the M550D engine in there
380bhp and about eleventy million pounds of torque.

It'll never be a drivers car so why bother with a drivers engine? Just make it fast in a straight line and not too heavy on the wallet.

The inside rumour is that ///M are currently elaluating a X3/X4 M50d version to sit alongside the full fat petrol X3M/X4M versions, but it's currently not a definate, whereas the X3M/X4M is.

[caelite]

vz-r_dave said:

I honestly see no other reason why anyone would buy one other than to accommodate for some sort of complex.

Err. I like fast cars but I live up a track which will ruin an M3 (as it did my hot hatch I had to drive up and down it with). Also I grew up with hotwheels so I assume this is the reason boxy tonka styled cars with massive wheels kind of appeal to me aesthetically. Also with the state of most of my local roads (north of Scotland at the foot of the Cairngorms) I could most likely have more fun with one of these than I would an M3 without having a deathwish or ruining the car. Also clearance is great in winter for dealing with snow and then the standing floodwater that comes with it. Also its my hard earned [Insert ludicrously high amound] and I chose to spend it on what I feel like without worrying that I somehow damaging the appeal of someone elses car.

I could go on, but there are plenty of reasons why these sell well. I cant say I agree with all of them but theyvare their.

[leglessAlex]

Vee12V said:

leglessAlex said:

Apparently Audi's version, the RS Q3 is actually a really nice car to hustle down a less than well surfaced B or A road because of the slightly longer travel and higher ground clearance.


Certainly some of EVO's writers like Dickie Meaden and Jethro Bovingdon (I think maybe even Henry Catchpole?) have said that the Audi is much more of a drivers car than it really has any right to be.

RS Q3 is the size of an X1, not X3 (vs Q5).

Good point, but there's no reason the same principle can't be applied to a car one size up. I don't think anyone will expect it to be amazing as a drivers car, but it seems Audi has proved it's possible at least.