RE: 2023 BMW XM | PH Review
Discussion
LunarOne said:
I used to absolutely adore the understated elegance of 1970s to the late 1990s BMWs. I've owned many and still own two. But BMW seems intent on making even a diehard BMW fan like myself feel repulsed. It's like I've been brainwashed and now I'm seeing the ugly truth.
Please stop this, BMW. I feel like this is a nightmare that doesn't want to end. Please, take me back to the 1990s, the time when I was blissfully ignorant of what horrors the future would bring.
Could’nt agree more, I seriously don’t know what they’re thinking!! I understand car manufacturers are under pressure and things are difficult for them, but f me surely bmw can do better.Please stop this, BMW. I feel like this is a nightmare that doesn't want to end. Please, take me back to the 1990s, the time when I was blissfully ignorant of what horrors the future would bring.
Edited by LunarOne on Friday 17th March 23:52
Also that article had some good points, like everything they produce is M this or M that, M MMMMM when really it’s not M anything.
LunarOne said:
I used to absolutely adore the understated elegance of 1970s to the late 1990s BMWs. I've owned many and still own two. But BMW seems intent on making even a diehard BMW fan like myself feel repulsed. It's like I've been brainwashed and now I'm seeing the ugly truth.
Please stop this, BMW. I feel like this is a nightmare that doesn't want to end. Please, take me back to the 1990s, the time when I was blissfully ignorant of what horrors the future would bring.
Could’nt agree more, I seriously don’t know what they’re thinking!! I understand car manufacturers are under pressure and things are difficult for them, but f me surely bmw can do better.Please stop this, BMW. I feel like this is a nightmare that doesn't want to end. Please, take me back to the 1990s, the time when I was blissfully ignorant of what horrors the future would bring.
Edited by LunarOne on Friday 17th March 23:52
Also that article had some good points, like everything they produce is M this or M that, M MMMMM when really it’s not M anything.
I think this car will sell. It will be bought by the sort of person who has a few quid and likes to stand out and make a statement. The sort of statement that says "Yes I know it looks awful, but it's an expensive rare BMW, I don't want what every other Tom, Dick and Harry has, it's almost so uncool it becomes cool".
If whoever buys it isn't buying it to make a statement and actually think it looks good then they need sectioning. I feel bad for the people that worked on the exterior of this car, I'd be ashamed to have been anything to do with it, as a matter of fact I probably would have quit.
If whoever buys it isn't buying it to make a statement and actually think it looks good then they need sectioning. I feel bad for the people that worked on the exterior of this car, I'd be ashamed to have been anything to do with it, as a matter of fact I probably would have quit.
2.8t so even heavier than the 7 series monstrosity of t'other day. Another one for China I guess.TheMilkyBarKid said:
On one hand that helps remember the good times. On the other it reminds that those days are seemingly over and rubs salt into the wound. 
They don't have to be over. I sadly don't have a 635CSi but I do semi-daily this 1992 730i with 90k miles and I just love it. My sister has a new X5 hybrid, and it's absolutely hideous. But not nearly as bad as that XM thing!
cerb4.5lee said:
I do wonder how/when/even if this might change for BMW. I guess at the end of the day they are selling to a different and probably much larger market than the one they were selling to when most of us who remember when they were genuinely aspirational in Europe grew up in during the 1970’s/80’s. That’s market forces whether we like them or not I suppose. Still leaves a bitter taste and a pain in the eyes though Edited by TheMilkyBarKid on Saturday 18th March 01:10
LunarOne said:
TheMilkyBarKid said:
On one hand that helps remember the good times. On the other it reminds that those days are seemingly over and rubs salt into the wound.
They don't have to be over. I sadly don't have a 635CSi but I do semi-daily this 1992 730i with 90k miles and I just love it. My sister has a new X5 hybrid, and it's absolutely hideous. But not nearly as bad as that XM thing!
GeeTeeBee said:
The assumption you have to make is that they know what they're doing, however offensive the car seems.
Do you, though? The last century or so of history has been full of times when major companies whose boards really ought to have known better have lost significant amounts of money by doing something which any fool on the outside could see was a really stupid idea. You could try looking up a few examples on your Google Glass.In this case though, yeah, I can believe there's a market for this thing. That's probably what I hate about it so much. I hate what it represents. In the late 70s they got thing like the M1 which was eccentric and flawed and beautiful. Nowadays, as a supposed alternative, we get yet another fat soft roader with an angry face and beaver teeth. Yet it'll still sell regardless because apparently this is what people want now. Sigh.
Edited by dunnoreally on Saturday 18th March 01:21
dunnoreally said:
Do you, though? The last century or so of history has been full of times when major companies whose boards really ought to have known better have lost significant amounts of money by doing something which any fool on the outside could see was a really stupid idea.
The point is that it's ultimately impossible to tell the difference with certainty between something you don't fully understand as an outside observer and a really stupid idea. Most of the time what seems like a stupid idea probably isn't, because people running these companies usually know what they are doing. Which is why they don't routinely launch disastrous products. Big car companies aren't constantly going bust due to terrible model launches.Of course, it might be a terrible idea. It does happen. Just not all that often, if you think about it. So, the odds are it's not a terrible idea, as utterly awful as it seems. But like I said, still can't shake the idea that while it might sell, it's taking BMW in an ultimately destructive direction for the brand.
Reading other reviewers (EVO, Car&Driver, The Drive, TopGear, etc) as well, the good news is almost everyone is universal in their disdain for the XM.
The slightly bad news is that a few mention the order books are already well padded.
I’m genuinely more excited by new Hyundai or Kia products than almost all BMWs these days
The slightly bad news is that a few mention the order books are already well padded.
I’m genuinely more excited by new Hyundai or Kia products than almost all BMWs these days
salmanorguk said:
The slightly bad news is that a few mention the order books are already well padded.
So bad news for who? Certainly not BMW then; they exist as a business to make money so if the car is profitable then it's fulfilled its remit as a product. I personally couldn't care about it one way or the other in terms of its looks but as others have pointed out, BMW clearly know what they're doing, certainly more than any of the critics on this forum do.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff