Driving you M car abroad
Discussion
Just come back from a couple of weeks on holiday in Spain.
Drove the blue beast (2016 F80 M3) down through France and into Spain, fully loaded with Mrs Smith, the kids and a bootful of luggage. Two weeks on the Costa Dorada later (and a nerve-racking drive/parking in Barcelona), then on the return leg came up over the Pyrenees, through France and back to blighty (3000 miles in two weeks).
I hadn't bargained on the reaction it would get, it was MENTAL!
From the British Eurostar staff complimenting it on the way out, being circled by motorcycles and cars on the French autoroutes with cameraphones going and finally Spain.
From peoples reactions you would have thought it was from another planet.
It was parked at the villa and my youngest lad happened to walk past, when he came back he said "dad there's a load of men stood pointing at the car".
Everywhere we went people seemed to stare and take pictures.
Craziest experience was as we were driving along I looked in the rear veiw mirror to see the driver of the car behind with his upper body hanging out of the drivers side window (Ace Ventura stylee) taking pictures on his phone.
Kept it in efficient all the time so it didn't sound too fruity and flip them out further.
I went for the M3 as I thought it was practical and fairly subtle but the whole experience was frankly bizarre, I don't think it would have got any more attention if it was a bright red Ferrari!
Any body else had this sort of crazy reaction when abroad?
Drove the blue beast (2016 F80 M3) down through France and into Spain, fully loaded with Mrs Smith, the kids and a bootful of luggage. Two weeks on the Costa Dorada later (and a nerve-racking drive/parking in Barcelona), then on the return leg came up over the Pyrenees, through France and back to blighty (3000 miles in two weeks).
I hadn't bargained on the reaction it would get, it was MENTAL!
From the British Eurostar staff complimenting it on the way out, being circled by motorcycles and cars on the French autoroutes with cameraphones going and finally Spain.
From peoples reactions you would have thought it was from another planet.
It was parked at the villa and my youngest lad happened to walk past, when he came back he said "dad there's a load of men stood pointing at the car".
Everywhere we went people seemed to stare and take pictures.
Craziest experience was as we were driving along I looked in the rear veiw mirror to see the driver of the car behind with his upper body hanging out of the drivers side window (Ace Ventura stylee) taking pictures on his phone.
Kept it in efficient all the time so it didn't sound too fruity and flip them out further.
I went for the M3 as I thought it was practical and fairly subtle but the whole experience was frankly bizarre, I don't think it would have got any more attention if it was a bright red Ferrari!
Any body else had this sort of crazy reaction when abroad?
Maxus said:
Nice trip. We have an apartment in Salou (on the sea but not the tourist area 
) and did the route through Andorra in a Fiat Barchetta in 1998. Fabulous journey and the attention the car got was ridiculous.
It was something I thought about last week whilst driving in my rented Focus around Costa Dorada, the majority of cars on the road in Spain are pretty dreary. Over the 2 weeks I don't think I saw any M cars, maybe a couple of Porsches, certainly no exotica. The M3, particularly on British plates, would very much stand out.
Edit - just looked at a pic of your car - great colour. That stands out over here!
Drove down the seafront road in Salou, was possibly the most embrassing experience of all. Must have been the tourists. Everybody seemed to be looking. When we got to the far end of the sea front (just leaving the nice bit) Mrs Smith wanted to turn around and go back to a car park we'd passed half along the front. I couldn't face going back and being stared and pointed at again and we carried on to Cambrils for a bite to eat.) and did the route through Andorra in a Fiat Barchetta in 1998. Fabulous journey and the attention the car got was ridiculous. It was something I thought about last week whilst driving in my rented Focus around Costa Dorada, the majority of cars on the road in Spain are pretty dreary. Over the 2 weeks I don't think I saw any M cars, maybe a couple of Porsches, certainly no exotica. The M3, particularly on British plates, would very much stand out.
Edit - just looked at a pic of your car - great colour. That stands out over here!
The British plates thing might have added to it maybe.
Us Brits do seem to buy the more sporty models as opposed to our continental cousins.
I do remember reading a that massive proportion of the overall Renualt Sport allocation is sold to the UK maket.
As previously mentioned, perhaps it is to do with the price as the reaction was totally positive when abroad so clearly they like to see them.
I do remember reading a that massive proportion of the overall Renualt Sport allocation is sold to the UK maket.
As previously mentioned, perhaps it is to do with the price as the reaction was totally positive when abroad so clearly they like to see them.
No mine is Tanzanite Blue. I spotted the Tanzanite one in the front window of the dealer when I went in to sign the paperwork on a Grey CP M3. Could take my eyes off it, changed my order & went for that one instead
Luggage was a piece of cake. Three large soft bags in the boot and an overnight bag on the back seats between the kids.
Clean undercrackers everyday without fail!
Luggage was a piece of cake. Three large soft bags in the boot and an overnight bag on the back seats between the kids.
Clean undercrackers everyday without fail!
mikeN54 said:
Yas Marina Blue? Most impressive OP was the fact you got luggage for two weeks for 4 people in an F80 boot.
Was it a case of turn your pants inside out for week 2?
We got plenty of positive attention in France in our previous 2014 E63 AMG estate, and the 700 litre boot on that was just about big enough for one week of "wife stuff".
Was it a case of turn your pants inside out for week 2?
We got plenty of positive attention in France in our previous 2014 E63 AMG estate, and the 700 litre boot on that was just about big enough for one week of "wife stuff".
Edited by mikeN54 on Sunday 28th August 19:26
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