RE: 2021 BMW M440i xDrive | UK Review
Discussion
ae2006 said:
The hideous grill aside, can someone explain me why this comes with 4WD as standard?
Apart from 0 to 60 times, driving in heavy snow (with winter tires!) and maybe track driving (in a 1.7 tonne luxury coupe...) in 99% of situations it doesn't make any difference. You are driving around with 100kg extra (2 differentials, driveshafts) you don't need but use fuel. I am not saying there are no people who could need this, but it could be an optional extra.
I just don't understand the new car manufacturer and buyer market anymore, it seems at 29 i am already old.
I'm not getting why it is 4WD either. It just adds more weight to an already heavy car. Apart from 0 to 60 times, driving in heavy snow (with winter tires!) and maybe track driving (in a 1.7 tonne luxury coupe...) in 99% of situations it doesn't make any difference. You are driving around with 100kg extra (2 differentials, driveshafts) you don't need but use fuel. I am not saying there are no people who could need this, but it could be an optional extra.
I just don't understand the new car manufacturer and buyer market anymore, it seems at 29 i am already old.
Argleton said:
sidesauce said:
Business as usual then.
I'm doubtful sales will be impacted significantly, despite all of the crowing on the forums; I think people will buy the, and drive them, just as they've done before with all the previous models. In fact, I think that in time, people will get used to the front to the point it'll simply be 'meh'.
What is that opinion based on?I'm doubtful sales will be impacted significantly, despite all of the crowing on the forums; I think people will buy the, and drive them, just as they've done before with all the previous models. In fact, I think that in time, people will get used to the front to the point it'll simply be 'meh'.
You're telling me someone who would be prepared to buy this sort of car, but absolutely hates the looks, is going to say yeah okay I'll buy it then?
The reality is, aesthetic quality still goes a long way in selling cars, and in this instance too, BMW has alienated its buyers. I can't speak for the far east market, but in the west, the consensus is that having the face of a rodent with braces does not cut it, however "competent" the car may be on an A road.
Edited by chelme on Saturday 24th October 13:28
Max_Torque said:
Because
1) most people can't drive a greasy stick up a pigs arse
2) press reviews (and people in pubs) put far too much importance on 0-60 time
3) Audi
This is correct, but then i ask, why is the lowest common denominator (people who don't like to drive and/or don't care about cars and/or don't know anything about cars) the main factor behind the design/engineering of a modern car? This is what i don't understand because it is the worst situation for manufacturer and buyer (heavy cars (CO2!), unused features by the broad public, not catering to enthusiasts/people who do care or know).1) most people can't drive a greasy stick up a pigs arse
2) press reviews (and people in pubs) put far too much importance on 0-60 time
3) Audi
They could sell this easily with 2WD aswell, maybe BMW would need a tiny bit of marketing to tell the advantages.
Edited by ae2006 on Saturday 24th October 13:31
DonkeyApple said:
What’s needed is a Lotus 340i estate. Whip out the heavy electrics, the turbos, swap in smaller brakes, narrower tyres, lighter seating and other comfort stuff.
Maybe you could get to a 1400kg estate car with great handling and a superb I6 engine that gave instant response and wholly unencumbered by all the gubbins but revved to 8 and was sublime from 1rpm to 8000. A car that you could actually drive at seven tenths on the road?
But who would buy it?Maybe you could get to a 1400kg estate car with great handling and a superb I6 engine that gave instant response and wholly unencumbered by all the gubbins but revved to 8 and was sublime from 1rpm to 8000. A car that you could actually drive at seven tenths on the road?
Such a thing is of no interest to the majority of the market and therefore not of BMW's/Audis/Mercedes interest.
Some classic PH cliches in this thread. You’d all love it if you had one. And to the chap saying this isn’t an upgrade on his 440... another classic PH statement. It’s actually a different “sub M” product now and a more focussed proposition. I bet you’d find it an upgrade.
I accept the grill is not great at all, and I think the number plate placement makes it even worse. No idea what they were thinking.
Also, to those saying the styling looks top heavy, under-wheeled etc. I agree... but weirdly it doesn’t look like that in person. I could be wrong but is PH cocking up the aspect ratios on photos again and effectively “squidging” the images horizontally?
I accept the grill is not great at all, and I think the number plate placement makes it even worse. No idea what they were thinking.
Also, to those saying the styling looks top heavy, under-wheeled etc. I agree... but weirdly it doesn’t look like that in person. I could be wrong but is PH cocking up the aspect ratios on photos again and effectively “squidging” the images horizontally?
DonkeyApple said:
What’s needed is a Lotus 340i estate. Whip out the heavy electrics, the turbos, swap in smaller brakes, narrower tyres, lighter seating and other comfort stuff.
Maybe you could get to a 1400kg estate car with great handling and a superb I6 engine that gave instant response and wholly unencumbered by all the gubbins but revved to 8 and was sublime from 1rpm to 8000. A car that you could actually drive at seven tenths on the road?
Maybe you could get to a 1400kg estate car with great handling and a superb I6 engine that gave instant response and wholly unencumbered by all the gubbins but revved to 8 and was sublime from 1rpm to 8000. A car that you could actually drive at seven tenths on the road?
I have got a 3.2 986, normally aspirated, 5.5 seconds, geared nicely so you have to swap between 2nd and 3rd a lot, and it is fun.
However.....I would argue that the 2.7 litre flat six which has 228hp and takes 6.1 seconds to 60mph is actually more fun.
The E46 M3 had to be worked, again NA engine so you had to get the gear change right otherwise you had no power coming out of a corner. That is what is meant by cars that don't reward you. The 335i touring that replaced my M3 was quicker, mapped and would do 0-60 in 4.6 seconds, but there was no real reward, because it didn't matter what gear you were in, the turbo nature of it meant power was always on tap.
I loved it, great car, but it was great at gobbling miles, not being something you would get up off the sofa for at 10pm at night and just go and drive 100 miles round the coast for the sake of it.
The Porsche gets you doing that, the M3 got me doing that, BMW et al need to start dialing it back a bit, offer another straight six NA 3.0 and put it in a 2 series touring chassis with RWD again, keep it light, keep it fun.
These new 4 series looks like a great luxury barge that you can, as someone said above, arrive at the golf club relaxed in, but we have bigger cars that do that better, so a bit pointless.
Porsche are going back to NA engines, many, my self included, are liking the last NA Caymans with hydraulic steering etc., doesn't need to be the fastest, it needs to be the one that makes you smile most.
panholio said:
Also, to those saying the styling looks top heavy, under-wheeled etc. I agree... but weirdly it doesn’t look like that in person. I could be wrong but is PH cocking up the aspect ratios on photos again and effectively “squidging” the images horizontally?
It has been know but to be fair it didn’t look that great in the video I watched of it either - in fact I’d seen the video before this article and had already formed my opinion based on it. It does sound like it does a very decent job of being a car to be fair but it would at least be a consideration for many if it didn’t look particularly good at the same time. It’s not even the grill that makes it look a bit weird to me either, I could happily live with that.Edited by gigglebug on Saturday 24th October 14:19
Speed_Demon said:
DonkeyApple said:
What’s needed is a Lotus 340i estate. Whip out the heavy electrics, the turbos, swap in smaller brakes, narrower tyres, lighter seating and other comfort stuff.
Maybe you could get to a 1400kg estate car with great handling and a superb I6 engine that gave instant response and wholly unencumbered by all the gubbins but revved to 8 and was sublime from 1rpm to 8000. A car that you could actually drive at seven tenths on the road?
But who would buy it?Maybe you could get to a 1400kg estate car with great handling and a superb I6 engine that gave instant response and wholly unencumbered by all the gubbins but revved to 8 and was sublime from 1rpm to 8000. A car that you could actually drive at seven tenths on the road?
Such a thing is of no interest to the majority of the market and therefore not of BMW's/Audis/Mercedes interest.
I quite like it. Unfortunately the configurator doesn't offer an opportunity to delete the tinted rear windows. Also, for some bizarre reason, if you spec the interior in Tacora Red the lower portion of the dashboard is black so there's no continuity between the dashboard and the door cards, yet if you spec the Oyster or Cognac interior the lower portion of the dashboard is coloured accordingly, so the continuity is maintained and looks miles better. I wonder how the reviewer would find the steering on the 420i. The smaller engined car (with its lighter nose) seems to benefit from better steering feel, according to other reviews I've read.
Does anyone know when these will be available in the UK?
Does anyone know when these will be available in the UK?
gizlaroc said:
I have got a 3.2 986, normally aspirated, 5.5 seconds, geared nicely so you have to swap between 2nd and 3rd a lot, and it is fun.
However.....I would argue that the 2.7 litre flat six which has 228hp and takes 6.1 seconds to 60mph is actually more fun.
The E46 M3 had to be worked, again NA engine so you had to get the gear change right otherwise you had no power coming out of a corner. That is what is meant by cars that don't reward you. The 335i touring that replaced my M3 was quicker, mapped and would do 0-60 in 4.6 seconds, but there was no real reward, because it didn't matter what gear you were in, the turbo nature of it meant power was always on tap.
I loved it, great car, but it was great at gobbling miles, not being something you would get up off the sofa for at 10pm at night and just go and drive 100 miles round the coast for the sake of it.
The Porsche gets you doing that, the M3 got me doing that, BMW et al need to start dialing it back a bit, offer another straight six NA 3.0 and put it in a 2 series touring chassis with RWD again, keep it light, keep it fun.
These new 4 series looks like a great luxury barge that you can, as someone said above, arrive at the golf club relaxed in, but we have bigger cars that do that better, so a bit pointless.
Porsche are going back to NA engines, many, my self included, are liking the last NA Caymans with hydraulic steering etc., doesn't need to be the fastest, it needs to be the one that makes you smile most.
Edited by Sunder81 on Saturday 24th October 14:56
Edited by Sunder81 on Saturday 24th October 16:17
panholio said:
Some classic PH cliches in this thread. You’d all love it if you had one. And to the chap saying this isn’t an upgrade on his 440... another classic PH statement. It’s actually a different “sub M” product now and a more focussed proposition. I bet you’d find it an upgrade.
I accept the grill is not great at all, and I think the number plate placement makes it even worse. No idea what they were thinking.
Also, to those saying the styling looks top heavy, under-wheeled etc. I agree... but weirdly it doesn’t look like that in person. I could be wrong but is PH cocking up the aspect ratios on photos again and effectively “squidging” the images horizontally?
Aside from the previous 440i not having an M in front of it what exactly has changed? Same engine with a bit more grunt, identical gearbox, same suspension setup and choices, but with a price tag that has lept by about ten grand once you chuck a couple of options packs in?I accept the grill is not great at all, and I think the number plate placement makes it even worse. No idea what they were thinking.
Also, to those saying the styling looks top heavy, under-wheeled etc. I agree... but weirdly it doesn’t look like that in person. I could be wrong but is PH cocking up the aspect ratios on photos again and effectively “squidging” the images horizontally?
What's more focused about it? 4wd over Rwd?!?
You do realise this is the exact same engine and gearbox combo as the m140i and m240i?
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