RE: BMW exposes X3 and X4 M to the world

[Ares]

Edible Roadkill said:

Yawn....how much a month is all the owners will need to know.

Yawn....pathetic ignorant cliched retort.

[E65Ross]

at all the "centre of gravity" comments and dynamics etc....I don't think anyone gives a flying fk. If someone enjoys it for what it is, so bloody what?

Or should we all drive around in stripped out racers because CoG etc.

[anonymous-user]

Edible Roadkill said:

Yawn....how much a month is all the owners will need to know.

Yawn

Another finance tw@

[kambites]

E65Ross said:

at all the "centre of gravity" comments and dynamics etc....I don't think anyone gives a flying fk. If someone enjoys it for what it is, so bloody what?

Or should we all drive around in stripped out racers because CoG etc.

I suppose it's a question of what people think the M badge should mean. Personally I'm quite happy with BMW using it simply to mean "the fastest car in the range", but many people seem to think it should indicate some sort of paragon if handling and performance in which case height of centre of gravity very much matters.

For me, M cars have always been about taking hum-drum family cars and making them remarkably good to drive considering their humble underpinnings, rather than about producing the best drivers' cars on the market. If anything they have more room to do that with a comfort-focussed SUV than with a 3-series since the 3-series is already pretty damned good to drive.

[Wills2]

Chestrockwell said:

I get the impression these won’t have a massive power difference to the M40i models as they come with 380 bhp now, they’ll all have autos and the difference may be like a standard 440i and a 440i with the MPPK.

X3/4M40i has 354hp in UK spec, I'm not sure that these will come with the S55 with 431hp or 450hp, I think they will launch with the S58 (the new and yet to be released M version of the current B58 in the 40i) and come in at around 460-480hp.

Giving a hp difference of around 100-120hp.

As an aside I also think they will be bloody expensive, 70k+

Edited by Wills2 on Tuesday 11th September 15:00

[Hoofy]

Perhaps they need to do something to sort out the image. Many people see the X3 as what people buy when they can't afford the X5 (I heard someone say that).

Let's face it, the first post was a cliché but it's not exactly incorrect. Most people will use these cars ("SUVs") for commuting, school runs, weekend shopping trips. They're just MPVs with 4WD.

BUT bks to mud plugging. We need more of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqPRwm-C_8I

[E65Ross]

Hoofy said:

Perhaps they need to do something to sort out the image. Many people see the X3 as what people buy when they can't afford the X5 (I heard someone say that).

And a 3 series is for someone who can't afford a 5, who can't afford a 7....who can't afford a Bentley Mulsanne, who can't afford a Rolls Royce Phantom....

[kambites]

Hoofy said:

Perhaps they need to do something to sort out the image. Many people see the X3 as what people buy when they can't afford the X5 (I heard someone say that).

Who cares?

I mean really, why does it matter in the slightest to a prospective owner if stupid people think like that? Buying a car on the basis of what other people will think of it is pretty sad, IMO.

I mean I couldn't afford an X5M or indeed an X3M come to that, but I don't think that's anything to be ashamed of.

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 11th September 15:16

[AmosMoses]

I bet the X3 would be a hoot on track, I quite like these, so silly!

[Funk]

chazwozza said:

Can't even be bothered to read it. Coming to a school run near you because of the badge soon.

Hah, I didn't bother after the first paragraph either - utterly pointless vehicles and they'll sell by the boatload no doubt.

[J4CKO]

I suppose it may be true that cost may be a factor when buying but some people dont want the absolute biggest.

I could have bought pretty much anything up to thirty grand which covers quite a lot of nearly new BMWs, a one series is plenty big enough for what I do, after something as big and awkward to park as a Merc CLS I wanted a smaller, but not too small car.

[9k rpm]

X3 M40i is cracking fun to drive (for an SUV) and this will no doubt be better as long as they don’t make it too stiff.

As someone with 2 kids under 2 and all the associated junk that comes with them this really appeals to me for when we Holiday in France and the rest of the time. As long as the price doesn’t seem to silly I’ll be chopping my M4 in for one. M5 is too expensive and won’t have a boot as big.

Yes yes I’ll hang my head in shame of course.

[Quickmoose]

Ares said:

I think you are allowed to drive them without a fully laden boot and passenger compartment....

I think we're all well aware of that cheers Ares, but if you'd like to narrow the bandwidth of what can and can't be discussed please go ahead and try

Some really touchy people here today....
desperate to justify when no justification is needed....

For me they're plain ugly, like the mass majority of Beemers these days, totally lost their way....(all together now!) in my opinion

[Hoofy]

E65Ross said:

Hoofy said:

Perhaps they need to do something to sort out the image. Many people see the X3 as what people buy when they can't afford the X5 (I heard someone say that).

And a 3 series is for someone who can't afford a 5, who can't afford a 7....who can't afford a Bentley Mulsanne, who can't afford a Rolls Royce Phantom....

Yep.

kambites said:

Hoofy said:

Perhaps they need to do something to sort out the image. Many people see the X3 as what people buy when they can't afford the X5 (I heard someone say that).

Who cares?

I mean really, why does it matter in the slightest to a prospective owner if stupid people think like that? Buying a car on the basis of what other people will think of it is pretty sad, IMO.

I mean I couldn't afford an X5M or indeed an X3M come to that, but I don't think that's anything to be ashamed of.

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 11th September 15:16

Well, BMW should, if they want more sales. I care, too, because the more cars that are of interest to me that are bought, the bigger the choice in the used car market.

[kambites]

Hoofy said:

Well, BMW should, if they want more sales. I care, too, because the more cars that are of interest to me that are bought, the bigger the choice in the used car market.

I'm sure BMW will be delighted if shallow people stretch to an X5 for fear of buying an X3 and being thought "poor" by complete strangers. The profit margins will be bigger on the X5.

[Wills2]

Hoofy said:

E65Ross said:

Hoofy said:

Perhaps they need to do something to sort out the image. Many people see the X3 as what people buy when they can't afford the X5 (I heard someone say that).

And a 3 series is for someone who can't afford a 5, who can't afford a 7....who can't afford a Bentley Mulsanne, who can't afford a Rolls Royce Phantom....

Yep.

kambites said:

Hoofy said:

Perhaps they need to do something to sort out the image. Many people see the X3 as what people buy when they can't afford the X5 (I heard someone say that).

Who cares?

I mean really, why does it matter in the slightest to a prospective owner if stupid people think like that? Buying a car on the basis of what other people will think of it is pretty sad, IMO.

I mean I couldn't afford an X5M or indeed an X3M come to that, but I don't think that's anything to be ashamed of.

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 11th September 15:16

Well, BMW should, if they want more sales. I care, too, because the more cars that are of interest to me that are bought, the bigger the choice in the used car market.

But in what way does that affect the sales? What someone thinks about a persons buying motivation (as you observed) It makes zero impact on the purchaser and doesn't change the number of cars available.

People buy what they want/can afford/are willing to spend (delete as appropriate) that gives you the market.

[Ranger 6]

Hoofy said:

...Most people will use these cars ("SUVs") for commuting, school runs, weekend shopping trips. They're just MPVs with 4WD.

BUT bks to mud plugging. We need more of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqPRwm-C_8I

I'm not most people and while it's not the Dakar I do have off-road history with X3s. But I have done the school run as well...

AmosMoses said:

I bet the X3 would be a hoot on track, I quite like these, so silly!

Forest tracks - yes

[Ares]

Funk said:

Hah, I didn't bother after the first paragraph either - utterly pointless vehicles and they'll sell by the boatload no doubt.

Even more utterly pointless post.

This car is no more utterly pointless than a 300bhp hot hatch or a 500bhp saloon.

[Ares]

Quickmoose said:

Ares said:

I think you are allowed to drive them without a fully laden boot and passenger compartment....

I think we're all well aware of that cheers Ares, but if you'd like to narrow the bandwidth of what can and can't be discussed please go ahead and try

Some really touchy people here today....
desperate to justify when no justification is needed....

For me they're plain ugly, like the mass majority of Beemers these days, totally lost their way....(all together now!) in my opinion

Welcome to PH. Stupidly argumentative statements elicit sarcastic responses. No narrowing required " "

[mr_fibuli]

The interesting thing about these is that I'd put money on them sharing the same engine and drive train as the next M3/M4 - "S" version of the B58 engine, ZF 8 Speed like the new M5, possibly 4wd?