RE: Next BMW M3 confirmed as all-wheel drive...

[Kenny Powers]

It will look vastly different with a license plate. I'm going to reserve judgment on the front end for now.

[RobM77]

Kenny Powers said:

It will look vastly different with a license plate. I'm going to reserve judgment on the front end for now.

E65Ross said:

Looks horrendous, although I don't think it'll look quite so bad when it has a UK number plate on it. Maybe.

There's a Focus in our office car park and it has a similar sized grill, but yes, it's obscured in its awfulness by the large UK numberplate. That said, the Focus' grill is a subtle black plastic affair, and doesn't have the prominent shiny 'labia' of the BMW example (if I can pick up on the earlier vaginal comparisons!).

That said, the X7 has its numberplate under the grill...

[Court_S]

RobM77 said:

OK, just seen this on Facebook. OMFG

Was just about to post that!

Looks like that earlier image is going ahead...

The only thing I can think of positively is that the massive grille is vertical not horizontal and thus not so overwhelming huge. It still looks st.

[E65Ross]

RobM77 said:

Kenny Powers said:

It will look vastly different with a license plate. I'm going to reserve judgment on the front end for now.

E65Ross said:

Looks horrendous, although I don't think it'll look quite so bad when it has a UK number plate on it. Maybe.

There's a Focus in our office car park and it has a similar sized grill, but yes, it's obscured in its awfulness by the large UK numberplate. That said, the Focus' grill is a subtle black plastic affair, and doesn't have the prominent shiny 'labia' of the BMW example (if I can pick up on the earlier vaginal comparisons!).

That said, the X7 has its numberplate under the grill...

Yes, and now look at the "leaked" grille and now see if you think a number plate can go under it.....

[Court_S]

DanielSan said:

It could look like this without the camo apparently.

This is suddenly looking pretty accurate.

[PorkInsider]

I keep seeing things in the press and online about the big grille being 'a thing' for the Chinese market.

I've just got back from working in Shanghai and can definitely say there was nothing with a ridiculous grille knocking about as far as I saw, even the locally manufactured stuff.

I'm sure someone is taking the piss out of BMW and getting them to sabotage the front ends of new models...

[RobM77]

E65Ross said:

RobM77 said:

Kenny Powers said:

It will look vastly different with a license plate. I'm going to reserve judgment on the front end for now.

E65Ross said:

Looks horrendous, although I don't think it'll look quite so bad when it has a UK number plate on it. Maybe.

There's a Focus in our office car park and it has a similar sized grill, but yes, it's obscured in its awfulness by the large UK numberplate. That said, the Focus' grill is a subtle black plastic affair, and doesn't have the prominent shiny 'labia' of the BMW example (if I can pick up on the earlier vaginal comparisons!).

That said, the X7 has its numberplate under the grill...

Yes, and now look at the "leaked" grille and now see if you think a number plate can go under it.....

Yes, easily, just as the Elise has done for decades: mounted in the middle, with upper and lower parts free.

[Court_S]

PorkInsider said:

I keep seeing things in the press and online about the big grille being 'a thing' for the Chinese market.

I've just got back from working in Shanghai and can definitely say there was nothing with a ridiculous grille knocking about as far as I saw, even the locally manufactured stuff.

I'm sure someone is taking the piss out of BMW and getting them to sabotage the front ends of new models...

I can't help thinking that it's all some bog joke / bet to see how ugly they can make the cars and still sell them.

Surely that's the only rational explanation?

[Julian Thompson]

Court_S said:

PorkInsider said:

I keep seeing things in the press and online about the big grille being 'a thing' for the Chinese market.

I've just got back from working in Shanghai and can definitely say there was nothing with a ridiculous grille knocking about as far as I saw, even the locally manufactured stuff.

I'm sure someone is taking the piss out of BMW and getting them to sabotage the front ends of new models...

I can't help thinking that it's all some bog joke / bet to see how ugly they can make the cars and still sell them.

Surely that's the only rational explanation?

No. Because China.

Edited to add that the Chinese do like the big grilles from a straw poll of 3 of my suppliers I asked this afternoon heheh. So that’s 3 out of many billion... but who knows!

Edited by Julian Thompson on Wednesday 23 October 16:42

[RobM77]

Court_S said:

PorkInsider said:

I keep seeing things in the press and online about the big grille being 'a thing' for the Chinese market.

I've just got back from working in Shanghai and can definitely say there was nothing with a ridiculous grille knocking about as far as I saw, even the locally manufactured stuff.

I'm sure someone is taking the piss out of BMW and getting them to sabotage the front ends of new models...

I can't help thinking that it's all some bog joke / bet to see how ugly they can make the cars and still sell them.

Surely that's the only rational explanation?

When I saw the X7 I did think it was probably testing the water or an elaborate joke, yes. I realise now though that BMW are serious! I'm really hoping it is just the M cars and coupes, as I'm on my 7th BMW and usually find that BMW offer what other manufacturers can't for my daily driver, but I don't want a car with a stupid great grill like this, I like discrete cars that blend in.

[J4CKO]

Would be good if BMW had a go at a lower cost, simpler, less powerful M car, its all getting a bit power mad.

I know they have done various Si models, that hinted at that but seems to me they get bigger, heavier and more powerful each time, when the generally regarded best ever M car is the E30 M3, even the "M lites" are a bit OTT and not very "lite"

Say a shouty 240 bhp 4 cyl, manual, circa 1200 - 1300 kilos, less kit, RWD, LSD, 1 series size, decent steering, no massive wheels, less intervention like clutch delay valves etc.

Never going to happen of course as wouldn't sell but would be ace.

[RobM77]

J4CKO said:

Would be good if BMW had a go at a lower cost, simpler, less powerful M car, its all getting a bit power mad.

I know they have done various Si models, that hinted at that but seems to me they get bigger, heavier and more powerful each time, when the generally regarded best ever M car is the E30 M3, even the "M lites" are a bit OTT and not very "lite"

Say a shouty 240 bhp 4 cyl, manual, circa 1200 - 1300 kilos, less kit, RWD, LSD, 1 series size, decent steering, no massive wheels, less intervention like clutch delay valves etc.

Never going to happen of course as wouldn't sell but would be ace.

Much like the 911R was for Porsche, or at the time, the 968 Clubsport. Of course, it's possible to create this sort of thing yourself with the wealth of aftermarket options out there, although what BMW could bring in that those others can't would be a suitable drivetrain.

[Olivera]

J4CKO said:

Say a shouty 240 bhp 4 cyl, manual, circa 1200 - 1300 kilos, less kit, RWD, LSD, 1 series size, decent steering, no massive wheels, less intervention like clutch delay valves etc.

Never going to happen of course as wouldn't sell but would be ace.

You've pretty much exactly described a GT86. Yes the bhp is a bit less, but that is solved with the Litchfield Stage 1 pack (+25bhp).

[Ares]

Wills2 said:

I did 90,000 miles in 33 months in a new F80 M3, it was serviced 5 times in that period as per the CBS, it never missed a beat it's still in the local area and still driving beautifully with zero issues 12 months later, some people really don't know what they are on about and think we're still in the 70's when it comes to car servicing.

You can of course avoid all these issues you describe and pony up for a new car.....

Exactly this.... Even in the Alfa with a higher tuned and Italian engine, the CBS is comfortably enough. Modern cars don't need the level of servicing older cars did. I've just had mine in for it's 3rd service. Oil came out looking like it could do another 5k+, serviced before there were any issues. Even the QV technician said they could have increased the serviced intervals by 50% with zero issues, but for the level or prudence and caution they'd built in for such a new and high-profile launch for the brand.

[Ares]

tim milne said:

"Any BMW M3 news is big news on PistonHeads - there are dozens of owners on here, the cars remain top searches on the classifieds, and they make great feature fodder, too. It's the archetypal BMW M car, so big changes are treated with some suspicion, as in the outgoing version using a turbocharged engine."

Justification for this non-story

Few cars have excited the average petrolhead as much as the M3 over its life. It remains the benchmark sports saloon.

Begs the question, what do you drive that makes a new M3 appear to be a 'non-story'

[RemyMartin81D]

Court_S said:

I can't help thinking that it's all some bog joke / bet to see how ugly they can make the cars and still sell them.

Surely that's the only rational explanation?

I've made this joke also and now I'm convinced it's what's going on.

Those grilles are the worst I've seen on any car of all time lol. I hope it's fake.

[Ares]

Terminator X said:

PhantomPH said:

The (admittedly limited) view looks really nice. I've never been a huge fan of BMW interiors, but if the current version is nice, I could be very tempted.

The body coloured bit around the exhausts is "marmite"

TX.

Helps if you read the article to see it isn't the finished diffuser

[Ares]

TheAngryDog said:

RobM77 said:

OK, just seen this on Facebook. OMFG

This cannot be real, surely? It looks like someone at BMW forgot to lock away the designs while they went for a liquid lunch and the tea boy, who is a huge Audi fan, decided to add the comically bad grills while they were out. Upon returning to the drawings, the now slightly inebriated designer couldn't remember if they were there pre-lunch, so decided it was best to leave them in, just in case. No one then questioned it all the way to production.

Now picture it with the number plate right across the middle...... It'll look like normal BMW grille

[RemyMartin81D]

Ares said:

Now picture it with the number plate right across the middle...... It'll look like normal BMW grille

It really won't. Lol.

[Burwood]

Ares said:

TheAngryDog said:

RobM77 said:

OK, just seen this on Facebook. OMFG

This cannot be real, surely? It looks like someone at BMW forgot to lock away the designs while they went for a liquid lunch and the tea boy, who is a huge Audi fan, decided to add the comically bad grills while they were out. Upon returning to the drawings, the now slightly inebriated designer couldn't remember if they were there pre-lunch, so decided it was best to leave them in, just in case. No one then questioned it all the way to production.

Now picture it with the number plate right across the middle...... It'll look like normal BMW grille

When industry commentators said the 4 Series 'Concept' grill would be toned down, i guess they really did