Top Gear - BMW M cars: the hits and the misses

scoale · 12-19-2020, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 850CSi

I agree if we're talking pre-LCI. The LCI front end really fixed the design IMO.

As others have said I think the E92 is the real looker, second only to the E46 coupe, which is the best looking 3er of all time IMO.

Man there's a lot of 996 slander on this page. It's the most underrated and needlessly maligned 911 of all time, I will die on this hill! (And I swear it's not because I'm actively searching for its 986 lil bro...)

Agree on 996. People acting like they would chase it out of the driveway if Santa dropped it off for Christmas.

Tambohamilton · 12-19-2020, 06:46 AM

"E90/91/92 M3: hit"

...actually, that's a miss. If only there was an E91 M3!

dmk08 · 12-19-2020, 08:11 AM

Seems pretty spot on to me. Definitely agree with the F80 being a miss overall.

I dont agree with the E60 being a hit. Its rear end is as ugly as the G80 front end.

dmk08 · 12-19-2020, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 330indy

The e92M still looks fresh w/ timeless appeal & proportions .... not the e90 nor e93.
F80- We'll see how it looks in 10 years if it can hold up like the e92 has.
This G80 is an abomination sorry to say

Ha. E90 is more special and more fresh than an e92. All day every day.

Helmsman · 12-19-2020, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmk08

Ha. E90 is more special and more fresh than an e92. All day every day.

Listen to this man, he clearly knows what he is talking about.

No Boost · 12-19-2020, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///M4ster Yoda

Definitely worse. It's BMWs 996

Man there's a lot of 996 slander on this page. It's the most underrated and needlessly maligned 911 of all time, I will die on this hill! (And I swear it's not because I'm actively searching for its 986 lil bro...)

[/QUOTE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scoale

Agree on 996. People acting like they would chase it out of the driveway if Santa dropped it off for Christmas.

It's crazy to think about how screwing up small things such as headlights (egg yolk) and taillights (too big) can have an infinite negative effect on an otherwise fantastic looking car. Kinda like a cross-eyed supermodel, you'll always be focused on her one bad trait. Porsche learned from their mistake as evidenced by the universally loved 997. Hopefully BMW will also learn when they decide on the facial features of the H series. We learn more from our failures than our successes.

dmk08 · 12-19-2020, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by No Boost

Man there's a lot of 996 slander on this page. It's the most underrated and needlessly maligned 911 of all time, I will die on this hill! (And I swear it's not because I'm actively searching for its 986 lil bro...)

It's crazy to think about how screwing up small things such as headlights (egg yolk) and taillights (too big) can have an infinite negative effect on an otherwise fantastic looking car. Kinda like a cross-eyed supermodel, you'll always be focused on her one bad trait. Porsche learned from their mistake as evidenced by the universally loved 997. Hopefully BMW will also learn when they decide on the facial features of the H series. We learn more from our failures than our successes.

996 is popular.... to people who cant afford a different 911.

No Boost · 12-19-2020, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmk08

996 is popular.... to people who cant afford a different 911.

About the price of a new Corolla

Tacoma · 12-19-2020, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 330indy

The e92M still looks fresh w/ timeless appeal & proportions .... not the e90 nor e93.
F80- We'll see how it looks in 10 years if it can hold up like the e92 has.
This G80 is an abomination sorry to say

Subjective of course but I think the best looking M3's have been the E46 and F8x.

Re the E9x, I thought it looked dated the day the F8x came out, but the F8x still looks fresh IMO compared to the G8x (see comparison pic below). The disproportionate (nose in particular) look of the G8x probably doesn't help and I don't see it aging well.

Humdizzle · 12-21-2020, 03:07 AM

e9x was never really a looker for me. its behind the e46 and f80. but ahead of the e36. its claim to fame will always be the s65. its the last pure M car where the engine was built for motorsport.. not like the f80 and g80 which have engines based off the n54/n55 and b58.

e92 > e90 imo. they dropped the ball by not giving the e90 a cf roof.
f80 > f82 though

Huz-Z · 12-22-2020, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Humdizzle

My perfect M car would be a roadgoing version of the E89 Z4. But as an M coupe with the s65 v8 engine. would dump my f80 in a heartbeat. The Z3M is a bit dated now and the S54 cars are a ton of money for what they are. The z4m is just plain ugly.
]

The E89 is a great GT car but maybe not a pure sports car - I think the closest to an M version is the SDrive 35IS.

I completely disagree on the Z4M. I think that car and the E85 / E86 in general looks great now and has since it was introduced. From some guy named Clarkson:

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12948

“ The thing is, though: it did work with the Z4. This was a car that, quite simply, came too soon. Because now, when I see one, I think it’s a striking crisp and modern effort; much nicer to behold than the Mercedes SLK and a million times better than the push-me-pull-you Porsche Boxster.

So when I heard that BMW was going to let its motor sport division have a fiddle, it sounded like something truly wonderful would result. I love BMW’s M cars, and when I heard the Z4 was going to get the M3’s 3.2 litre straight six I was priapic with anticipation.

The best looking two-seater sports car with the best sporting engine of them all. Theoretically the best combination since someone said: “I wonder what cranberry juice would taste like if you put some vodka in it.”

Well, I’m sorry, but Bangle said that his influence for the Z4 was the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao. BMW had plainly had enough, so it booted its American whiz-kid upstairs, where he could do less harm. And that’s a pity, because it was at this exact moment that I realised that the “flame-surfaced” Z4 is just as striking and wonderful as the building that inspired it;

Then one day I arrived at the track to find, sitting in the early morning desert sunshine, a BMW Z4-M.”

From the original designer:

G80indy · 12-23-2020, 03:09 AM

On Top Gear, he called the z4M "woolly"

Huz-Z · 12-23-2020, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 330indy

On Top Gear, he called the z4M "woolly"

A criticism of the handling, not the looks.

Chappers 71 · 12-23-2020, 08:35 AM

Miss....all ‘M’ cars produced after 2006, with the exception of the Z4 M coupe

Helmsman · 12-23-2020, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chappers 71

Miss....all ‘M’ cars produced after 2006, with the exception of the Z4 M coupe

Yep, I'd hold tight to the 335!

Huz-Z · 12-23-2020, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chappers 71

Miss....all ‘M’ cars produced after 2006, with the exception of the Z4 M coupe

And the Z4 M roadster! Both produced until 2008.

Chappers 71 · 12-25-2020, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Yep, I'd hold tight to the 335!

I did the M car thing in the nineties mate, with a real M car

I've had the 35i for eight & a half years & it owes me nothing & at least it has the correct engine

as for hanging on to it, I'll be getting a g30 40i touring for the dog once this covid thing has eased. Less is more

Fined · 12-26-2020, 01:31 PM

It's ok if some journalist does not think your car is a hit. This thread has been as entertaining as the article.

Helmsman · 12-26-2020, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chappers 71

I did the M car thing in the nineties mate, with a real M car

I've had the 35i for eight & a half years & it owes me nothing & at least it has the correct engine

as for hanging on to it, I'll be getting a g30 40i touring for the dog once this covid thing has eased. Less is more

Dreaming back about the good old days yeah...

Reggie_2005 · 02-14-2021, 03:01 PM

F13 M6 massive hit and I don’t want to hear anything else.

Staszek · 02-15-2021, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scoale

Agree on 996. People acting like they would chase it out of the driveway if Santa dropped it off for Christmas.

Porsche people may lol!

JorgenM · 02-16-2021, 05:27 PM

I've had and driven many BMWs, but the only M car I've driven is the F80 M3 (this is Norway, the M3 costs from USD145k and up). It was a great car, brutal sound and very much a modern car.

After the test drive I got back into my Tesla S (now sold) and I finally had to admit that Tesla was crap, in almost every way. Such a downer compared to the M3, especially the interior and the driving experience.

12-19-2020, 06:46 AM	#112
Tambohamilton Brigadier General 3163 Rep 4,027 Posts Drives: E91 330d Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Herefordshire iTrader: (0)	"E90/91/92 M3: hit" ...actually, that's a miss. If only there was an E91 M3!
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12-19-2020, 08:11 AM	#113
dmk08 Gone Fishin’ 7351 Rep 12,132 Posts Drives: Walks Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Atlanta iTrader: (19)	Seems pretty spot on to me. Definitely agree with the F80 being a miss overall. I dont agree with the E60 being a hit. Its rear end is as ugly as the G80 front end.
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12-21-2020, 03:07 AM	#120
Humdizzle Brigadier General 6523 Rep 3,847 Posts Drives: 991.2 GT3 Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Missouri iTrader: (0)	e9x was never really a looker for me. its behind the e46 and f80. but ahead of the e36. its claim to fame will always be the s65. its the last pure M car where the engine was built for motorsport.. not like the f80 and g80 which have engines based off the n54/n55 and b58. e92 > e90 imo. they dropped the ball by not giving the e90 a cf roof. f80 > f82 though __________________ 2018 Porsche GT3 6MT Previous: Ferrari 458 \| R35 GTR \| F80 M3 \| F87 M2c \| E46 M3 \| E36 M3 \| Scion FRS
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12-23-2020, 03:09 AM	#122
G80indy Save the Manuals 1751 Rep 2,986 Posts Drives: Z3, E46, G80 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Indy iTrader: (0)	On Top Gear, he called the z4M "woolly" __________________ 2023 G80 6MT, CCBs 2002 330i Dinan, 5MT 2000 Z3 Conforti, 5MT
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12-23-2020, 08:35 AM	#124
Chappers 71 Major General 5952 Rep 5,704 Posts Drives: Beige G31 540ix m sport Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Kent, The Garden of England iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 G31 xdrive 40i ... [7.40] 2006 E92 335i SE [9.50]	Miss....all ‘M’ cars produced after 2006, with the exception of the Z4 M coupe __________________ G31 40ix M Sport E92 335i. E36 328is coupe E39 540i V8 6SP manual E34 3.6 M5. E34 525i sport. VW Jetta Mk2 GTI 16v. 1679cc 1967 resto-cal beetle
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12-26-2020, 01:31 PM	#128
Fined ghost user 243 Rep 248 Posts Drives: M2 \| 997 GTS Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Düsseldorf iTrader: (0)	It's ok if some journalist does not think your car is a hit. This thread has been as entertaining as the article.
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02-14-2021, 03:01 PM	#130
Reggie_2005 Second Lieutenant 219 Rep 283 Posts Drives: 2013 BMW M6 Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Cleveland, Ohio iTrader: (0)	F13 M6 massive hit and I don’t want to hear anything else. __________________ “All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.” — Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials
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02-16-2021, 05:27 PM	#132
JorgenM Private First Class 120 Rep 162 Posts Drives: Jag i-Pace and BMW i3 Join Date: May 2016 Location: NORTH iTrader: (0)	I've had and driven many BMWs, but the only M car I've driven is the F80 M3 (this is Norway, the M3 costs from USD145k and up). It was a great car, brutal sound and very much a modern car. After the test drive I got back into my Tesla S (now sold) and I finally had to admit that Tesla was crap, in almost every way. Such a downer compared to the M3, especially the interior and the driving experience.
	Appreciate 0 Quote