[dopper99]

Came across these pictures of F3x LCI testing. Aside from the front end cosmetic changes, I couldn't help notice the ride height of the 3 different cars shown, an estate and red and black saloon. Seems a much lower ride height to me than the current F3x and looks really nice. Not dissimilar to how the E9x M Sport looks.
Will the LCI look like this I wonder? Could we be getting improved/revised suspension? If not, then why test a car with non production suspension components on it?

http://paultan.org/2014/08/06/bmw-f3...-facelift-005/

[ukbeemerboy]

Ride height looks like any non xDrive model to me. Our 320d looks like that. Those cars probably look a little lower due to all the testing equipment on board maybe....

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by ukbeemerboy

Ride height looks like any non xDrive model to me. Our 320d looks like that. Those cars probably look a little lower due to all the testing equipment on board maybe....

I've just took this from a random 330d M Sport on Autotrader..... seems higher than the pics above.....
You have virtually the thickness of the tyre wall in gap between the tyre and the wheel arch. (Not a criticism by the way, just an observation!!! ). Now go look at those pics again.

[....,,,,..,,..]

Looks a bit too low for me, IF it is released that low then would not buy one.

Some of the roads / tracks I use need better ground clearance.

For example a lot of tracks are lower at the sides than the Middle of the track.

Seen quite a few cars loose bits of front plastics.

[JB14]

Definitely looks 10-15mm lower at the front than mine and the back may be a gnat's whisker lower.

I like it, though the tourer is towing in the pic so that would drop the back, so in which case the front looks pretty well balanced to me.

However, the urban speed mogels can be just as devastating to the front end as those tracks Brigand.

[335dJa]

The ride height issue thickened this week for me. My dad has just got himself a 13plate 330dx msport workhorse, I parked next to it in my 335dx msport. There was a noticeable difference in ride height, at least 15mm, it looked nearly 30mm at the wing mirrors. I'm not sure if he has adaptive though.
:-/

[MarkG_M5Comp]

What I see from looking at the pictures is that the black one looks higher than my (ACS equipped) F30 and of the other two, one has a trailer hitched up and the other is cornering.

I don't expect anything drastically different.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by dopper99

....Could we be getting improved/revised suspension? If not, then why test a car with non production suspension components on it?

I'm sure it will be revised, even if not an LCI feature, BMW often improve suspension through a life cycle. Take the E90/1 models, suspension changed even ahead of the LCI launch.

As to the mule cars, we don't know what is being tested, could be a version of sport/performance suspension, loaded with kit or simply simulating a loaded vehicle, all will have a bearing on ride height. Sometimes pictures of mule cars ride very high, remember some markets have rough road suspension options, so again pictures don't tell it all.

HighlandPete

[ukbeemerboy]

Originally Posted by dopper99

I've just took this from a random 330d M Sport on Autotrader..... seems higher than the pics above.....
You have virtually the thickness of the tyre wall in gap between the tyre and the wheel arch. (Not a criticism by the way, just an observation!!! ). Now go look at those pics again.

I'll agree they look lower than that one on Autotrader however the top picture is going through a bend at speed, the second looks like it's accelerating and possibly turning and the third is towing a trailer.

I've no doubt there maybe suspension revisions for LCI, then again the F10 5 series LCI was so subtle you'd need them paked next to each other to "spot the differences". From the pictures it's apparent they aren't changing the rear at all as it is camouflaged in any way.