New BMW range

[masraum]

I don't have any sort of current magazine subscription, and I haven't regularly purchased any in several years so I'm not totally up on all of the current cars that are out. Over the past year or several months, I've come to learn that there's an M2 and and M4 in addition to the M3, M5 M6, and X6M. I was getting curious, so I checked the BMW website to try to figure out what was out there. Wow, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, X5M and X6M. No Z4 M anything, no M1. It looks like pretty much everything is a turbo now, and the 1 series has a 3 cyl. The M2-M4s are all back to straight 6 (but all turbo) and the bigger vehicles are all V-8s.

I thought that when the 1 series came out there was a very sporty option. I guess that's gone, but has been replaced by the M2. I'm guessing the M2 is kind of what the M3 used to be now that the M3 is bigger with more power. I guess the M3 and M4 are basically the same cars other than one being a 2dr coupe and the other being a 4dr sedan?

I'm a bit surprised that they don't have something more M-like at the bottom end, but I guess the Z is reasonably sporty without there being an M version. That's too bad, because I thought the old clown show M-coupe was really cool. I'm assuming that those of us that did were in a fairly small club.

Still, they seem to have a huge range of vehicles.

[McLovin]

I remember the good old days, when BMW had a total of 4 cars in their lineup.

320i, 528i, 633CSi and 733i.

And, you didn't see 6 at every intersection.

They, and almost all other cars, have become rented appliances now, which is sad.

[KNS]

Pretty much sums it up. Many reviewers have favored the M2 over the M4 (as more fun/sporty) even though BMW touts the M4 as the higher performer.

Most all of them are big and heavy and full of tech stuff.

[KNS]

Originally Posted by McLovin

And, you didn't see 6 at every intersection.

Where I work (Phoenix, AZ) I honestly think they are more common than Hondas.

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by KNS

Where I work (Scottsdale, AZ) I honestly think they are more common than Hondas.

I live here, too...agree.
I do see a fair amount of the new Fiats, also...but that's not germane here.
Here's one that I caught snooping around in front of my garage recently.
~~~~~~~

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by masraum

Still, they seem to have a huge range of vehicles.

Yeah, and their non-M models are a bit out of control. When I was looking at a 5 series a while ago, there was the M5, 550i, 550i GT, 535i, 535i GT, 535i X-drive, 535i X-drive wagon, 528i, and 528i X-drive.

Ridiculous yes, but then Porsche is guilty of the same over the years as well (C2/C2s/C4/C4s/Targa/Turbo/Turbo S/GTS/GT2/GT3/GT3 RS/etc., and that's just the 911.
Then you have all the different flavors of the Boxster, Cayman, Panamera, Cayenne, and Macan...

[Steve Carlton]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

I live here, too...agree.
I do see a fair amount of the new Fiats, also...but that's not germane here.
Here's one that I caught snooping around in front of my garage recently.

Somewhere there's an R5 that misses his daddy...

[Nickshu]

The M2 is the car that the M3 should be.

I agree the zillion models is mind boggling.

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

Somewhere there's an R5 that misses his daddy...

Oh man!...I'll take it. I always did like it in that refrigerator white.
I miss mine terribly...would love to have it back in my arms again.
.

.

[svandamme]

I drove a 116ED for a couple of months, the engine sound of that 3 cyllinder diesel was actually not bad.
It was gutless tho, but then again it was the Eco Efficient Dynamics version meant to be even more frugal with the diesel then a regular 116D would be. (in practice i think that was a bit of a stretch really, it's as frugal as the right foot makes it to be)

[Nickshu]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

Somewhere there's an R5 that misses his daddy...

Cool car.

Is that a TURBO? I'm not sure from looking at the photo.

[slow&rusty]

The new MB range is equally wide and tough to keep up with.

[onewhippedpuppy]

When they split the sedan and coupe models into their own numbers was when it jumped the shark for me. The numbering used to be common sense, now it's seemingly random. And wtf is the deal with tacking nonsense like "efficient dynamics x-drive" onto their model names?

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

When they split the sedan and coupe models into their own numbers was when it jumped the shark for me. The numbering used to be common sense, now it's seemingly random.

Even series numbers are 2 doors/coupes, odd numbers are 4 doors/sedans!

The second two digits of course used to reflect displacement, but that's been hopelessly lost.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

When they split the sedan and coupe models into their own numbers was when it jumped the shark for me. The numbering used to be common sense, now it's seemingly random. And wtf is the deal with tacking nonsense like "efficient dynamics x-drive" onto their model names?

Yup. The old "Xi" designation and badging on the rear of AWD models was more than enough. Now they put "X-Drive" badges on both sides of the front fenders.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by McLovin

Even series numbers are 2 doors/coupes, odd numbers are 4 doors/sedans!

Makes sense I suppose, now with so many models to keep track of. However, the fact that the iconic 3-series line is only available with 4 doors now is a bit sad/lame IMO.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by Nickshu

Cool car.

Is that a TURBO? I'm not sure from looking at the photo.

Yes. The Turbo was a rear mid-engine car. Rear Wheel Drive.

The engine went where the rear seat was on the standard R5.

The standard R5 ("Le Car" in the US) was front engine, FWD.

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by tcar

Yes. The Turbo was a rear mid-engine car. Rear Wheel Drive.

The engine went where the rear seat was on the standard R5.

The standard R5 ("Le Car" in the US) was front engine, FWD.

He knew...was just being sarcastic.

BTW, mine was less than 2,100 lbs. with 210 hp.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by McLovin

Even series numbers are 2 doors/coupes, odd numbers are 4 doors/sedans!

At least there's that, I guess.

The second two digits of course used to reflect displacement, but that's been hopelessly lost.

Which is seriously fubar.