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Post by Martin on Oct 1, 2018 13:02:05 GMT
Leaked via the configurator a day early. No big surprises, in fact no surprises as all! DriveNation |
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Post by Blarno on Oct 1, 2018 13:23:36 GMT
It's basically a Giulia with a propeller badge.
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Post by Andy C on Oct 1, 2018 14:21:38 GMT
No great surprises but it does look good
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Oct 1, 2018 14:26:00 GMT
It's basically a Giulia with a propeller badge. Which is basically a 3-series with an Alfa badge. It's amazing how, with each successive generation, BMWs, Audis, and Mercedes (and now Alfa) are just gradually morphing into each other, with identical profiles. |
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Post by PetrolEd on Oct 1, 2018 16:12:37 GMT
Not a fan of the overstyled front end, reminiscent of a Lexus and the less aggressive body like a c class merc.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 16:40:48 GMT
No surprises there, but one only has to look at the last few generations of the C Class and Audi A4 to see how little ze Germans are willing to stray when it comes to their core audience motors.
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Post by johnc on Oct 1, 2018 16:44:32 GMT
It's OK but not something that grabs you and says I must have that!
Dash is pretty good though and a cross between Mercs joint flat screens and Audis well separated screens - it's a nice balance. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 16:50:38 GMT
Meh.
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Post by Martin on Oct 1, 2018 18:13:13 GMT
Nice to see proper round exhaust pipes. I assume the lack of gear selector is just an issue with the image?
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Post by cbeaks1 on Oct 1, 2018 20:01:27 GMT
Nice to see proper round exhaust pipes. I assume the lack of gear selector is just an issue with the image? Looks like it. The side pic on the Autocar site still has the stumpy knob. |
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Post by Martin on Oct 1, 2018 20:11:47 GMT
Nice to see proper round exhaust pipes. I assume the lack of gear selector is just an issue with the image? Looks like it. The side pic on the Autocar site still has the stumpy knob. So it does, although it’s a lot stumpier than the current ones. The Autocar picture also show that the M340i doesn’t have round pipes. |
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Post by Big Blue on Oct 1, 2018 21:15:31 GMT
They need to get that grille designer and strangle the twat! It will be the best of the set (Audi, Merc, BMW, Alfa) dynamically. Bit too fussy: look at an E46 or E90 and then compare them to this swoopy-lined busyness. The front end will be horribly dated by 2021.
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Post by michael on Oct 2, 2018 7:44:05 GMT
Far too much going on there for that to be considered attractive.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Oct 2, 2018 8:38:08 GMT
For my money, there are so many restrictions now around safety, packaging, aerodynamics, fixed points for multi-use platforms etc, the cars practically design themselves and the designers' role is limited to see what they can do with £500 worth of headlights, grille and plastic bumpers to make a car stand out.
You've now go a 3 series that looks like a 5 series and a 7 series that is practically indistinguishable from a 5 series. I think BMW have been here before. Is Bangle still about?
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Post by Roadrunner on Oct 2, 2018 9:25:01 GMT
What a mess.
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Post by johnc on Oct 2, 2018 12:02:36 GMT
At least the new M340i is going to get 378HP and XDrive. I have just had a good look on the BMW website and it really isn't a looker from the outside (The C Class is much better looking and dare I say it, sportier looking). The inside though, I like.
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Post by PG on Oct 2, 2018 12:09:43 GMT
They need to get that grille designer and strangle the twat! It will be the best of the set (Audi, Merc, BMW, Alfa) dynamically. Bit too fussy: look at an E46 or E90 and then compare them to this swoopy-lined busyness. The front end will be horribly dated by 2021. This. There is so much going on, on almost every panel or surface. The front and rear bumpers are just a complete mis-mash of lines, swoops, creases and twiddles. Why? Time was cars had a pleasing generic shape - but you could still tell a BMW from a Lexus and so on. Apart from the awful wanky instruments, the interior looks good. |
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Oct 2, 2018 12:59:11 GMT
They need to get that grille designer and strangle the twat! It will be the best of the set (Audi, Merc, BMW, Alfa) dynamically. Bit too fussy: look at an E46 or E90 and then compare them to this swoopy-lined busyness. The front end will be horribly dated by 2021. I was never a fan of the E90 (despite having an E91) as I thought it dated quite quickly as a saloon and the wide shutlines did it no favours. The E46 looked OK in the higher spec but the cooking versions were a bit wank. My mother had a 318i and it was dull as dishwater from a styling pint of view. I've looked on the Autocar site and maybe I've been a bit harsh on this new 3-series - I quite like it. |
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Post by Tim on Oct 2, 2018 13:05:15 GMT
I've just had a look on the BMW website and while its not too bad - and will become increasingly attractive given time - there are just so many things going on.
What appears to be the sporty model - in Estoril Blue on the website - has about 50% of the kidney grilles blanked off in gloss black but its quite clear to see and looks untidy.
There are so many scoops, scallops and vents that its going to be a nightmare to clean and on the 340i you have a bulge in the lower rear bumper around each of the exhaist pipes yet even the bulges have numerous styling creases across them.
I think if they just simplified it a little it'd be so much better.
Agree with Bob about the older cars, the 2 E46 320d ESs we had were pretty dull to look at compared with a more sporty version.
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Post by johnc on Oct 2, 2018 13:48:35 GMT
But an E46 M3 was a thing of beauty, as was what appeared the most popular coupe in history, the E46 330ci
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Post by Tim on Oct 2, 2018 14:01:50 GMT
Yup, I was referring to the less sportily addended ES or SE versions.
I had 2, both on 7 spoke 16 inch wheels, and without the extra bodywork stuff that came on the 330Ci or M3 - pretty restrained by modern standards - the basic E46 looks plain.
It probably doesn't help that mine were white and silver.
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Post by racingteatray on Oct 2, 2018 22:34:47 GMT
The kidney grille is ugly. It bothers me that the door handles are at different heights. And the back looks like the latest A4. And apparently the only version I would buy has stupid trapezoidal exhausts.
I should have been a car designer. I would have done a much better job.
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Post by grampa on Oct 4, 2018 8:18:20 GMT
Just as well buy a 10 year old example, and add a private plate - no one apart from a BMW aficionado will be able to tell the difference. I think even I would have just assumed it was a facelift if the first time I saw one was on the road.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Oct 4, 2018 15:58:35 GMT
Just as well buy a 10 year old example, and add a private plate - no one apart from a BMW aficionado will be able to tell the difference. I think even I would have just assumed it was a facelift if the first time I saw one was on the road. I've had four 3-series M-Sports over the last year (2.0 diesel & 2.0 petrol) and they've all come well optioned and all with Harmon-Kardon. There are going to be some very good deals on these run out models over the next year or so. |
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Post by clunes on Oct 4, 2018 22:37:07 GMT
How did the 2.0 petrol (assuming its the turbo) feel? I'm keeping an eye on the market should I need to change car due to current circumstances and a BMW 320i Touring could be interesting as they seem to reliably map to nigh on 280 as its the same motor as in the 328 (bar some piston changes it seems).
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Oct 5, 2018 7:35:34 GMT
How did the 2.0 petrol (assuming its the turbo) feel? I'm keeping an eye on the market should I need to change car due to current circumstances and a BMW 320i Touring could be interesting as they seem to reliably map to nigh on 280 as its the same motor as in the 328 (bar some piston changes it seems). I've been very impressed with it. If you'd have asked me 6 months ago about buying a cooking 3 series I'd have said 2.0 diesel all day long for its mix of performance and frugality. However, the petrol is smooth, pretty lively and still gets 40 mpg easily. I don't know what the price difference is (if any) between the petrol and the diesel but I think I've swung towards the former if I ever buy one again. From a tax point of view it doesn't matter to me at the moment as I'm still getting taxed on a diesel's CO2. |
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Post by Tim on Oct 5, 2018 10:53:56 GMT
Is the 2 litre petrol engine a more willing revver than the diesel?
I know it could be a silly question but looking at the power output on some of these lesser turbo petrols they seem to develop max power at diesel revs and the 320d engine is actually quite a sweet revver, at least in the F30.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Oct 5, 2018 11:02:55 GMT
Is the 2 litre petrol engine a more willing revver than the diesel? I know it could be a silly question but looking at the power output on some of these lesser turbo petrols they seem to develop max power at diesel revs and the 320d engine is actually quite a sweet revver, at least in the F30. Yes it does rev better than the diesel - smoother and, obviously, to higher revs. |
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Post by Tim on Oct 5, 2018 11:04:23 GMT
Is the 2 litre petrol engine a more willing revver than the diesel? I know it could be a silly question but looking at the power output on some of these lesser turbo petrols they seem to develop max power at diesel revs and the 320d engine is actually quite a sweet revver, at least in the F30. Yes it does rev better than the diesel - smoother and, obviously, to higher revs.
Cheers. I might consider it for the next car then. A basic 320i on 16 inch wheels and balloon tyres to cope with the shitty roads.
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Post by johnc on Oct 6, 2018 9:11:43 GMT
I've worked out what I don't like about the side of the new 3 Series - the top crease in too high and sharp (leaving the door handles in no-mans land) and the gentle curve that runs down the middle of the doors is too pronounced and should probably be concave instead of convex. Hope the next 4 Series looks better.
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