Cars We Drive!

[Find Finn]



Just saw one of these driving around few days ago, it gave me some batmobile vibes as it roared through the streets.

whilst on the topic of M series ~ top gear's "review" of the new m5 suggests that twin turbo v8 has more torque and hp than it's v10 predecessor making it much faster (smoked it during the "race" sequence). can this be confirmed ?

Those things are ugly and useless, see the Top gear UK test of the regular one.

It's like a lifted 5GT and it's an ugly car to begin with.

Stay away from the BMW's with the black grilles. They're not a 100% guarantee of anything and she might've had them done on vacation to the city or something, but they're the equivalent of a bird with both nipples and ******** pierced - you aren't gonna be the first to ride that thing hard. Not even the fifth.

On a newer model E90 and forward I would care, as it's a factory option and I believe it's a free option, so it's just a matter of does it suit the cars colour better than chromo.

Older cars like E39 etc. I would get it checked out a little extra, but you usually tell how it's been driven from looking at the owner.

 

[JayJay]



Saw one yesterday. Just plain ugly.

 

[impolyt_one]



On a newer model E90 and forward I would care, as it's a factory option and I believe it's a free option, so it's just a matter of does it suit the cars colour better than chromo.
Older cars like E39 etc. I would get it checked out a little extra, but you usually tell how it's been driven from looking at the owner.

I knew somebody would mention this, and let's be specific, those are BMW Individual and 'performance pack' options that are dealer or DIY installed, post-production basically - they are just a response to the tuning industry, not a design statement that BMW would really want to stand on it's own. They still make all their cars with chrome grilles.

 

[Find Finn]



I knew somebody would mention this, and let's be specific, those are BMW Individual and 'performance pack' options that are dealer or DIY installed, post-production basically - they are just a response to the tuning industry, not a design statement that BMW would really want to stand on it's own. They still make all their cars with chrome grilles.

It's in the price list here in Europe and it includes the roof rack and window trim, it comes like that from the factory, as removing the roof rack and changing it at the dealer would be a waste of time and money.

Some of the chrome trim they put on cars, is just plain ugly f.ex. the side grill on the new M5, that would look better in black.


Cheap wheels, air fresheners, styling lights and tinted windows are better tell tell signs.

 

[JayJay]



Cheap wheels, air fresheners, styling lights and tinted windows are better tell tell signs.

Maybe it's just me, but I hate tinted windows. I have no love for cheap aftermarket wheels either.

 

[impolyt_one]

Hate tinted windows too. Good aftermarket wheels don't necessarily have to be expensive, though, price and aesthetics are separate. Because Japan makes so many rims, they're often cheap and fairly good deals, granted only a few are really good looking for certain vehicles. The facilities for wheel making, especially drop-forged, are expensive and very limited, I think there's only like 2 or 3 forges in Japan, and so the market is pretty tight and the prices are within range of each other unless it's a maker's brand, like NEEZ. Meanwhile, the same forges put out anything from RAYS to Mugen to BBS - you can tell these are all mostly products of the same facility because the finishing looks the same.

I think Schnitzer wheels (when they looked nice, and were form-cast) were made by Ronal, which is not the most prestigious wheel maker out there; likewise the Hamann PG series that everybody liked was made by OZ, and for a long time (still?) OZ stuff was mostly lame, maybe not cheap, but OZ never came close to BBS. The Europeans are great at the idea of making a business from a factory OEM'ing stuff and then having their own maker's brands to fill their free time (that goes for their clothes too) - OZ, Ronal, Zender, BBS, etc - but few of the maker's brands ever reach greatness.

 

[A Y]



whilst on the topic of M series ~ top gear's "review" of the new m5 suggests that twin turbo v8 has more torque and hp than it's v10 predecessor making it much faster (smoked it during the "race" sequence). can this be confirmed ?

That is true. Also, the V10 is designed like a race engine, which means it makes its max power and torque near redline. When the E60 was testing, BMW was rumored to have set the redline near 10K RPM, because that engine could breathe at those speeds, and still make proportionally more power. Concerns for long-term reliability made them lower the redline of that engine, which still has a really high limit.

The advantage of a turbo, especially on a large-displacement engine like the new V8, is that you get torque and drivability everywhere on the RPM curve. That V8 has some really cool technical advances, and the version in the M5 has been developed further from the X5/X6 M versions.

Also, I hate tinted windows. Not only do they look dumb in the day, but the visibility and distortion at night is terrible.

 

[impolyt_one]

Completely forgot about Zender til I posted that, googled and it looks like they're not making their house brand anymore. I also got this, looks like the 350Z, except before the 350Z came out, and made from an M Roadster base instead. ooga booga. The rear end is an abomination circa 2001, don't bother to google it.

 

[JayJay]



Good aftermarket wheels don't necessarily have to be expensive, though, price and aesthetics are separate.

So true, good point. I'm referring to the cheap and ugly ones that I've seen destroy the looks of otherwise nice cars.

 

[RFX45]



That is true. Also, the V10 is designed like a race engine, which means it makes its max power and torque near redline. When the E60 was testing, BMW was rumored to have set the redline near 10K RPM, because that engine could breathe at those speeds, and still make proportionally more power. Concerns for long-term reliability made them lower the redline of that engine, which still has a really high limit.
The advantage of a turbo, especially on a large-displacement engine like the new V8, is that you get torque and drivability everywhere on the RPM curve. That V8 has some really cool technical advances, and the version in the M5 has been developed further from the X5/X6 M versions.

I'm not a 5-series fan but I got to say, the F10 is definitely so much better looking than the last E60 w/o a doubt. And for Top Gear to call the M5 the best car in the world, the new GS350 has plenty of things to improve upon to beat them be that #1.

 

[A Y]

I am partial to the E60 M5 because I got a ride in one around the Ring from Sabine.

 

[Blackhood]

How did you manage that?

 

[RFX45]

The ring is open to public when there isn't testing or racing going on iirc.
They're actually planning (or hoping) to open a ring in Nevada, hopefully they go through with it was I'd love to test out that track.

 

[zippyh]



How did you manage that?

http://www.bmw-motorsport.com/ms_en/fascination/bmw_ring_taxi

 

[A Y]



How did you manage that?

Ring Taxi as zippyh just posted, though she doesn't drive for them anymore.