Cars We Drive!

[impolyt_one]



This is for you GF: http://jalopnik.com/this-aston-martin-rapide-wagon-is-sextastic-426967613

Have never wanted to have a family so bad in my life. This thing is amazing.

 

[GreenFrog]

impolyt, you're back!

was wondering where you had gone

 

[impolyt_one]

Mr. Moo tattled on me for some typical bad boy ****.

I need that Aston wagon, the Lamborghini Estoque, and an Aventador Roadster - garage complete.

 

[Mr Martini]

This thread should be re titled " car and driver" with all this talk of 3 series and range rovers.

 

[GreenFrog]



Mr. Moo tattled on me for some typical bad boy ****.

I need that Aston wagon, the Lamborghini Estoque, and an Aventador Roadster - garage complete.

Wait, no 458? CGT? E9X M3?

 

[razl]



Never really cared for Range Rovers. They all look the same to me: boxy, boring, and heavy as ****.

If I were to get an SUV, it'd most def. be a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

With that being said, let me introduce to you the hideous abomination that is the 2014 Cherokee:

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING

3 days ago when I first saw this, I thought the exact same thing.

It's been 3 days and I'm not so aghast any more.

I can't figure out if it's that the shock value is wearing off or, heaven forbid, I'm coming around - but, somehow, I'm almost seeing it working. Maybe they just lept an evolutionary stage too fast, but I dare say they might somehow be on the right track. I dunno.

 

[GreenFrog]



3 days ago when I first saw this, I thought the exact same thing.

It's been 3 days and I'm not so aghast any more.

I can't figure out if it's that the shock value is wearing off or, heaven forbid, I'm coming around - but, somehow, I'm almost seeing it working. Maybe they just lept an evolutionary stage too fast, but I dare say they might somehow be on the right track. I dunno.

Interesting. I agree, it's not as shockingly abhorrent anymore, but it's just the split headlights that kills it for me. If it weren't for that, I'd still think it'd look a bit cheesy and over-the-top, but I could definitely come around to appreciating it over time.

Why can't we just stick to 1-piece headlights and a separate pair of fog lights?!

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

ZHP has hotter cams, different software, different springs and dampers, along with different interior and exterior cosmetics. 10 HP on paper doesn't sound like much but the car drives more differently than its specs would suggest. I remember when they first came out and someone brought a very new one to the racetrack. We all thought it wouldn't be a big deal, because of its modest specs, but it was a very impressive car, almost a good substitute for not having a 4-door E46 M3.

It's a cult car, but fully deserving of its reputation. And it's great when people keep and take care of their cars. The environmental cost of manufacturing new cars is something most people don't consider when they buy a hybrid or some other high MPG car in order to be more environmentally friendly.

As for overpriced, who cares? If someone's willing to pay the price, then it doesn't really matter.

Different cams: yes.
Different software: yes but most enthusiasts shark their cars anyway which does about the same thing (increase hp/torque, higher redline and removes top speed governor)
Different springs: No. Same as in sport package
Different shocks: Same as in pre-04 sport package

Most of the mods were cosmetic

A wouldn't call it a cult car. The E36 M3 Lightweight was a cult car. The E46 M3 CSL was a cult car. E46 zhp? Not so much

 

[impolyt_one]

You guys didn't get the CSL though - reasonable to consider the ZCP 330i and M3 as at least enthusiast specific packages amongst US spec stuff. Any BMW special edition in America used to be rare and usually hotted up uniquely - there was an E34 540i/6 that came with M-tech and 8-series brakes, and M-parallel spoke forged wheels. Those are hard to come by and similar to the 330i ZCP in attitude. Also, did the regular 330i have a 5 speed?

 

[jet]

The funniest thing to me is that an options package moniker was widely dubbed by the enthusiast populace as a model differentiation.

Yo dawg I got me a e46 pp (premium package) 330ci.

 

[A Y]



Different cams:  yes.  
Different software: yes but most enthusiasts shark their cars anyway which does about the same thing (increase hp/torque, higher redline and removes top speed governor)
Different springs:  No.  Same as in sport package
Different shocks:  Same as in pre-04 sport package

Most of the mods were cosmetic

A wouldn't call it a cult car.  The E36 M3 Lightweight was a cult car.  The E46 M3 CSL was a cult car.  E46 zhp? Not so much

Yup same springs and dampers as the sport suspension, but different control arms. I also forgot that it has a shorter ratio final drive and probably its own exhaust.

The other important distinction is that it has engine mods that are legal in all 50 states. 3rd party cams will be illegal in California, and the software is tuned specifically for that cam profile with a factory warranty. Conforti makes good stuff and many (not most) enthusiasts use it, but pulling that all together (cams, exhaust, intake) in one package that works well takes some amount of effort.

As for a cult car, given its desirability (as reflected by its "overpriced" prices), relative rarity, and the way it seems to divide opinion, it is a cult car by definition.

i_o, early regular E46 330i models had 5-speed manual transmissions. The 6-speeds had the same gearing for the 1st 5 gears, with the 6th being an overdrive.

 

[whiteslashasian]

Surprisingly, I'm liking the discussions about the new RR, Cherokee, and the more rare packages on *gasp* several generations old BMW 3 series'!

 

[Find Finn]



Have never wanted to have a family so bad in my life. This thing is amazing.

You can put the dog in the backseat, problem solved.

 

[Find Finn]



3 days ago when I first saw this, I thought the exact same thing.

It's been 3 days and I'm not so aghast any more.

I can't figure out if it's that the shock value is wearing off or, heaven forbid, I'm coming around - but, somehow, I'm almost seeing it working. Maybe they just lept an evolutionary stage too fast, but I dare say they might somehow be on the right track. I dunno.

Headlights are way too small, the same thing goes for the new Quattroporte.

 

[idfnl]



The full vid if you can endure it. Awkward

This has to be faked.