[cbertels]

Originally Posted by bri1042

Serious question for you. After all these months, amidst the constant war of legitimate as well as less-legitimate appearance questions, trolling, and everything in between (not by you, specifically, but by such a variety of folk), I continue to have a personal conflict over the thought that the appearance of a car is more important than the driving experience.

If I'm buying something to hang on the dining room wall, appearance comes first, of course. But buying something to drive, appearance has always been secondary to the experience for me, so I hit a wall trying to understand how a car enthusiast can reverse that priority.

I STILL, after owning this car since March 7th, don't enjoy the appearance of my car as much as I did my M2 (though I personally thought the back end of my M2 was as atrocious as my think the front end of the G8x is). I dislike sedans overall due to the extra breaks in the side created by the rear doors and the appearance of b-pillars in general. Yet I own a sedan as function of the car overrides the aesthetic for me. Sticking with just my own reactions to the various cars on the market, the G8x doesn't come anywhere near the Tesla 3 and Y in pure horrid looks. Yet I could still BUY a 3 or a Y if I wanted what they offered as devices.

I recall the old Top Gear episode where they tried to prove that a car can be art and failed to win over the art folk they had on the show. Obviously it was done for laughs, but the point was solid. A car CAN be art despite being mass-produced, but cars that achieve that level of beauty or uniqueness are quite rare.

So, the serious question is: What is your car to you? Is it a status item? Fodder for Instagram more than a device to experience? I'm not looking for why you don't like the G8x, that's been made clear by tons of people, I'm looking for why the device matters less than the shape. Why do the aesthetic factors override the functional factors of the device (for you or anyone else that wants to actually answer the question)?

Last comment to try and make it clear that I'm not trying to start a war here: Whatever your answer is, as long as the answer works for your life and makes you happy, that's all that matters.

For me, the car must look good and be fun to drive. I've owned cars all over the spectrum, from a 1000+ hp F100 to a Cadillac hearse barely powerful enough to get out of its own way.

My current daily is the aging F80 and it's replacement must be equally fun to drive and styling to match. While looks are obviously subjective, if you don't get out and look back at the car and smile, you bought the wrong one. For me, the G80 doesn't do it. Other manufacturers might.

Narrow lap times aren't as critical as the overall fun factor. I've done enough track days to know that the fastest laps aren't typically done in the fastest cars, but by the most skilled drivers. Having bragging rights at the pub is meaningless if you can't personally back it up. With that in mind, having the slightly slower but to my eyes far better looking car such as the RS5 (which I haven't driven) may be better than the looks of the current G80.

The reason many have been outspoken on the looks like myself is due to disappointment. I love my F80 and was really excited for the new car. I was CERTAIN I'd order one but when the grill shots came, I was gutted. With electric cars marching on, this may be the last M I own, which is even more disappointing.