[Longboarder]

Two observations after seeing these reviews.

Whether you agree with Chris Harris or not, his appeal as an auto journalist is very apparent. Another journalist can say the same things but it seems much more genuine from Chris and perhaps contrived with other reviewers.

The F80 M3CS is a good buy right now.

[Tacoma]

Originally Posted by simpelton

My take on CH review is that he didn't think very highly of the car. Competent yes but he prefers the generations prior, transmission, weight, character. He loved the f80 from his first review, didn't feel the same to me in this.
You watch his recent video on the 992 gt3 and he's like a kid, that's when you know that Chrissy likes.

There's a lot of confirmation bias going on here as those who were positive on the car before mostly heard the positive spins, while those who had reservations or didn't like it, heard the other side.

My take is consistent with your view that CH, as a journalist, tried to point out the pros and cons, trying to be as fair as possible, knowing reviews are inherently subjective. And the biggest subjective from CH that I heard is that the car was not as fun to drive. This brings me back to the old days whenever C&D and other reviewers did a comparison test and the Benz or Audi ticked enough boxes to win on paper but, despite that, they pick the BMW because of the "fun factor." Those days are gone.

And finally, I absolutely agree that if you read between the lines and look at his muted reaction compared to other reviews where CH really liked the car, that he did not think highly of the G8x. Indeed, I am reminded of his review of the F80 when it first came out and his reaction was like that of a giddy kid on Christmas morning repeating superlatives like "This is spectacular, I think" or "It moves the game massively from the last car [E9x M3]" or "It's just stupendous!" or "Wow, wow, wow!" - and you know when he reeealy likes a car and when he's, like, meh.

Here was CH's F80 review. And this was the base F80, not CP or CS modesls. You can easily tell he's a lot less excited driving the G80.

[Jcali86]

I love how the M2 owners and F8x owners are all body language experts who can pick apart Chris' secret communications that all align with their opinions and car choices
He clearly loved it, it's also clearly not the revolution the F8x was over the E9x or a small fun car like the M2 is; he looks more excited in his hot hatch reviews than he does in some super cars, I'm not going to take from that they are better cars though lol

[Advevo]

Most reviewers or journalists won’t give a real honest opinion. They also want the next car brought to their house for testing.

I have owned a Porsche GT3 and almost all m3, 1m, m2. I have raced and done lots of rally driving.

For me the f80 was already over the limit of weight and size i sold it after a few month of ownership. The 1m coupe was the sweetspot for me. I have an M2c manual now with 2 lightweight recaro seats. It is ok but the 1m size and weight was better.

As a fast daily family car the m3 is ok if you like the front teeth. For me thats not worth the M badge on the boot and the cost of it purely for daily and family outings. I am not taking an 1800kg boat to the track.

As an example i have a Yaris GR 1280 kg awd rally special. That thing delivers. Yes it s no luxury product like an heavy M car. But as a driver and fun car you wil not find anything better.

I have m2c manual next to it and it is standing in the garage because for pleasure and fun i take the yaris GR. For long journey s i take the m2c or my wifes X1 2.5. For some bigger tracks i take the m2c with me.

[Matteus]

Oh dear.
- 'Like a 340i'
- no feel steering
- too heavy
- Auto box worse than the old DCT
- poor ride comfort on domestic roads (UK)
- Very expensive for what it is - £75k (UK)
- Sounds pretty awful (eg vs C63)
- Beaten by Alfa in 2 independent tests, a car which is now 5 years old

And that's not even mentioning the styling at the front........

Can we assume a raft of order cancellations? Probably not, but I would if I'd ordered one.

[Nkr15]

Originally Posted by Jcali86

I love how the M2 owners and F8x owners are all body language experts who can pick apart Chris' secret communications that all align with their opinions and car choices
He clearly loved it, it's also clearly not the revolution the F8x was over the E9x or a small fun car like the M2 is; he looks more excited in his hot hatch reviews than he does in some super cars, I'm not going to take from that they are better cars though lol

Yeah man can't you tell he is an automotive god? We are morons that look forward to the g80 you need to go find an f80 or some other dinosaur bmw. Honestly bmw should just make the same cars from 2015 don't make anything newer it's pointless. Also don't forget to then save your pennies and pray you can buy a GT3 because Chris Harris smiled more times per minute in that YouTube video! It's only $200,000 vs $70,000 but it's the same man I swear!

[Jcali86]

Originally Posted by Nkr15

Yeah man can't you tell he is an automotive god? We are morons that look forward to the g80 you need to go find an f80 or some other dinosaur bmw. Honestly bmw should just make the same cars from 2015 don't make anything newer it's pointless. Also don't forget to then save your pennies and pray you can buy a GT3 because Chris Harris smiled more times per minute in that YouTube video! It's only $200,000 vs $70,000 but it's the same man I swear!

This is literally what I think F8X owners want. An F8X run out model with the S58? The post above you picking only the negative responses and assuming we'll cancel our orders is indicative of their thought processes; we're just gonna ignore the 9/10 review from top gear, which included CH's input, or the multiple glowing reviews and excited journalists enjoying the cars and praising multiple elements just to fit your narrative are we? LOL

If anything I took away that it's faster than the F8X by quite a lot, not as unnecessarily raw; seeing as it spends 99% of its life on the road that's great. The gear box is no longer as aggressive thankfully, as the F8x is awful at lower speed. It's comfortable but still able to turn it up when you want it from comfort to sport+. The interior is a worlds apart in terms of being advanced from the 2010 level F8x, a huge plus. Loads of technology, which I love.

The xdrive model is going to be an absolute monster and I cannot wait to get this car, I was excited before but now I'm hyped!!

[Salespunk]

As I have said all along, the G80 is the spiritual successor to the E39 M5. It is no longer designed to be a raw driving experience any longer. Instead, it is a car you can take your wife or clients to dinner/lunch in and still have some fun on a freeway offramp sometimes.

It is not a driver's car, it is a compromise.

[annabellapizza]

Originally Posted by scoobysaurus

I've generally moved away from BMWs after having 3 in quick succession. The G80 I suppose will be the one that brings me back to the brand as opposed to a lot of other people that hate it and ironically want to move to brands that offer 'better aesthetics and feel'. Despite being one of the people that's already done that, the G80 feels so special (yes I love the grill too) to the point that I want to buy a brand new BMW again. That was the point I was trying to make hence the 'on a personal note.'

At least I'm actually considering getting a G8X and sharing my views after watching the reviews instead of attacking others for theirs. Seems like I might have struck a nerve.

Cheer up and have a nice day.

No nerves struck here man. Hope you have a good day my man, enjoy those cars!

[RugbyBro]

Y’all need to stop getting butt hurt over CH (both sides). He said it is a great car that is very capable and the likely owners will really enjoy it. At the same time, he clearly wasn’t as excited by the experience than F8X but that just adds more credence to G8X being a less raw experience. CH likes cars with a lot of “personality”, he always has (been watching him since his autocar/evo days). Overall it seemed like a very fair assessment to me and not just a rehash of press kit talking points.

Also I see you M2CS owners low key trying to flex on here

[M3AWD]

Originally Posted by bm323

Now this is an extremely complimentary review, very good ... note at 19:40 when he started the engine and 20:40 to 24:10 when he talked about "steering" ... this is different from the other "steering" which some (pretentious and some not) enthusiasts like to appear to talk about

I agree --- if you don't know Mr. AMG you would think this is just a BMW fanboy praising BMW & ///M division. I'm happy to hear his positive feedback

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Jcali86

I love how the M2 owners and F8x owners are all body language experts who can pick apart Chris' secret communications that all align with their opinions and car choices
He clearly loved it, it's also clearly not the revolution the F8x was over the E9x or a small fun car like the M2 is; he looks more excited in his hot hatch reviews than he does in some super cars, I'm not going to take from that they are better cars though lol

Exactly....plus, considering he owns an M2, there's some preference there as well.

[Bumpinjeep]

One More

[heavyD^2]

Originally Posted by Longboarder

Two observations after seeing these reviews.

Whether you agree with Chris Harris or not, his appeal as an auto journalist is very apparent. Another journalist can say the same things but it seems much more genuine from Chris and perhaps contrived with other reviewers.

The F80 M3CS is a good buy right now.

I like Chris Harris but I don't agree with all of his reviews. For example he thinks the MK7 Golf R is better overall than the Civic Type R. I owned an MK7 and can say without a doubt the Golf R is nowhere near as capable a car as the Civic Type R.

[EXE46]

Originally Posted by Salespunk

As I have said all along, the G80 is the spiritual successor to the E39 M5. It is no longer designed to be a raw driving experience any longer. Instead, it is a car you can take your wife or clients to dinner/lunch in and still have some fun on a freeway offramp sometimes.

It is not a driver's car, it is a compromise.

Lol, what are your credentials? Are you a pro racer? Funny how professionals who race cars for a living don't share your delusion.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Tacoma

There's a lot of confirmation bias going on here as those who were positive on the car before mostly heard the positive spins, while those who had reservations or didn't like it, heard the other side.

My take is consistent with your view that CH, as a journalist, tried to point out the pros and cons, trying to be as fair as possible, knowing reviews are inherently subjective. And the biggest subjective from CH that I heard is that the car was not as fun to drive. This brings me back to the old days whenever C&D and other reviewers did a comparison test and the Benz or Audi ticked enough boxes to win on paper but, despite that, they pick the BMW because of the "fun factor." Those days are gone.

And finally, I absolutely agree that if you read between the lines and look at his muted reaction compared to other reviews where CH really liked the car, that he did not think highly of the G8x. Indeed, I am reminded of his review of the F80 when it first came out and his reaction was like that of a giddy kid on Christmas morning repeating superlatives like "This is spectacular, I think" or "It moves the game massively from the last car [E9x M3]" or "It's just stupendous!" or "Wow, wow, wow!" - and you know when he reeealy likes a car and when he's, like, meh.

Here was CH's F80 review. And this was the base F80, not CP or CS modesls. You can easily tell he's a lot less excited driving the G80.

A few takeaways from this older F8X review:

• It was the first modern turbocharged M3, so coming from the V8 it was an exciting proposition. The G8X review he gave lacks some of that excitement since we've been living with the turbos for quite some time.
• His comments about front axle grip, being able to get the rear out on command, etc. were almost the same in both the F8X and G8X reviews.
• He compared the sound of the S55 to a 335D. He loves those lower model 3 Series comparisons I suppose. <shrug>
• He raves about the steering in both reviews.
• His settings are about the same in both reviews.

Without the aesthetics debate and with a DCT rather than an AT, I think the reviews are more alike than different.

[Hulk Smash]

[Rick955]

Review overload! We've been waiting and asking for these reviews for months and now we have them in bunches! For the most part, they are very positive. Some like certain aspects of the car like the steering and chassis, while others aren't so thrilled. Some are fine with the new auto, while some either didn't or were in the middle... DCT better for A but non-DCT better for B. I think some people here (haters perhaps?), just focus on the negative tidbits in every one of these reviews, even if they are generally positive as a whole. Even the 911 vs M one was interesting with one guy at the end going for the M and the other really on the fence, they said it best... it depends on what YOU WANT the car for. I'm not going anywhere near a track. Without all the pricey options, you can still get an M3 Comp with the wonderful S58, carbon trim, exec pkg, and still have it for under $80k USD. It can accommodate people in the back seat, has a real trunk, and is a hell of a lot of fun and if you want to push it and will let you do so all day long... then go back to comfy DD mode. I'm not crazy about those grills either, and find myself actually looking at darker colors ,(which I'd normally pass on here in New England), just to help reduce the emphasis on the grill. But outside of that, it's a heck of a car. I'll probably wait for the hype to die down and see what the AWD does, but for now, it's fun to watch all the reviews, and all the forum "banter".

[RugbyBro]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

• It was the first modern turbocharged M3, so coming from the V8 it was an exciting proposition. The G8X review he gave lacks some of that excitement since we've been living with the turbos for quite some time.
• His comments about front axle grip, being able to get the rear out on command, etc. was almost the same in both the F8X and G8X reviews.
• He raves about the steering in both reviews.
• His settings are about the same in both reviews.

Exactly this, I mentioned this in an earlier post but CH has his preferences and they have been very consistent over time. It makes him quite a good milepost to judge whether you'd like a car relative to your own preferences regardless on whether you agree with him or not. He was always going to like the G8X drive (as even us F8X guys would, in spite of our grievances and resistance to its "quirks") as fundamentally it is an iterated and more refined F8X. I have no doubt some of us F8X snobs will actually enjoy the drive more than we expect, as much as, some G8X cheerleaders will realize it isn't the unicorn they've talked it up to be or been talked into being.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by M2CS

The launches will be tricky, but the AWD G8X's are going to hopefully produce R35 slingshot launches and murder these 1/4 runs while also producing loads of consistent grip at the track.

[m630]

Originally Posted by Salespunk

As I have said all along, the G80 is the spiritual successor to the E39 M5. It is no longer designed to be a raw driving experience any longer. Instead, it is a car you can take your wife or clients to dinner/lunch in and still have some fun on a freeway offramp sometimes.

It is not a driver's car, it is a compromise.

This is the reality that some cannot accept. The M3 is now the M5 of old days, and its a different demo. When I was younger, while I luved the E39 M5, I desired an M3, i wanted something small and fun and thats what an M3 was and never would consider a car the M5 size.

Now, its a big luxury cruiser with lots and lots of power, nothing wrong with that statement, its just not an M3.

Im at a diff point of life and I see this G80 as a big comfy powerful car and have to decide if its worth it. The things that some or perhaps many didnt like about the F80, i luved. I luved the raw feel, i luved dct and the way it felt special down low, its supposed to be a sports saloon and it should not be so comfy like a zf8.

The biggest statement from CH was that the engine and transmission didnt feel M special, which ofcourse is true but some cannot accept. Stating the powertrain feels like a more powerful m340i is a massive fail as to me, since i dont track it, the M is all about the powertrain, and it no longer is bespoke but the M tax is higher than ever.

[Pantagathus]

Originally Posted by keanu1

So, bottom line, M3/4 is brilliant But alfa is better

The Alfa is an old car now that is showing its age, and also has way too many reliability issues. I do agree with the saying that "you're not a true petrol head until you've owned at least one Alfa", but I don't think it's a daily car, it's a garage queen you can show off on the weekend and when people come to your house