[mattrg]

I was really looking forward to 6-speed with ~480hp. What are the alternatives for $80-90k new?

[IcewaterPete]

The nightmare just wont go away.

[THEROK]

My two cents:

F82 CS was and still is the best looking M car made to date. Would not kick an M3 CS outta bed.

E92 is the worst visually with zero road presence. Slab sided. No arse to speak of. Just oddly shaped all over.

A new civic type r parks next to me in the garage and I love the way it looks.

It's a compliment to copy design from Lexus house. BMW can only wish.

A 991.2 GT3 sits nearby as well and I fully appreciate its timeless design.

I much prefer the M3 over the M4 bratwurst snout and all. M4 is a bit too 8 series esque which isn't a looker in my eyes as both are too long.

But for me to be happy with this new four door, it has to be fully kitted with all the M performance trimmings save for the trunk lid wing replaced by an aggressive deck lid gurney type aftermarket unit lowered on 20/21 three piece BBS Y spoke type wheels. Everything in black to tame that pig snout. I love the temerity of that inverted V exhaust setup.

You're getting OEM assurances delivering an overtly extroverted aesthetic in a commuter car base. All of this in whole will be a neck breaker hate it or love it (love it).

I won't ever buy one though. I wanted a DCT and you had one of the best ever made right there in front of your BMW nose on the shelf to retool. You will lose that exotic feel by going torque converter. I didn't want one bigger and heavier than what I had. F8X is already a tad too big. The continued marginalization of rear brakes ticks me off. Side view mirror design is an odd squared off insult. Don't like the thicker spoked steering wheel design. Carbon seats are money, but will never understand why add weight right back into it with a heavy motor?

Everything from how the G gen looks, the engineering decisions and the marketing effort behind it make complete sense by taking one look at the new M CEO. His hair plugs, skinny jeans fitted over a middle aged beer powered body, screams crisis.

But I'm sure it'll pull off some killer #s. Enjoy the new gen as it's gonna sell like hot cakes!

[abp689]

Wow. Never thought you would turn to the aftermarket crowd to make a car look like something that should have been stock.

I am surprised this made it through. There were plenty of comments on this forum about the design when this was pre-production.

Is China really that large of a market to forgo the US/EU/... crowd?

The video on the other hand is so bad it's "Showgirls" good.

[Ghostriderf80]

You can salvage that M performance exhaust, but it involves cutting and welding.

Or go Akra in due time.

The more I look at this car the more I see a Lexus even the SsangYong
inspiration for the M.

[The Choosey begger]

Originally Posted by swagon

I cannot believe what I'm seeing right now.

They've really gone mental with the design, this is some tacky 2000's Pimp My Ride crap. Not one bit of elegance anywhere to be found.

This

[Law]

Originally Posted by Artemis

A small word about presentation to the target demographic.

Three BMW 1M commercials: focus on the very essence of the BMW M car, an incognito driver, no questionable muzak, no erratic shouting.

...

Now fast forward almost a decade and what do we get ? This...

I'd have to agree with Artemis here.
It almost seems like BMW's ads lately are speaking to the social media influencer crowd who are more about popularity, lifestyle, and image than to the guy who had car posters on his bedroom wall growing up, for example.

Noticeably absent in the ad spots is any kind of reference to motorsport pedigree or performance; it's appearance-focused and screams 'clout'.
This is not to say the G8x doesn't have performance or ties to motorsport, but the way it is marketed is drastically different from previous M cars, which is interesting to observe.

Contrast with Artemis' 1M examples above and the E9x M3 and E39 M5 ads below.

E9x M3 - Revolution

E9x M3 - Beast

E39 M5 - Rocket

[Don_MPoor]

Originally Posted by sapphire.f80

Struggling to digest the rear of the M Performance version - especially the titanium exhaust layout and the diffuser, which rises up the rear bar way too high for my liking

Fast and the Furious 2021

[brad850csi]

Originally Posted by Artemis

A small word about presentation to the target demographic.

Three BMW 1M commercials: focus on the very essence of the BMW M car, an incognito driver, no questionable muzak, no erratic shouting.

To be fair is this the fault of society as a whole and BMW trying to cater to the new norms?

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by brad850csi

To be fair is this the fault of society as a whole and BMW trying to cater to the new norms?

No, this is BMW trying to appeal to a different crowd.

[frankiebones]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

No, this is BMW trying to appeal to a different crowd.

I feel it’s BMW trying to appeal to the most extreme members of the same crowd already buying its cars. In NYC you gotta see what some people do to their F8x’s....it’s....something else. BMW will capture those customers money instead of it all going to aftermarket companies...it’s actually brilliant. Cadillac had a similar approach when people used to throw chrome 22” rims on their Escalades. They simply started making 22” chrome rims themselves.

The car doesn’t come all “Paul Walkered out” (RIP) however. You can still choose fairly conservative color choices, forgo the giant wing, etc. I think that’s what most people will do.

I, myself, am doing the front lip and the triangular quad exhaust because I think it looks amazing.

In a weird way, I think they’re taking a page out of Scion’s playbook, making cars super customizable.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by frankiebones

I feel it’s BMW trying to appeal to the most extreme members of the same crowd already buying its cars. In NYC you gotta see what some people do to their F8x’s....it’s....something else. BMW will capture those customers money instead of it all going to aftermarket companies...it’s actually brilliant. Cadillac had a similar approach when people used to throw chrome 22” rims on their Escalades. They simply started making 22” chrome rims themselves.

The car doesn’t come all “Paul Walkered out” (RIP) however. You can still choose fairly conservative color choices, forgo the giant wing, etc. I think that’s what most people will do.

I, myself, am doing the front lip and the triangular quad exhaust because I think it looks amazing.

In a weird way, I think they’re taking a page out of Scion’s playbook, making cars super customizable.

My comment was not specifically about the M-performance parts. I said it earlier, I believe a well chosen combo of these parts on a tastefully specced G8X will enhance it's visual appeal. My comment was more towards BMW's general marketing of the G8X.

[Bob MG]

Jesus they really fucked the cat

[frankiebones]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

My comment was not specifically about the M-performance parts. I said it earlier, I believe a well chosen combo of these parts on a tastefully specced G8X will enhance it's visual appeal. My comment was more towards BMW's general marketing of the G8X.

Understood. In that regard, the commercials are not exactly indicative of the mindset of the team that developed the car. I’m sure many ideas were presented and some pencil pusher picked the winner.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by frankiebones

Understood. In that regard, the commercials are not exactly indicative of the mindset of the team that developed the car. I’m sure many ideas were presented and some pencil pusher picked the winner.

It is pretty clear to me that the mindset that went into developing the G8X was quite different than the one that went into the F8X development...

[frankiebones]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

It is pretty clear to me that the mindset that went into developing the G8X was quite different than the one that went into the F8X development...

Definitely. I love it. The F8x was too tame when released (although later LCI and our CS versions more than made go for it).

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by frankiebones

Definitely. I love it. The F8x was too tame when released (although later LCI and our CS versions more than made go for it).

My concerns are not about the looks.

[sapphire.f80]

Really sucks how BMW reduced the PCD and bolt pattern in the new G range... yeah yeah, weight savings, fair enough.

So wanted the new 963M wheels for my F80

[frankiebones]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

My concerns are not about the looks.

So what is your plan? Sit this one out? I know how track focused your cars are and your CS is probably the most tracked to date.

[f80er]

Originally Posted by abp689

Wow. Never thought you would turn to the aftermarket crowd to make a car look like something that should have been stock.

I am surprised this made it through. There were plenty of comments on this forum about the design when this was pre-production.

Is China really that large of a market to forgo the US/EU/... crowd?

The video on the other hand is so bad it's "Showgirls" good.

My buddy mentioned the same thing, this car and the m-performance parts are all in the effort of selling more to China.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by frankiebones

So what is your plan? Sit this one out? I know how track focused your cars are and your CS is probably the most tracked to date.

I'll probably hang on to my CS for a year or two and then move to another brand. On paper at least, I just don't see enough of a track performance improvement over my current CS to justify the move to a G8X competition. With the previous generations, it was a no brainer as it was a clear step up in performance. I might re-consider if they make something interesting for the G8X CS or CSL, they seem to have kept a lot of weight reduction opportunities on the table. However, I am ogling the 992 turbo, and once I get a taste of that, I might also not come back to BMW.

[solstice]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

It is pretty clear to me that the mindset that went into developing the G8X was quite different than the one that went into the F8X development...

That might be but the change from the F8X is still minor vs F8X from any other generation. The S55 sure wasn’t love at first sight with it’s FI character. We had to learn to like it. The same is valid for the AT now but it’s relative minor vs that engine change.

The G8X mainly take all revolutionary changes done with the F8X and enhance them. I have far less concerns with this car than I had with the F8X and I managed to overcome them that time. It’s some give and take this time as well with the weight and AT but overall it’s an easier pill to swallow this time. At least on paper, let’s see how that translates after some seat time.