What makes a BMW a BMW

[E30 Wagen]

Inline 6 in front and power to the rear tires.

[roguetoaster]

In most cases the Ass-hat behind the wheel : )

... and the broken left arms/drained bank accounts of the same.

They used to be reasonably serious driving machines with, not quite telepathic, but readily understood dynamics and an edge that's easy to find without immediately sending you in to the nearest tree. Back then there was this unusual idea to actually build a quality car that would hold up well to years of spirited use, and the idea that the mechanics made the machine, not the ancillaries. That's of course the gist of idea from when the 3, 5 & 7 were the focus of the company. Now with 10,000 different flavors of the same shit-stick BMWs have largely become like anything else out there, just with a higher initial price point.

[Brezzi]

Thanks for all the responses guys there is some good call outs in here. Keep emm coming if anyone has any thoughts on the parts of newer cars that make them true to the BMW spirit that would be good to call out.

[e30onBBSs]

"breaking edge technology, comfort luxury and performance like no one else has. Tons of heritage and history"

IMO, not a BMW only thing. On topic, egh they can keep running with the "has a soul" thing

Bmw is the the shit when it comes to new technology. Their cars often take a hit of reliability because the new tech has only been tested so much. Then audi or whoever comes and takes it a few years later.

A lot of cars are comfortable and fast but not like a beemer. Benz is more straight line performance until you get into ludacris spending like c63 or sls. Speed is not really their main concern. Bmw is about both and it's hard to match the way a bmw feels inside, and how it feels when you hit the gas. Most cars have one or the other. I would say Lexus is the closest to bmw right now for that feeling of luxury and performance and price

[mr2peak]

High-revving N/A engine.

BMW M at least. Or was.

[rcsoundn1]

Bmw is the the shit when it comes to new technology. Their cars often take a hit of reliability because the new tech has only been tested so much. Then audi or whoever comes and takes it a few years later.

A lot of cars are comfortable and fast but not like a beemer. Benz is more straight line performance until you get into ludacris spending like c63 or sls. Speed is not really their main concern. Bmw is about both and it's hard to match the way a bmw feels inside, and how it feels when you hit the gas. Most cars have one or the other. I would say Lexus is the closest to bmw right now for that feeling of luxury and performance and price

I still respectfully disagree. Yes they do have some new and interesting ideas. They are by no means the only one with that. Many cheaper cars have come out with things bmw has also "borrowed"

[digger]

these days its mostly same same between Bmw , Mb and Audi. there is nothing overly defining anymore. BMW used to be a great blend of practicality, performance, comfort these days all of them do it just as well as each other and they use all the same tech.

if i had to say one thing still unique its an inline 6 but thats about all

[Exodus_2pt0]

A BMW is a car you buy when you want to get from A to B, but like heading all the way to Z and back just to get there.

I haven't driven many new BMW's, a friend had an automatic E46 and it was such a pale, soulless vehicle.

One of my most missed cars was my black 88 sedan. M20, 5 speed, and lsd in the rear. That car was raw and fun. BMW lost their way somewhere along the line.

I imagine a 335i to be not much different than my S4. Fast, but lacking in the Soul department. Don't get me wrong, I love my S4 its stupid fast and handles OK, but its no E30.

I'm like a closet e30 nut. I loved mine, but I can't justify the prices people are asking now to get another one. It's pretty frustrating really.

[CENTURION]

^@digger as much as that made me twitch I somewhat agreed lol I6 RWD NA all the way

[modernist]

the unmistakable muted rumble of an I6 under the hood.

[Exodus_2pt0]

The more I think about this, do any of the brands have a defining feature anymore? It seems they all are just chasing that same vanilla mass. There's not much room for those of us who just want something to DRIVE.

It's all about the dual climate control, air conditioned seats, cameras and blind spot indicators, automatic collision avoidance, parking aids, seat belt handing devices, and power everything.

Every company these days is taking the drive part out of their automobiles.

[Kvasi]

Fahrfreude

[e30onBBSs]

Exodus there is minimal loyalty now which caused that I believe and because capitalism. BMW is making fwd drive x1's for example. The current model is based on a fwd chassis. No one is going to buy bmw anymore just because their last car was a bmw. "This fwd mazda 6 is safer than a rwd x1?" Lets get it!

Still I can't imagine hopping behind the wheel of an m4 or something and not being amazed. I love e30's so much but there are still some cars that surely have soul.

Or is the soul created by the owner/ enthusiast who makes it his own?

[Wschnitz]

The more I think about this, do any of the brands have a defining feature anymore? It seems they all are just chasing that same vanilla mass. There's not much room for those of us who just want something to DRIVE.

It's all about the dual climate control, air conditioned seats, cameras and blind spot indicators, automatic collision avoidance, parking aids, seat belt handing devices, and power everything.

Every company these days is taking the drive part out of their automobiles.

I would say there is no company that has all of their lineup retaining that bonkers soul (we are going to exclude exotic manufacturers and boutiques) but I think a lot of manufacturers have single or a couple cars that capture that old spirit.

I think the toyota GT-86 captures that drivers car spirit, its not perfect, but its good for 2015.

The new BMW M2 and the M235i and their father the 1M all capture that spirit in a modern BMW way.

AMG comes out with something retarded now and then.

The Alfa Romeo 4C is pretty no nonsense drivers car.

The new miata is pretty ok.

But for the most part, cars are appliances now unless you got the change to dump on something exotic.

[rcsoundn1]

Drive by wire killed the back road star