New BMW M4 & M3 reveal

[Chris1712]

Why would they be? It's not what the typical M3 buyer wants.

There is a range of plugin hybrid BMW models with up to 400bhp if that's what you want.

Because it’s a performance car, and they can get amazing performance from hybrid? The next generation of sports cars will be hybrid (McLaren, Porsche, Corvette, R8 successor, Ferrari etc.) so BMW should be aiming there IMO. Just disappointing isn’t it.

 

[Simon]

The M3/4 are practical sports cars. Not comparible with a Porsche or mclaren. And where you going to add the battery ?

In the same price range. What 911 is hybrid?

 

[Chris1712]

The M3/4 are practical sports cars. Not comparible with a Porsche or mclaren. And where you going to add the battery ?

In the same price range. What 911 is hybrid?

I've always seen the purpose of the M range though as a taste of sports cars in a cheap practical package. So, in my opinion that is the experience they should be aiming for. In the next 1-3 years Hybrid will become synonymous with performance in the sports car market (like it already is for hypercars). It's just disappointing and I think another misstep. I used to be a massive BMW fan boy, I owned 3 in a row and assumed I'd keep getting them. But to me they're just going through the motions now, phoning it in.

Maybe we'll have to wait for the mid-cycle refresh. The 140 is still gonna be hybrid right?

 

[randomshenans]

Goofy tooth Beemers. Man they are ugly as sin!

 

[[TW]Fox]

Maybe we'll have to wait for the mid-cycle refresh. The 140 is still gonna be hybrid right?

What 140?

 

[Chris1712]

What 140?

The next one, ie the one up from the 135 whenever it comes out. I thought the 140 was still planned (as an A45s/RS3 competitor) and it will be hybrid to get that extra performance.

 

[Simon]

What do you want to see from a hybrid M car? The new ones are 4 wd now but the extra mass of batteries and motors arent really going to package well in a 4 seater coupe/ 5 seater saloon. It's a lot of a cost etc for a part of the market where CO2 emissions and BIK are less of interest for the end consumer. If you want low fuel economy you don't get a M car.

Hypercars are easy with two seats and loads of room for motors and batteries and a bigger profit margin to absorb the extra production costs.

And hybrid has been around since 1999 with the insight and Prius, never synonymous with performance for the last 2 decades, it's only really started now with the P1, 918 and Formula 1. But theres plenty of PHEVs out there with zero performance bias.

Im on the fence here but interesting to read there was an expectation of hybrid. It's took them long enough to accept turbos are ok on an M car.

 

[Nasher]

Not sure anyone really wants hybrid performance cars. What's the point?

 

[sanaxe1]

Not sure anyone really wants hybrid performance cars. What's the point?

Save petrol in traffic for more hooning around B roads

 

[oweneades]

Annoyingly, it would look fantastic if they just got rid of the big grille, in my opinion.
I don't have the photoshop skills to do a mockup, but imagine the solid bumper extends right across (where the numberplate is), with the entire bottom portion remaining open as a lower grille, then just have the two classic BMW kidney grills above between the headlights, and I think it would look fine.

Fully agree. I am sure I have seen a photoshop of a M4 front on with that exact tweak, maybe in the M power thread?

Will have to wait until I see one in the metal but right now I am preferring the exterior look of my current M4, the new one looks a lot, dare I say softer? No doubt the interior will be a lot nicer (not exactly a huge challenge mind you).

 

[Joe T]

Not sure anyone really wants hybrid performance cars. What's the point?

So you can drive into towns and cities?

 

[Nasher]

So you can drive into towns and cities?

With the money saved from not having to pay for a hybrid system, you could buy a cheap town car.

 

[Nevakonaza]

Don't like the front grill personally, Although BMW has been going a bit crazy with the whole grill thing for a while..can't beat the old Beamers for style IMO.

 

[Robbo]

Not really a big fan, it looks good in some pictures but on the whole it’s a very err... bold design.

 

[shadow_boxer]

Not fussed about hybrid but these are not pretty! Can't imagine what the designers were smoking. Agree with the poster earlier that the Guilia is far more of a looker and by far the best looking performance exec car. Even the Audi RS4/6 look like their trying too hard. Will see if they grow on on me as the M3 touring would be serious contender for my next car.

 

[[TW]Fox]

The sad thing is that the M340 looks fantastic and this could have been even better.

 

[Nasher]

Don't like the front grill personally, Although BMW has been going a bit crazy with the whole grill thing for a while..can't beat the old Beamers for style IMO.

Funny thing is there are a bunch of youtube videos from BMW of their "design processes", making it look like they are designing master pieces.

Tadaa... it's another minger.

 

[Steedie]

Haha that grille is just ridiculous. It started off as meme potential when people joked they’d do this, and they’ve actually done it. Grotesque looking thing

 

[Grimley]

BMW have totally lost the plot with the styling, I just can't get over the grille. It's going to look super weird with no front plate to break it up.

Someone liked the grill so much they decided to wear it

 

[Nevakonaza]

Funny thing is there are a bunch of youtube videos from BMW of their "design processes", making it look like they are designing master pieces.

Tadaa... it's another minger.

Oh yeah,I hate to imagine how much those designers are on a year too