Topic: Test Drive: 2019 BMW X4 M40i

[OliverD]

Status symbol, for people with too much money but don't want something everyone else has. You're paying for the exclusivity. BMW is happy to develop because the add'l cost of making this variant is little, and they can charge a lot more = more profit margin.

People are buying them, trust me. Otherwise it wouldn't still be here.

What exclusivity ? The X4 is only a little more money than the X3. It's not like you join the upper class or high society when you pick the X4 over the X3...

Doesn't mean it isn't more exclusive just by virtue of there not being nearly as many of them around.

[Solstice2006]

BTW, you guys will need to take some meds before this one, but BMW is unleashing the 500 HP X4 M upon the world soon...

Thats all?  Even MB and Jeep have more!   I thought luxury groups are supposed to have lots of HP.  Come on keep the HP war going! 

[sailor723]

I don't get all the hate. Car makers are in business and they will build anything they think will sell. It's certainly not my cup of tea but if it makes somebody else's day to buy one..... go for it.

[OliverD]

BTW, you guys will need to take some meds before this one, but BMW is unleashing the 500 HP X4 M upon the world soon...

Thats all?  Even MB and Jeep have more!   I thought luxury groups are supposed to have lots of HP.  Come on keep the HP war going!

Both the X4M Competition and GLC63S have 503 hp.

[lebowski]

Devil's Advocate question: would these SUV-Coupe things not be marginally more aerodynamic compared to their SUV counterparts, on account of the fastback/trunk-ish rear end? Aren't sedans or 4-door coupes a little more aerodynamic than their wagon counterparts, all other things being equal?

I don't get all the hate. Car makers are in business and they will build anything they think will sell. It's certainly not my cup of tea but if it makes somebody else's day to buy one..... go for it.

Well said. I don't get the hate either. I think some of those folks genuinely think they're blowing our minds with their never-before-heard hot takes, but it's mostly just this:

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Back in the day, BMW was the 'Ultimate Driving Machine' They put effort into being efficient with relatively low weight, relatively good aerodynamics and a pile of suspension tuning. They didn't necessarily have monster motors, or the best 0-60 times, they were more well rounded than that. It's that philosophy that I found attractive at the time.

CUVs have worse aerodynamics mostly due to larger frontal areas and underbody air management. Fastbacks aren't necessarily better than a squareback. It depends on how well the airflow is managed.

CUVs do have higher curb weights and tend to go with larger wheels to help balance the look of the side profile, so higher unsprung weight. To top it off, they have a higher centre of gravity.

Essentially, they're chasing the market, and putting form over function and efficiency. Ultimate Driving Machine was dropped a long time ago. They've added a bunch of models that perform pretty well for what they are, but they've really turned their backs on their old mission statement. It really comes off as a branding exercise now.

[lebowski]

CUVs have worse aerodynamics mostly due to larger frontal areas and underbody air management. Fastbacks aren't necessarily better than a squareback. It depends on how well the airflow is managed.

Ah, gotcha, thanks. So if the rest of the car's aero is a mess, the shape of the trunk won't matter that much.

[Solstice2006]

BTW, you guys will need to take some meds before this one, but BMW is unleashing the 500 HP X4 M upon the world soon...

Thats all?  Even MB and Jeep have more!   I thought luxury groups are supposed to have lots of HP.  Come on keep the HP war going!

Both the X4M Competition and GLC63S have 503 hp.

Just meant other performance SUVs in general.  Can't keep track of these stupid designations.

[OliverD]

Back in the day, BMW was the 'Ultimate Driving Machine' They put effort into being efficient with relatively low weight, relatively good aerodynamics and a pile of suspension tuning. They didn't necessarily have monster motors, or the best 0-60 times, they were more well rounded than that. It's that philosophy that I found attractive at the time.

Agreed 100%. I've always liked BMWs for these reasons.

Essentially, they're chasing the market, and putting form over function and efficiency. Ultimate Driving Machine was dropped a long time ago. They've added a bunch of models that perform pretty well for what they are, but they've really turned their backs on their old mission statement. It really comes off as a branding exercise now.

And yet they are one of the very few companies offering the combination of more than four cylinders, RWD, and a manual transmission.

Blaming marketing and//or branding is an easy crutch to fall back on though. The mission statement of the old BMW just doesn't work anymore. It sucks for those of us who appreciated their old products, but at least you can still get a brand new M2 or M3. That's about as close as you're gonna get to the Ultimate Driving Machines of yore.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

And yet they are one of the very few companies offering the combination of more than six cylinders, RWD, and a manual transmission.

Blaming marketing and//or branding is an easy crutch to fall back on though. The mission statement of the old BMW just doesn't work anymore. It sucks for those of us who appreciated their old products, but at least you can still get a brand new M2 or M3. That's about as close as you're gonna get to the Ultimate Driving Machines of yore.

You're right. I'm not sure they had a whole lot of choice.

It's unfortunate that their 'pure' cars have moved so far upmarket as to be irrelevant though. A 1970 2800CS MRSP was $8089, about $52k in 2019. The more typical 1970 2002 had an MSRP of $3275, $21246 in 2019.

These days the 230i starts at $38k .

[OliverD]

I think that's probably true for all of the luxury brands though. Would be interesting to compare how much more a more mainstream car is today than it was 50 years ago.

What annoys me about BMW today is the lack of a manual in the M340i. This all but guarantees that the next M240i will also lose the manual, along with the next 4-series. Makes BMW largely irrelevant to me.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

A while back I poked around the NADA site to do just that, because I had the feeling that a lot of the luxury brands had gone way upmarket.

In 1970 the MSRP of a Buick Electra 225 was roughly $35k in I think it was 2015 dollars. Most expensive car in the Buick lineup. A Porsche 911 (Targa? Carrera? Forget which model) had a similar MSRP.

The middle class could afford to buy in that range. Any new Porsche is a stretch for the middle class now, and most are well out of reach.

[OliverD]

You can still get a 2019 F31!

[Hannibalsmith]

i test drove this thing.  it's actually a little wider and longer than the x3.  the difference in cargo space isn't substantial.  it's very quick.  actually i was shocked at how quick this thing is.  it certainly felt big though and there's a relatively big blind spot. 

i don't mind the looks.  in person i think it looks fine.  much better than the x4 it's replacing. 

what kills this car is the rear seating.  leg room is fine but you feel like your view outside is being blocked or infringed upon by that sharply dropping roof line. 

i guess i'll be taking the x3 out for a test soon.  maybe the 30i to compare the feel.  i wouldn't really consider the x3 if bmw hadn't decided to ditch their wagon.  thanks bmw.

Just go all the way and get the X7 with the crystal skull shifter!

[OliverD]

Just go all the way and get the X7 with the crystal skull shifter!

I have to say, I really like the X7 a lot. But it is very, very expensive when loaded up.

[Hannibalsmith]

Just go all the way and get the X7 with the crystal skull shifter!

I have to say, I really like the X7 a lot. But it is very, very expensive when loaded up.

$100,000 basically. Range Rover territory. It's nice though. Sat in it at the autoshow, the one other thing that felt odd, other than the crystal skull shifter, is the small size of the steering wheel, compared to the size of car.

M2 Competition stole it for me...so tempted

[OliverD]

I think you can get them up to about $120k if you really want to.

But yeah, that M2 Competition...

[Hannibalsmith]

I think you can get them up to about $120k if you really want to.

But yeah, that M2 Competition...

Yup. M2 and M5 as well...Damn M5 is too rich for my blood and the M2 Competition is, as weird as it sounds too similar to what I have...BMW + manual + turbo six + RWD, but I could swing it

[Fobroader]

It is ugly though...like Honda Crosstour/BMW 4 gran coupe ugly.

[OliverD]

It is ugly though...like Honda Crosstour/BMW 4 gran coupe ugly.

You think the Gran Coupe is ugly? I thought most people liked it. Wish they had built it with six cylinders and a manual.