Quote:
Originally Posted by Alumac
I'm beginning to think that the idea of a BMW 'purist' has been lost in badge mongering. The M235i is a brilliant car, with no competition at its price point. Yet, the constant droll of 'it's not a real M', 'buyers will get confused', etc. Seems to be only coming from the BMW community. More specifically, from badge whores that claim they aren't.
What a load of crap this is. The only people that need a 'true' M version of this car should meet the following criteria:
1. You belong to a track club.
2. You actually take advantage of open track days.
Outside of that, the M235 is not only a brilliant daily driver, but also one helluva weekend car. It fully deserves the badge. It's better than a vanilla series car, but not quite the penis treatment most 'M' buyers demand. I.e., it's not the most expensive car in the segment.
For those of you that will give an M2 the driving it deserves, I apologize. For those of you looking to lease an M2 to do donuts in the mall parking lot, stfu.
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I never track my cars.
The steering in M235i is extremely numb. I'd say it's somewhat stiffer than a 328, but not as good as a 335. It's electrical all the way and it's very obvious that it's electrical. There is an obvious lag that you feel driving the car, it just does not feel natural. If the new M3/M4 has the same steering, I'm going to say the same thing. My M3 and M5 do not have this, they are both hydraulic.
Other than that, this car has the 5 year old N55 in it, nothing new really. It's a powerful engine - but it doesn't feel extraordinary. Is it a great car? Sure it is, but who is it for? Probably for people who can't afford a 120k M6 or a 80k M4. The interior also does not feel luxurious. Not enough leather and a lot of cheap plastic. Small screen and so on.
What I'm trying to say is, BMW charges a hefty price tag for a car that's really a bins car. There is nothing special about it, it's all expected. N55 from 335, EPS from 335, etc, yes it will obviously be fast on paper, but does it feel like that raw hard BMW Sports car? It does not. People who buy this car are the kind of people who want to say they are driving a BMW that is fast, you are basically buying the brand name at a discount and you are paying the price for it.
I will also say that I'd take the E46 M3 any day over this car, no matter what the numbers say on paper.