[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by ZaM@eX

Here’s the thing. It’s ok for companies to experiment, but there’s an extreme that should not be reached, yet BMW decided to do it anyways.

What extreme is that?

When it comes to BMW, a simple sedan shouldn’t be as preposterously designed like this. It looks as if BMW’s designers were trying too hard to make a “cool” car.

What about this M235i strikes you as preposterously designed when compared to the M340i, for example?

[Just a 3]

Originally Posted by DeeKay

I'm with you on everything except that the CLA is also a bad looking car IMO - hate this fwd badge exploiting nonsense

Looks are subjective, but IMO this car is nowhere near the new CLA. My wife just leased one and it looks almost exotic.

[CP911]

Originally Posted by Just a 3

Looks are subjective, but IMO this car is nowhere near the new CLA. My wife just leased one and it looks almost exotic.

It's the yellow messing with you. The CLA looks atrocious in the flesh. Like a turtle on wheels. Whenever I see one on the road, I think to myself, "God, what a shame. Hopefully, BMW doesn't make something like that." Yet, here we are in 2019 having this discussion.

I actually expect the BMW to be the better looking of the two cars on the road.

That being said, I don't like either of these cars for reasons you mentioned, and if I were in this segment looking for a compact car, I'd likely be on a tighter budget and not looking to break ~$25-30k.

[TM5]

Oh my - looks like a Ford Fiesta from the side and rear - yesterday another indication that BMW has lost its way - I’m sure it will lease well and that’s all that seems to matter....

[ICantDrive4Sht]

Originally Posted by M2audioman

This car is everything that's wrong with BMW...
Niche product that doesn't need to exist

And who are you to say it doesn`t need to exist? You know, the idea of a company is to make profit, and if this helps the cause, then it needs to exist for sure.

[M3hf80]

Why is it an M35i and not an M40i? I thought the 35i was for N55 or N54 engines.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by M3hf80

Why is it an M35i and not an M40i?

Because M40i is for B58 powered M Performance vehicles, and this has a B48.

I thought the 35i was for N55 or N54 engines.

It was, but those engines are gone.

[akkando]

Originally Posted by ASAP

while i understand the market demand this is truly lack of innovation and just cheapening the brand down... this is literally an Audi S3 just 5 years later...

That car looks better though

[akkando]

Originally Posted by Just a 3

Looks are subjective, but IMO this car is nowhere near the new CLA. My wife just leased one and it looks almost exotic.

They removed the "go slow" line on the side of the car for 2020 so that helps, but it still doesn't look fast or sleek.

[Mrgunfun]

Someone should make a video of the current M240i vs the new M235i.
Wonder how they differ in terms of performance.

[Just a 3]

Originally Posted by CP911

It's the yellow messing with you. The CLA looks atrocious in the flesh. Like a turtle on wheels. Whenever I see one on the road, I think to myself, "God, what a shame. Hopefully, BMW doesn't make something like that." Yet, here we are in 2019 having this discussion.

I actually expect the BMW to be the better looking of the two cars on the road.

That being said, I don't like either of these cars for reasons you mentioned, and if I were in this segment looking for a compact car, I'd likely be on a tighter budget and not looking to break ~$25-30k.

Like I said, looks are subjective. I really like the design language - we saw other colors as well before leading the yellow - looks great to me. Compare to 2 Gran Coupe. No comparison

[Just a 3]

Originally Posted by akkando

They removed the "go slow" line on the side of the car for 2020 so that helps, but it still doesn't look fast or sleek.

See one in person. No comparison with the 2GC. That one is a Sentra/Corolla/Focus

[akkando]

Originally Posted by Just a 3

See one in person. No comparison with the 2GC. That one is a Sentra/Corolla/Focus

Well, thankfully there are more choices than these two cars on the market.

[drexplode]

anyone locate the order guide yet?

[MKParris]

as with most BMWs as of late

[Tracus]

FWD mediocre car for a BMW.

The new BMW direction?
Wrong badge for the car or wrong car for the badge?

The 1 Series and 2 Series could be that RWD/ AWD vehicle that will stand out from the overly crowded Haldex group. But is not; no sense in buying this vehicle over an A3 which has a better setting and in this case will wash the floor with this FWD. Even the fit and finish starts to be better on Audi's.
Who cares anyway? The BMW shareholders don't...

At least if the design was something to attract the non enthusiast.
Far from it... Ford used this one 10 years ago...

[DeeKay]

Originally Posted by Just a 3

Looks are subjective, but IMO this car is nowhere near the new CLA. My wife just leased one and it looks almost exotic.

Until you see the rear end - I can't stand it. But you are absolutely right - looks are very subjective

[Fuller]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

So is a GT2, GT3, etc. understated? What about a Mercedes SLR or AMG GTS? How about a BMW Z8? Oh, what about the i8? I could go on. None of those cars are understated; not even close.

This has been the case for two decades. The phenomenon is nothing new. There are badge whores in the Honda camp, Nissan camp, Ford camp, Audi camp, Mercedes camp, etc.

I agree. I was responding to someone who didn't seem to realize this.

[Old Boy]

(1) The kidney grilles are downright ugly and "loud".....as if the design statement is "Look at me, I'm proud to be ugly".
(2) The front bumper air induction scoops are too many (four ), they do not look convincing (functional) especially on a smallish car, and they scream "tacky" similar to Honda Civic R.
(3) The rear end is just butt ugly.

Other than that, I do not mind the car.

[F30ZHP]

Nice baja stance!

[lemonchicken]

It’s neither gran nor coupe