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BMW 5-Series Wagon 2004 Redesign - READ ONLY

540 messages,  Last post on Mar 04, 2004 at 11:43 AM

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What is this discussion about? BMW 5 Series, Sedan, Wagon

Messages Page 50 of 54

#491 of 540 Pontiac G6 by designman

Oct 06, 2003 (6:33 pm)

Speeds2much, good post. The G6 exterior gets high marks on my sheet also. BMW had better hitchhike onto this minimal, rough-hewn look that is definitely the trend in autos for the near future. We already see it in present models, namely the A4, A6, G35, Maxima, 350Z, Altima, CTS, XLR and many SUVs.
 
I'm wondering if this look translates up to the larger, majestic sedans. However, I believe it works for the 3 and 5 series.
 
Check it out here:
 
http://www.cardesignnews.com/autoshows/2003/detroit/highlights/h1- - - - - - - - - 3-pontiac-g6.html
 
http://www.edmunds.com/news/autoshows/articles/83142/page012.html

#492 of 540 bmwseller by merc1

Oct 06, 2003 (10:59 pm)

Thats pure salesman-based rhetoric. I see a lot on Pontiac in the new 5 myself.
 
M

#493 of 540 The telltale by designman

Oct 07, 2003 (5:21 am)

bmwseller, if you took $2K off MSRP for a newly designed BMW which hasn't even arrived for delivery, I would think it's over even though I could be very wrong (who cares). Actually, I thought they'd go until January at sticker.
 
Seems X5 and X3 are going to be bread winners. They're ugly too, but so are most SUVs, make that all SUVs. It's crystal ball time: Ford Freestyle FX and intelligently-designed "crossovers" (hate that term) will be a hit. Utility vehicles need lower weight, lower CGs and we are starting to see it. The convertible top enables them to do this without sacrificing utility. Would have expected more from the Germans in this area, but their marketing skills do not measure up to the engineering.

#494 of 540 Style - my ranking by ateixeira

Oct 07, 2003 (7:07 am)

E class takes the cake. Porsche-influenced front, beautiful from every angle, looks expensive.
 
Next is the A6, even after this long. Inside Audi may even take 1st place.
 
Then comes the Volvo S80. They have a very nice corporate look, identifiable and purposeful. Not beautiful, but definitely not ugly.
 
Next I'd say Jaguar. Classical look for the conservatives.
 
Then Cadillac for the opposite reason, they're bold and very radical. The CTS-V looks sharp.
 
Then Saab's 9-5, a little quirky but off center and nice overall.
 
Then the GS430. Guigiaro did the last GS, then CALTY face-lifted it, and didn't quite get the details right.
 
The BMW 5, in my opinion, comes in last place. The eye brows up front with the fat rear end force you say "but she's got a great personality". Even inside it looks dull, the opposite of a cockpit feel you'd expect from a driver's car.
 
-juice

#495 of 540 everythings local by bmwseller

Oct 07, 2003 (7:23 am)

BMW doesn't control what the selling price is, the dealer does. We can sell any model for whatever we want to. This is Peoria, Illinois not Denver, San Diego or Brooklyn.
 
DESIGNMAN the return of the Amigo.
 
Suburu's are great in S. America. Plus, I might start taking the Pontiac a little more serious when I have a client tell me that they are considering one.
 
The eyebrows are so superior in form and function guys. Someone really get in there and compare just the headlights. We've got our winner!

#496 of 540 Well, I don't know about a "winner", but... by msgreen

Oct 07, 2003 (9:52 am)

I wish BMW no ill. I have an E39 that I planned to trade on a new E60, but was initially put off by photos so waited to see the car in person. I must admit that the exterior was not as "bad" as in the pictures; however, I still don't like it. What really did it for me was the interior. The design team must have been on a three day binge before drawing that one up. The ergonomics alone are atrocious with poor switch placement, etc. No doubt there will be an initial "rush of sales" on any new bimmer, but let's see how things go after the first six months or so. I am sure that the new E60 is a wonderful road machine, it is just too bad that so many people, myself included are so turned off by the styling.

#497 of 540 "but she's got a great personality" by designman

Oct 07, 2003 (10:39 am)

Juice, LOL. Right on the money! Good post.

#498 of 540 Performance issues versus E39 by manybmws

Oct 07, 2003 (12:36 pm)

I owned a '99 528i and now an '03 530i. From what I am seeing of the performance tests of the '04 530i it seems like the car may be slower by up to .5 seconds than an '03.
 
Car mags should do a comparison between the two cars

#499 of 540 Automobile magazine by karmikan

Oct 07, 2003 (7:04 pm)

The November edition of Automobile mag has short reviews of the Aston Martin DB9 "The DB9's exterior is elegant but has definite DB7 overtones..." and the Ferrari 360 Modena "...four years old yet still looks fresh..."
 
Got all worked up over the sheer beauty of these rolling works of art. I needed to take the equivalent of a cold shower by looking at pics of the E60. Whew!

#500 of 540 I just viewed two new E60's up close today! (long) by bmwmrc

Oct 07, 2003 (9:28 pm)

Here are my impressions of the new 2004 530i. In person, the side body panels has a muscular look to it, while the "Dame Edna" eyebrow light cluster is less pronounced than the pictures, but still not as aesthetically pleasing as I think it should be. The pointed up corners of the light cluster was IMO, unnecessary.
 
The back of the car design looks like an afterthought. A cross between a Honda and a Subaru. In person, the trunklid still looks bad, just the way it looked in the numerous pictures I've viewed. Not too long ago, I read an article in Automobile magazine, where Bangle was quoted as saying "The 5 series looks better in lighter colors, while the 7 series looks better in darker hues." Well, I would have to disagree with his assessment of colors with the new 5 series. I saw two new 5's. One was jet black and the other one was titanium silver. The black car looked much better in person than the lighter silver car. The black car also enhanced the front end of the vehicle, making the signature grills look less "Pontiac-like" than what I have seen in pictures. Overall, the exterior was OKAY, but nothing so wonderful and radical that I had to have this new generation 5.
 
What I was really disappointed in was the interior. I have a 2003 525i with PP, SP and xenon lights, and my car's interior feels larger, and the fit and finish seems better. I love the fact that there is wood surrounding the entire interior of my car. The new 5 has a thick wood enhancement across the lower middle of the dashboard and on the console, but that's it. The doors are leather and chrome, and I thought the quality was lacking. My business partner noticed one of the chrome door handles was already badly scratched. Other impressions of the interior: (1) the headliner seemed cheap, (2) more cupholders, which is good, but the one for the driver is misplaced badly, (3) the climate control is back to turn buttons on the dash, like my old 1995 5 series. I'm sure this has to do with the new I Drive, in that I sat in the driver's seat, but did not turn the vehicle on, (4) the back seat did not feel roomier than my back seat, nor did it real feel any wider, (5) the back armrest is nice with two large cupholders built in, and finally, (6) I liked the spaceousness of the trunk, which appeared to be slightly larger inside than the E39 version.
 
In sum, I was not very impressed with this new iteration of the 5 and I am thrilled that I pulled the trigger on a new 2003. I will test drive the car this Friday, when I drive several of the BMW models on behalf of the Susan Komen Breast Cancer fund. I will give you my impression of the drive quality after this Friday.

Messages Page 50 of 54

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