Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Future Vehicles Good, Bad or Ugly - Current and Future styling trends of BMW
728 messages, Last post on May 30, 2007 at 9:05 PM
You are in the Future Vehicles Forum. Your Host is kirstie_h
|
Replying to: hpowders (Feb 08, 2006 2:25 pm)
|
|
|
Replying to: bdkinnh (Feb 08, 2006 3:55 pm) Thank you! |
|
|
Replying to: bdkinnh (Feb 08, 2006 3:55 pm)
|
|
|
Replying to: rich545 (Feb 08, 2006 4:18 pm) I didn't mean to suggest that all, or even most people "bought it in spite of", but I'm sure a fair number did. Why do I think that? Because I almost did. Nothing drives like a BMW. Nothing. An Audi is good, so is a MB, and the Infiniti is amazingly close for a Japanese car, but there's just something about a BMW. If you've drank the Kool-Aid, so to speak, then when you go car shopping your first thought is "Which BMW am I going to buy?" I went back and forth about the 5, and whether or not I could get used to the look. I wasn't crazy about it, but I didn't (and still don't) think it is ugly. I did, however, love how it drove. When I went to the dealership, check in hand ready to pull the trigger, I took it for an extended two-hour drive just to make sure. After about an hour and a half, I found the seats uncomfortable and my back started to hurt. I've had back problems for years, so this was a Big Red Flag for me, and I passed. I bought a Lexus GS300 instead. If I had to do it over again? I'd buy the BMW and a big bottle of Advil. So - I would have bought it "in spite of" the looks. In other words, even though I didn't love the look, I loved how it drove. And, since I don't care if anyone notices my car or is envious, feel would win out over look. Although if it looked like an Element or Aztec...
|
|
|
I am one of those that (to my eye at least) thinks the "E60 is ugly". I cannot remember when a car did so little for me looks wise unless you start talking about abominations like the Aztek or some such. Also, I can remember only a few times in last 40 or so years of automotive history when a new version of an existing model was such an about face style wise. I'm thinking of the Gen-I to the Gen-II Lexus GS and the Gen-III Mustang to the Gen-IV Mustang-II, as examples. That having been said, I am fairly certain that if both BMW and Audi didn't have cars in their respective lineups that work for me as an alternate (thinking the 3-Series, and A3 here) for my dear departed E39, I'd probably end up with an E60, in spite of the fact that I find it ugly. Why? Simple, where else am I going to find a sporty sedan that offers the unique blend of manual transmission, utility and performance that BMWs are traditionally known for? Infiniti? Ewww, no thanks. Cadillac? Yuck, no thanks again. We're talking the lesser of three evils here meaning the E60 would win by default. Not exactly high praise that. So, does the possibility exist that I would opt for a car that I don't like the looks of because of said cars' other attributes? Yes, but only if I couldn't find something that fit my requirements nearly as well. Best Regards, Shipo |
|
|
Replying to: bdkinnh (Feb 08, 2006 5:28 pm)  Best Regards, Shipo
|
|
|
I think there is some meat to both arguments about who is buying the 5-Series and why. Obviously there are some who bought the car despite not being in love with the looks. I can't see a whole lot of people buying the car if they thought it was downright ugly, but I'm sure there are some who bought that weren't exactly smitten with the looks. Some of the BMW faithful have most definitely jumped ship too. Then you have those BMW buyers that were looking for a change and this car suits their taste just fine. Then you have those that have never bought a BMW before because of the styling. This group thinks the new look is a big improvement. I've heard this expressed more than a few times at the BMW stand at Detroit and Chicago. I suggest a poll of 5-Series buyers/owners on the 5-Series board! M
|
|
|
Replying to: shipo (Feb 08, 2006 5:41 pm) That, and I type faster.
|
|
|
Replying to: merc1 (Feb 09, 2006 3:42 am) I doubt that would really show anything. I'm sure there are a fair number of people that initially weren't thrilled with the look of the E60, but after owning it have "gotten used to it" and have come to like it. After spending that much, you almost have to. I'm sure I've come across as an E60 basher - I'm really not. I like the car, and if I owned one I'm sure I'd be jumping in now to say how much I enjoyed it. But, to say that the increase in sales is a testament to people's love of the look isn't right. I'm sure there are many that were forced into accepting it. One poll I'd love to see, if you could get honest answers: out of all the E60 owners, if they could snap their fingers and make it look like the 2003 5er, would they do it?
|
|
|
Replying to: bdkinnh (Feb 09, 2006 6:16 am)
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Future Vehicles Good, Bad or Ugly - Current and Future styling trends of BMW
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2010 BMW 3 Series
2011 BMW 5 Series
2010 BMW 7 Series
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
