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      05-05-2013, 11:32 AM   #42
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Drives: BMWs for 30 yrs
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toronto, ON

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Quote:
Originally Posted by cuiter23 View Post
Why would anyone need a heavy steering wheel for manoeuvring in the city? Sure, I am fine with it because I am used to it but it is just not practical. This is not to say that the handling is not precise, the wheel is just lighter which makes commuting in traffic easier.

The only time you need a wheel with substantial weight is when the car is driven around the track and at higher speeds in which the sport mode is engaged. ...
I've been a BMW enthusiast going back almost 20 years posting on many boards like bimmer.org, Roadfly, E46fanatics and the un-moderated profanity-laced Usenet boards. Not to mention posting on mbworld.org or audiworld.com to spread the BMW love.

For a good part of those 20 years, hardcore fanatics preached the superiority of bimmers and slammed other brands and saying things like "why would anyone buy a 4-cyl when you can get a smooth silky inline-6?" Or "Turbocharging?... BMW would never do that!" Or "they don't even offer a manual gearbox, they're just pretenders!"... Or when you drive a BMW, there's great road-feel like you're connected, not like Lexus/MB that tries to isolate you with light disconnected steering, etc.

Circa 2013 and BMW is touting turbos as the greatest thing since sliced bread and 4-cyl as the future and reports say the next future M5 will not be offering manual transmission at all... etc. Things that were once considered blasphemy are now being praised by some BMW enthusiasts (or at least some on this board).

When you have posters like cuiter23 supporting BMW by preaching that lighter steering is good to make commuting in traffic easier, it's clear that even BMW enthusiasts are leaning toward the center masses. These are things you only used to hear in audiworld.org or Club Lexus boards.

When the Lexus IS wins a comparison over the F30 because the Lexus is said to be more "fun to drive" in the unabashedly BMW loving Car & Driver magazine, you know things are different now - a paradigm shift, almost.

Anyway, just reminiscing. And I never thought I'd say this, but as a proud owner of BMW's from E36 to E92, my next car may not be a BMW. I'm waiting to see if the upcoming F80 goes back to its roots of the E46 days as has been reported.
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