[bimmer]

I have to agree. The car looks just uninspired, ordinary and almost boring. M performance is a must. I as 3 coupe driver have no desire of owing one at the moment. M3\4 might be different story.

[classj]

I guess this boils down to the "something missing" in BMW lately. I think at some point, a car can become so good at what it does, so poised, confident, safe, fast around a track, etc, that it ends up becoming no fun to drive.

Performance specs matter to some extent I guess. But if someone handed me a 300hp car with a flat torque curve from idle to the moon, that I could do mach 1 in, with one finger on the wheel and a coffee in the other hand, I am not so sure that interests me anymore.

On the other hand. A car that keeps you involved, makes you work a little for it to make power, has a little less tire than it should, etc, makes some cool noises (that aren't piped into the cabin via sound tubes or speakers). Actually can be more fun to drive for me at least.

I feel like many modern cars are built like refrigerators. To be as quiet and solid as possible and meet performance goals. Then the manufacture tries to inject some portion of "excitement" into the car after the fact

[crooked I]

Originally Posted by 34.50

Outside of the looks, they sound like crap (high pitched revving engine = annoying), engines are not the best nor reliable (but I guess when you have money to buy a Ferrari, you probably don't care), the brand to me is just meh. I've always been more impressed by other supercar brands. Add on to that the fact they have to "optimize" their cars for a specific track for car reviewers is a sign they are not confident with their car setups "out of the box" - this is what I consider false advertising. They're just a status symbol these days. There are better "driver" cars out there. Personally if I had $300k, I'd buy a different brand. Everyone has subjective views on brands.

lol!!! i love how you wrote that comment like you have driven one!!! funny guy!! you must be the guy on youtube car videos that has a 5 month long argument with another 13 year old know it all!!!

[viciousfire]

Originally Posted by classj

I guess this boils down to the "something missing" in BMW lately. I think at some point, a car can become so good at what it does, so poised, confident, safe, fast around a track, etc, that it ends up becoming no fun to drive.

Performance specs matter to some extent I guess. But if someone handed me a 300hp car with a flat torque curve from idle to the moon, that I could do mach 1 in, with one finger on the wheel and a coffee in the other hand, I am not so sure that interests me anymore.

On the other hand. A car that keeps you involved, makes you work a little for it to make power, has a little less tire than it should, etc, makes some cool noises (that aren't piped into the cabin via sound tubes or speakers). Actually can be more fun to drive for me at least.

I feel like many modern cars are built like refrigerators. To be as quiet and solid as possible and meet performance goals. Then the manufacture tries to inject some portion of "excitement" into the car after the fact

Spot on analysis of what's missing in a lot of the newest cars coming out. And it's why the FR-S and BRZ have been such hits with enthusiasts.

[Blue Streak]

Oh man! I love Chris Harris. He's a reviewer, but he's also a damn good driver. No drifting in a BMW on a closed race track? Ha!
Okay, so performance pack's will help with power, but I wish these N55's were a little more power tunable like the N54's are. They should have produced a better or larger turbo by now, I think. The 300 HP threshold should be more like 380 on a car like this by now, especially if they want to break ground and call it a "4 series".

[Nang Vann]

Sweet video, this car looks nice as

[Saphirschwarz]

i hope he knows what he's doin... sounds rude to me, even if he's angry.

[Falafel Combo]

I know this is not one of his best reviews, but that is also a reflection of the car itself. It is not great enough to put you in a giddy mood, but at the same time is not lousy enough to make you sarcastic or humorous about the whole experience. It is not stimulating. Not very engaging. It fails to set the mood. It fails to remind you that you are driving an upscale and expensive sport sedan with an incredible heritage and responsibility to live up to it's predecessors. It looks nice, is incredibly fast and boring as hell. Think of a gorgeous-yet-very-superficial supermodel. How can you have an intelligent conversation with someone like that?


Bottom line: I agree with his review. Great car, great bones, terribly underwhelming in its driving experience all the way until pushed to its limits. There is a very fun car somewhere under these f30/32 sheets of metal. It is just very elusive and difficult to expose most of the time. My 2c.

[34.50]

Originally Posted by crooked I

lol!!! i love how you wrote that comment like you have driven one!!! funny guy!! you must be the guy on youtube car videos that has a 5 month long argument with another 13 year old know it all!!!

I admit I've never driven one. I have been in some Ferrari's, heard startups/takeoffs. You can base sound on experience/videos/etc. It's not intoxicating to me - nothing wrong with that. You can say whatever you want about Ferrari, but I just don't find them that exciting. Why would I argue with someone on the internet about cars - I can only state my opinion, and I'll respect other people's opinion. How many times do I have to state that? Apparently there is something inherently wrong with being a car enthusiast and not liking Ferrari.

[bradleyland]

All this whining about the series-name change is getting old very quickly. Given his views on the car, maybe the change to "4-series" is apropos. This clearly isn't the same car as the 3-series of the E30 days. It has become something else.

The progression is pretty obvious to me: The 3-series (coupe) has grown in to 6-series territory. The 2-series is being introduced to fill the gap left by a growing 3-series.

Yes, the 3-series was a great car. So was the 2002, but eventually "new" ideas become old, and something else must come along to replace it. We're at that point right now. You have a choice: you can by cynical about it, or you can try to understand what's happening around you and look for the positive.

[Never Convicted]

Funny how nobody has mentioned the part where he says "steering, really nice and quick actually. Really impressed by that." Somebody from here should tell him how bad EMS is, so he can change his opinion.

[Thurman Murch]

I think BMW is pulling the fun factor out of the car and selling it via m performance upgrades. Sounds like bottom line at its finest. I think the competition will step up its games this go around and give BMW something better to compete with other than itself. A better RS4 or C63 could help catapult this move back to basics/roots.

[FrankiE90]

Chris's review says it all.
There's nothing new nor exciting about a rebranded 3series coupe - now 4series.
It's still a great 3 series but...

I feel if u call it a 4 series.
Make it be known its special and different.
At least to the enthusiast point of view.

If bmw brings a 435is(LSD) - I'm sure his review
Will be glowing and special because they'll
Want him to drift.

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by Never Convicted

Funny how nobody has mentioned the part where he says "steering, really nice and quick actually. Really impressed by that." Somebody from here should tell him how bad EMS is, so he can change his opinion.

He spends plenty of time complaining about EMS in other cars; some of which are BMW models.

What's important for everyone to keep in mind is that EMS has the potential to be really great, but it's going to take some time. Clearly Chris Harris feels that BMW has improved their system significantly in the 4-series.

[elistan]

It's an odd, somewhat schizophrenic video. Some selected quotes:

"a bit uninteresting"
"so accomplished you wonder if it borders on the boring"
"normalness of it all"
"the car changes direction beautifully"
"it's just not that enlivening"
"steering - really nice and quick actually, very impressed by that"
"but even so - the performance of the car - a few years ago, this would have been just about bordering on supercar performance. it's incredible"
"really nice chassis. i get the hint of what an M3 might be like now... this structure is stiff, everything about it high quality"
"this car has more performance than most people who buy it will ever need"
"but despite driving so well and being so fast, this is quite an ordinary feeling car"
"underneath all that gloss and perfection there really is a very good performance car"

Everything he ever mentions in specific - brakes, engine, transmission, chassis, steering, performance - he's positive about. But overall? "Normal," "boring," but no indication at all why he feels that way... Perhaps it's an issue of the car being "too good" in both performance and luxury?

[monkawekrue]

lol cool vid

[Jonjt]

Originally Posted by Never Convicted

Funny how nobody has mentioned the part where he says "steering, really nice and quick actually. Really impressed by that." Somebody from here should tell him how bad EMS is, so he can change his opinion.

EMS is terrible sure. But, it's still everything Chris said it is. Having driven a few F30s, I can say that the steering is precise and the car goes where you point it. The problem is that the steering feels absolutely dead. There is 0 feedback. When I get back in my E92, I feel like I've stepped into a car with a totally transformed chassis. That's quite the statement, considering that the E92's steering system, though tight and weighty, really doesnt provide all that much feedback.


The EMS in the F30s is accurate and precise but, it's really nothing more than a finely tuned knob. It's one of the largest sores on the F30s chassis.

[Dante]

Originally Posted by viciousfire

Spot on analysis of what's missing in a lot of the newest cars coming out. And it's why the FR-S and BRZ have been such hits with enthusiasts.

I think what some are missing is that the 4er (hence the name change) is targeting a different market as for e.g. the E36 or E46 coupe did.

For all of you that want a nimble Drivers' Coupe, wait for the 2er!

[NISFAN]

I was talking to the sales manager of my local dealer the other day. He said BMW contemplated naming e92 the 4 series back before it was launched. They (BMW HQ) had an internal discussion and dropped the idea.

For me if you look at say the C Class coupe, it is basically a C Class, but with 2 doors. It gets away with soooo much due to this. I think naming the 4 Series has increased expectations for what is basically a 2 door f30.

[clbmw]

Originally Posted by Blue Streak

Oh man! I love Chris Harris. He's a reviewer, but he's also a damn good driver. No drifting in a BMW on a closed race track? Ha!
Okay, so performance pack's will help with power, but I wish these N55's were a little more power tunable like the N54's are. They should have produced a better or larger turbo by now, I think. The 300 HP threshold should be more like 380 on a car like this by now, especially if they want to break ground and call it a "4 series".

Good point

Big gap between the 300ish BHP 435i (&d) and the 415-450 BHP M4

Hopefully it'll be filled with something exciting. Alpina are looking at a 350ish BHP diesel according to Autocar.

[Never Convicted]

Originally Posted by Jonjt

EMS is terrible sure. But, it's still everything Chris said it is. Having driven a few F30s, I can say that the steering is precise and the car goes where you point it. The problem is that the steering feels absolutely dead. There is 0 feedback. When I get back in my E92, I feel like I've stepped into a car with a totally transformed chassis. That's quite the statement, considering that the E92's steering system, though tight and weighty, really doesnt provide all that much feedback.


The EMS in the F30s is accurate and precise but, it's really nothing more than a finely tuned knob. It's one of the largest sores on the F30s chassis.

EMS is brand new for BMW, just like many other innovations of the past. Apparently, it's been improved in the F32, or Harris would have noted it. Nobody here, with the exception of Mr. Dackelone, has driven the Coupe yet. I'm waiting for the M4 and not making judgments based on driving a 328 loaner. i have a feeling they'll get it right.

[shivaswrath]

Originally Posted by Never Convicted

EMS is brand new for BMW, just like many other innovations of the past. Apparently, it's been improved in the F32, or Harris would have noted it. Nobody here, with the exception of Mr. Dackelone, has driven the Coupe yet. I'm waiting for the M4 and not making judgments based on driving a 328 loaner. i have a feeling they'll get it right.

If the steering is like what they did with MPPK, then people won't disappoint.

The Sport Setting with MPPK is 25% more feedback/weight.

I'd also argue the same level of increase in Comfort mode.

My steering woes went away with this cheap $1200 mod through BMW...and that's what's cool about the EMS, tuners can f with it once they figure out how to crack it. Will be a great platform moving forward...