[Robin_NL]

Originally Posted by Dino355

Totally agree with all of the above.

Once again BMW has released a car that (initially at least) just does not impress in the looks department. Strangely enough I hated the e87 1er and the e90 3er when they were released but I grew to love them. Perhaps this will happen with the f30 too, only time will tell. Not sure about the red stripe through the dash or the screen the sticks up out of the top.

You get used to it, trust me, you know it.

I went from 3 E46s through one E87 for a few months to 3 E90s...

Agreed with the red stripe and the 'Ipad' screen though.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by Murph335

If the 328i impresses them, cant wait to see what a 335i will throw down.

When I get e90 328i as a loaner to me its night and day difference, cant wait to get the 335i back, its a completely diff car to me.

Let me guess ... auto 328i, no sport package?

The 328i trans is very different than the 335i. Try driving a 328i 6MT with sport. I'm sure you will notice that night and day gap shrink rapidly. The 328i is no 335i, but nonetheless a very capable and worthy car in it's own right.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by 1006will

Not that a big 0-60 person, but before, the A4, C350 and G37 were all faster than 328. Now, the f30 beats every single one of them with much better EPA. I know ever since the mb refreshed their C class, their sale in the segment soared. But now, I cant find a single reason that a 350 is better than our f30. Well done, BMW, well done.

LOVE the c350! Specially the sleek interior. With all these reviews trickling in, this f30 brings me back from that ledge. It puts the obvious c350 comparisons to rest.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by Budge

I may be the only one, but all I could think about when watching this video was HOW STUPID THE NAV SCREEN IS! On a bright day, that thing is going to turn into a mirror. If you get this car with iDrive, every control is viewed on that screen. And without some kind of shade, it's rendered worthless. How many accidents are going to be caused by people desperately trying to read a washed out lcd instead of watching the road ahead? Absolutely unacceptable for BMW.

Dude, you seriously think they overlooked something as glaringly obvious as that (pun)? It has got to be the most obvious challenge with any in-dash navi. Even Garmin knows that. Give the Germans a bit more credit.

As others have already pointed out, this system has been sufficiently tested in other models.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by Weird Side Effect

Nice. The interior looked really good in this video as well. I still cant help but be irked at how he talked about the new F30 having so much technology, and then they cut to a rear shot of the car where he is applying the brakes and you see this faint tail light. NO FCUKING LED's is RIDICULOUS!!


Other than that, Im looking forward to seeing one in person.

Agreed on the LED's. Pretty silly IMO.

[Falafel Combo]

Originally Posted by southlight

It's a global event and while the 28i is the base model in the US it's quite upscale in most other markets. For example, most popular version in Germany is the 320d. Plus, the 28i is a fairly new engine while the 35i has been available for a bit longer.


Best regards,
south

Great points. Thanks.

[Falafel Combo]

Waiting for the stitching to not stick out like an eye sore ... so far, reminiscent of a souped-up VW GTI. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I wonder if they'll allow us to option-out the stitching in the M-sport package or sport line?

Also, looking at the m-sport steering wheel gives me this strong urge to put on some aviator goggles, leather bomber jacket and a scarf for crying out loud! Anyone?

[advantage20]

Originally Posted by Weird Side Effect

and then they cut to a rear shot of the car where he is applying the brakes and you see this faint tail light. NO FCUKING LED's is RIDICULOUS!!

The indicators aren't in LED but the rear lights + brake lights are...

[justinnum1]

Originally Posted by shicobico

Let me guess ... auto 328i, no sport package?

The 328i trans is very different than the 335i. Try driving a 328i 6MT with sport. I'm sure you will notice that night and day gap shrink rapidly. The 328i is no 335i, but nonetheless a very capable and worthy car in it's own right.

+1...for DD a f30 328i manual sport is going to be an awesome car. the 335 is a beast, but having a 335 before, i just didnt use the power enough to justify the additional expense, the handling will be very similar. The N20 seems like it has just enough juice(out going NA 6 was a little weak)

[rmastale]

Love that CF look. Think I'll get those caps!

[PsychoSlug]

Looks ok. I'm still not a fan of the front end. The interior looks a bit busy and Audi'ish. Most people prefer that, but I do not. I definitely don't like the Audi-like nav screen, and the color stripe running the length of the dash looks very boy-racer'ish.

I'll reserve final judgment for when I see it in person.

[adamsclubs]

The fact all people can talk about is the interior looks, no one even noticed the light steering comment, and driving like being a passenger...

BMW has clearly hit it out of the ball park with our future buyers.

[sarafil]

Originally Posted by SteveMD

Nope. Imperial Gallon. Completely bigger.

Imperial Gallon + Euro Cycle = huge difference

[sarafil]

Originally Posted by justinnum1

+1...for DD a f30 328i manual sport is going to be an awesome car. the 335 is a beast, but having a 335 before, i just didnt use the power enough to justify the additional expense, the handling will be very similar. The N20 seems like it has just enough juice(out going NA 6 was a little weak)

+1

this could be a very compelling value, depending on how the options price out. $4k-$5k less than a 335i with significantly better MPG, lighter weight, and still very respectable performance is not a bad thing.

I could be tempted to go 328 vs. 335 for my next one.

[Weird Side Effect]

Originally Posted by advantage20

The indicators aren't in LED but the rear lights brake lights are...

Sorry, not trying to discredit what you're saying, but I have a hard time believing this. Those brake lights did not look like LED's. Do you (or anyone else) have something from BMW that states that? I'm curious to find out what exactly is/isn't LED.

I just watched the video again. The screen being up all the time will take some getting used to. I also still am not 100% sold on the passenger side of the dash where it "waves" over. I've never been much of a fan when it came to matching interior parts (paint wise), but the red stripe doesn't look too bad. I admit, it does add a sportiness to the interior, however, I hope there will either be an aftermarket "fix"/replacement option from BMW or others to get rid of/replace it if we so choose.

[justinnum1]

Originally Posted by Weird Side Effect

Sorry, not trying to discredit what you're saying, but I have a hard time believing this. Those brake lights did not look like LED's. Do you (or anyone else) have something from BMW that states that? I'm curious to find out what exactly is/isn't LED.

I just watched the video again. The screen being up all the time will take some getting used to. I also still am not 100% sold on the passenger side of the dash where it "waves" over. I've never been much of a fan when it came to matching interior parts (paint wise), but the red stripe doesn't look too bad. I admit, it does add a sportiness to the interior, however, I hope there will either be an aftermarket "fix"/replacement option from BMW or others to get rid of/replace it if we so choose.

Its possible they have those horizontal bars that are lit by led, but in terms of hitting the breaks and using indicators...i think those are both regular bulbs, which is bullshit, they should all be led.

[Weird Side Effect]

Originally Posted by justinnum1

Its possible they have those horizontal bars that are lit by led, but in terms of hitting the breaks and using indicators...i think those are both regular bulbs, which is bullshit, they should all be led.

I totally agree. It may seem to some that I'm griping about something so irrelevant, but you have to think about what the competition is offering, as well as think back to the e46 and e90's. The LED's weren't offered until the end of their cycles and was done as a "last goodbye" refresh (IMO anyway). Why wait for that? Why not offer LED's from the get-go and be done with it? It should be standard at this point. Does this sound silly?

I know I am a detail-oriented person, but am I being too picky here? Lol. I don't think I am, but I've been know to be wrong before.

Simply put... Everything is so technology based these days, especially in the auto industry, but BMW, one of the leading innovators of lighting for automotives refuses to put LED's as a standard in 20fcukin'11!!

C'mon BMW!

[adamsclubs]

Originally Posted by justinnum1

Its possible they have those horizontal bars that are lit by led, but in terms of hitting the breaks and using indicators...i think those are both regular bulbs, which is bullshit, they should all be led.

I noticed on two occasions he aimed at the apexes, but stepped on the brake as the car was straight at the apex. Looked to me he drove like a passenger, wanting to go fast, not an enthusiast, wanting to go fast.

No wonder he liked the fact he felt like a passenger. BTW, I didn't try to figure out whether the brake lights were LED or not, my mind was elsewhere, sorry.

[Weird Side Effect]

Originally Posted by adamsclubs

I noticed on two occasions he aimed at the apexes, but stepped on the brake as the car was straight at the apex. Looked to me he drove like a passenger, wanting to go fast, not an enthusiast, wanting to go fast.

No wonder he liked the fact he felt like a passenger. BTW, I didn't try to figure out whether the brake lights were LED or not, my mind was elsewhere, sorry.

Watch it multiple times like most of us have and you'll notice that you start to pay attention to other things than him talking. Lol

[beemerman1984]

This is such a great little engine, and already some tunes are starting to appear for it.

[Voltigeur]

Originally Posted by shicobico

Also noticed they went back to orange dash lights (classic - love it), opposed to white?

Never changed (at least in US). My E90 335d has the orange; my E92 M3 has the white: I like the differentiation.

[ATX78703]

obviously the big winner here is the 328i, not the 335i. With the n20 + 8AT + weight savings, you're talking a full 1.0 second off the 0-60mph and ~20% improvement in mpg! Not to mention, the sport/m-sport pkg will have the same suspension tune/tires/track as the 335i, so it'll prob handle better.

This is why they're issuing the 328i for the first-drive reviews rather than the 335i. The 335i has really gained nothing in this redesign, other than increased std features.