[Abzynthe]

Just thought I’d share that I got a new car ready for the summer
E53 Premium Plus Night Edition in obsidian black. I have a feeling the BMW will be in the garage until winter

[MY340i]

Congrats - looks stunning.

[isleaiw1]

Very smart, I was very close to buying an E class vert (450 in my case) but in the end I decided that I wanted a fun weekend car and it had to be manual...

Enjoy the summer sun (if we ever get any)...

[boba-fett]

Thats well nice. Congrats.

We need your thoughts on it!

[MrManor]

Stunning!

[Abzynthe]

Originally Posted by boba-fett

Thats well nice. Congrats.

We need your thoughts on it!

Thanks all

I drove it about 100 miles home and it was really nice to drive. Although I’m finding it hard to get my right seating position, but I’m sure I will find something as I use it more.

I’m not sure how new BMWs compare, but the amount of stuff this car can do puts my fully specced F36 to shame

It has a really nice exhaust sound with a nice level of burbles under load. But it’s also much more civilised than the MPPSK.
Power wise, it’s quicker than the 440 but it doesn’t have that boost kick that the BMW has as it’s mild hybrid motor makes up the torque while the turbo spools.

I thought the BMW has a chunky steering wheel, but the E53 is chunkier, but still nice to hold.

I haven’t tested out the multi beam LED lights yet, but looking on YouTube, they are better than the adaptive LED in my BMW.

An interesting story, we were driving home and stopped in a services. A guy in a fake Escort Cosworth was in there taking pics of his car. When we came back out, he had parked next to us and was taking pics of them together, then as we were leaving, we could see him walking behind us filming us leave

Overall, I’m excited to drive it and initial thoughts are that I made a good choice haha.

[Abzynthe]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

Very smart, I was very close to buying an E class vert (450 in my case) but in the end I decided that I wanted a fun weekend car and it had to be manual...

Enjoy the summer sun (if we ever get any)...

I can see the appeal for a nice manual to play with, but I’m lazy and find the paddle shifters enough to give me that racing driver feeling on B roads

[Alscoob]

Very nice, I can see the BMW being in the garage for a long long time, enjoy

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by Abzynthe

I can see the appeal for a nice manual to play with, but I’m lazy and find the paddle shifters enough to give me that racing driver feeling on B roads

I used the paddles once each on the M5 and RS4 to check they worked, and then never again. I grew up on 3 pedals and a gearlever, especially in the hot hatch / sports saloon days and I think its really about reliving my youth! Besides I take the Jag if I am feeling lazy!

[Abzynthe]

Originally Posted by Alscoob

Very nice, I can see the BMW being in the garage for a long long time, enjoy

I think your right. Just taken it round some B roads, and this thing is quick!

[Abzynthe]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

I used the paddles once each on the M5 and RS4 to check they worked, and then never again. I grew up on 3 pedals and a gearlever, especially in the hot hatch / sports saloon days and I think its really about reliving my youth! Besides I take the Jag if I am feeling lazy!

I never really had any fun manuals during my youth, so that’s probably why I’m not that nostalgic lol. The most fun was an RCZR but I didn’t really gel with it.

[Abzynthe]

Took some pics

[TodmordenLad]

It's a lovely design, imo, particularly the rear. Nice clean lines. Rapid, I'll bet, but a great touring car too, with the top down.

[TurboWeasel]

I'm not a fan of black on black personally, otherwise very nice indeed

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

I used the paddles once each on the M5 and RS4 to check they worked, and then never again. I grew up on 3 pedals and a gearlever, especially in the hot hatch / sports saloon days and I think its really about reliving my youth!

If I never see a manual gearbox again, it'll be too soon. Rather than growing to love manuals over the past 3 decades, I've grown to hate them.

I'm so over pedal pumping in heavy traffic. The ZF8 is a very welcome antidote after so many years of juddering, slipping and heavy clutches.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by Abzynthe

I never really had any fun manuals during my youth, so that’s probably why I’m not that nostalgic lol. The most fun was an RCZR but I didn’t really gel with it.

Not sure I did and it may be rose tinted specs... but I still associate having fun driving with doing the gears myself. Its an age thing!

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by TurboWeasel

I'm not a fan of black on black personally, otherwise very nice indeed



If I never see a manual gearbox again, it'll be too soon. Rather than growing to love manuals over the past 3 decades, I've grown to hate them.

I'm so over pedal pumping in heavy traffic. The ZF8 is a very welcome antidote after so many years of juddering, slipping and heavy clutches.

If I'm going to be sat in heavy traffic I'll take the auto (like when I venture onto the M25 shortly...) but for country roads and having fun, I like to do the gears.... as above it might be nostalgia for simpler days generally!

[GOF_430d]

As a committed convertible owner, that is a lovely car and being an E53 I bet it sounds good.

I wish I had a soft top convertible earlier today [slow moving traffic southbound on the M1 - the sun was shining] after I rang my boss to update him on a meeting, as I could have put the roof down without first getting out & rearranging the contents of my boot to accommodate the roof.

[Abzynthe]

Originally Posted by GOF_430d

As a committed convertible owner, that is a lovely car and being an E53 I bet it sounds good.

I wish I had a soft top convertible earlier today [slow moving traffic southbound on the M1 - the sun was shining] after I rang my boss to update him on a meeting, as I could have put the roof down without first getting out & rearranging the contents of my boot to accommodate the roof.

This is our second convertible, but the first soft top. We had a Peugeot 308cc about 10 years ago.
To be honest, the boot isn’t very big and it still has a thing you need to have in place before having the roof down. We don’t use the boot very often, so I just keep it down.
It does sound nice, I like the little burbles when you put your foot down, but it’s not obnoxious like the 440i.