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      09-06-2020, 09:13 AM   #1
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Up close with the M3/M4 at circuit Zolder BMW track days

Just saw both cars in person this evening. They were in closed, dark rooms with security guards so taking pics was impossible. I asked the BMW guys for more info. Well, they were useless and they couldn't give any info besides the basics. Nothing you guys don't know. Below are my impressions.

M3 in Frozen Grey:

Side profile - Big. The car looks almost like an M5.

Wheels - I did not like them in two tone on the M4. All black in the M3 looked much better.

Rear - IMHO, Perfect. Aggressive. Very, very aggressive. And the exhaust tips are big. You can put your fist in them.

Front - I did not like it at all, and that's little to do with the big grill. Yes, it's there but the fact that they removed the power dome. Without it the front looks wierd. I won't say ugly.

Side vents - The ugliest thing ever, and I can't believe they designed it like that. WTF is this? Beautiful carbon everywhere and then they put cheap ass plastic on them.

Interieur - Gorgeous carbon seats. Best I've seen so far in an M car

M4 in Isle of Man Green:

Meh, I was not impressed by it. It makes the car feel like a toy. Not for me. The rear of the M3 is IMHO much, much better.

After seeing both cars, never would I buy the M4. I would consider the M3 in black. Still not sure.

If you have any questions ask me or EndBosS he was there too.
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      09-06-2020, 11:27 AM   #2
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Thanks erind!

Surprising impressions. You don’t like them because:

A) The side vents are plastic ( as they are on the F8X).
B) The lack of power dome ( as the E30 and E36)
C) The color of the M4.

Hmmm...doesn’t sound too bad.


Question: Are you sure that it was frozen grey and not the new Brooklyn grey?

Last edited by solstice; 09-06-2020 at 11:34 AM..
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      09-06-2020, 11:34 AM   #3
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Thanks for your honest review.
Are the side vents functional? Or is it a solid piece?

Looks like the only thing good about this car are the wheels and seats.
Maybe people can buy it hanging on to that.
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      09-06-2020, 11:44 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by poweredbym View Post
Thanks for your honest review.
Are the side vents functional? Or is it a solid piece?

Looks like the only thing good about this car are the wheels and seats.
Maybe people can buy it hanging on to that.
Don't forget about driving impressions .. to me, that's by far the most important thing. my wife gets hung up on minor vehicle details but the M3 first and foremost must be a great drivers car.... if it is, I can look past some plastic vents and lacking power dome...
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      09-06-2020, 11:54 AM   #5
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The only disappointment is the whack side vent. It's like some plastic b s that's on the current M2. There's no cut out into the fender ala e46 f8x m. I was hoping the cut out of the side vent would be on the bottom where that crease is. The rest is a go!

Last edited by khanyam4; 09-06-2020 at 12:13 PM..
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      09-06-2020, 11:58 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by solstice View Post
Thanks erind!

Surprising impressions. You don’t like them because:

A) The side vents are plastic ( as they are on the F8X).
B) The lack of power dome ( as the E30 and E36)
C) The color of the M4.

Hmmm...doesn’t sound too bad.


Question: Are you sure that it was frozen grey and not the new Brooklyn grey?
The vents are just ugly, not like the f8x. You will see it when they release t
The color was not Brooklyn Grey. Frozen Grey they said. Overal it was ok. But yea the front of the car did not get me warm not just the grill and the lack of the power dome. As I said the M3 is still nice. It better drive good.

The M4 just did not do it for me. Front, side, rear. Nothing. It wasn't just the color. I think the f82 still looks much better after all this years.
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      09-06-2020, 12:01 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by evanescent03 View Post
Don't forget about driving impressions .. to me, that's by far the most important thing. my wife gets hung up on minor vehicle details but the M3 first and foremost must be a great drivers car.... if it is, I can look past some plastic vents and lacking power dome...
While I agree. Some can own a car ignoring a lot of things some can't.

I guess for me even the best driving impressions won't be strong enough to over come the other shortcomings.

Objectively, being this size and the projected weight, they'll have to do a lot of things to make this drive well.
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      09-06-2020, 12:09 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by khanyam4 View Post
The only disappointment is the whack side vent. It's like some plastic b s that's on the current M2. There's not cut out into the fender ala e46 f8x m. I was hoping the cut out of the side vent would be on the bottom where that crease is. The rest is a go!
The one who designed it like that should be fired imho
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      09-06-2020, 12:16 PM   #9
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I’m not worried about details like side vents or powerdomes etc.I know they won’t mean much to me. What I’m hoping for is that the car has some visual impact and is very different from the F8X. I’m thoroughly bored with the F8X and all BMWs with similar design language, they just don’t do it for me anymore. Far from ugly but just so very boring.
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      09-06-2020, 12:19 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by erind View Post
The one who designed it like that should be fired imho
Don't give the guys here any idea. If they had it their way they would want the entire design team fired
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      09-06-2020, 12:28 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by solstice View Post
I’m not worried about details like side vents or powerdomes etc.I know they won’t mean much to me. What I’m hoping for is that the car has some visual impact and is very different from the F8X. I’m thoroughly bored with the F8X and all BMWs with similar design language, they just don’t do it for me anymore. Far from ugly but just so very boring.
It will have visual impact for sure but not always in a good way. I'm sure som people will do this
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      09-06-2020, 12:30 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by erind View Post
It will have visual impact for sure but not always in a good way. I'm sure som people will do this
Excellent, as long as it’s not just melting into the sea of boring that is a BMW dealer lot today where the X5 is one of the few cars that register as somewhat interesting.
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      09-06-2020, 12:39 PM   #13
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Btw. In regards to the two tone wheels you mentioned not being to your liking, have you seen this $2.7m AM with wheels that looks like they could be straight from a G8X option list...



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      09-06-2020, 12:43 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by solstice View Post
Btw. In regards to the two tone wheels you mentioned not being to your liking, have you seen this $2.7m AM with wheels that looks like they could be straight from a G8X option list...
...and a Hofmeister Kink ;-)
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      09-06-2020, 01:52 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by solstice View Post
Btw. In regards to the two tone wheels you mentioned not being to your liking, have you seen this $2.7m AM with wheels that looks like they could be straight from a G8X option list...
maybe 2.7mil but those rims are ugly af
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      09-06-2020, 02:43 PM   #16
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People that see the car seem very mixed....

Anyone else seeing G20's driving around and looking good? I just don't know why BMW did not use that front end? It is really nice looking. Not sure who the target audience is that wanted a new look? Seems most did not by overall impressions to the new look. The market research for BMW seems to not be very targeted.
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      09-06-2020, 02:51 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seis-speed View Post
People that see the car seem very mixed....

Anyone else seeing G20's driving around and looking good? I just don't know why BMW did not use that front end? It is really nice looking. Not sure who the target audience is that wanted a new look? Seems most did not by overall impressions to the new look. The market research for BMW seems to not be very targeted.
I know opinions are mixed, but for me, the front of the G20 is the worst part of its exterior design. I love the rear end (even though people complain it looks like a Lexus) and the side is a bit soft with the change in character lines but not terrible.

I think the G80 would look a bit better if they didn't do two separate nostrils (and charger dips) on the hood and just made that whole elevated, middle part of the hood the same height all the way across... maybe add a slight power dome to it. I'm fine the with big grills themselves but the dip between them on the hood is what I'd fix.
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      09-06-2020, 02:52 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seis-speed View Post
People that see the car seem very mixed....

Anyone else seeing G20's driving around and looking good? I just don't know why BMW did not use that front end? It is really nice looking. Not sure who the target audience is that wanted a new look? Seems most did not by overall impressions to the new look. The market research for BMW seems to not be very targeted.
The G20 is an invisible car. It seems BMW wanted something more for the M3/4 this time. They also can’t rely on what customers like today, they need to look forward to what will look fresh for 7 years.
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      09-06-2020, 04:20 PM   #19
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Quote:
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The G20 is an invisible car. It seems BMW wanted something more for the M3/4 this time. They also can’t rely on what customers like today, they need to look forward to what will look fresh for 7 years.
So was an F30, but the F80 looks very aggressive. That formula has worked for decades....I have not seen the car, so I remain hopeful, but many have and as many that like it, also hate it. That is typically not how the M3 reveal works, they always look good, but people have their quibbles about other topics, engine, dynamics, performance, engagement, etc...
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      09-06-2020, 04:43 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by seis-speed View Post
So was an F30, but the F80 looks very aggressive. That formula has worked for decades....I have not seen the car, so I remain hopeful, but many have and as many that like it, also hate it. That is typically not how the M3 reveal works, they always look good, but people have their quibbles about other topics, engine, dynamics, performance, engagement, etc...
It was. But it isn’t anymore, it’s boring. I can’t tell you how bored I am with the looks of my F80. The G20 isn’t different enough to the F30 as base for G80, it would look way too much like my F80. Remember that the F30 was very different to the E90 and the E90 was very different to the E46 and on it goes.
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      09-06-2020, 08:18 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seis-speed View Post
So was an F30, but the F80 looks very aggressive. That formula has worked for decades....I have not seen the car, so I remain hopeful, but many have and as many that like it, also hate it. That is typically not how the M3 reveal works, they always look good, but people have their quibbles about other topics, engine, dynamics, performance, engagement, etc...
F80 is pleasant looking but it's a dated look and pretty vanilla as whether you agree or not the rest of the industry is going moving forward in front end design and BMW until recently has been running with overly familiar twin kidney grilles going back to last decade. The twin kidney grilles are iconic but at the same time kind of restrict how much change you can do relative to other automakers that aren't married to a specific grill design. There is little doubt BMW took things to the extreme on the G8x M3/M4 and we really won't know for several years if it was the right call as we will have to see what people's opinions are of them once it gets to the point it's a familiar look.

I am positive that if BMW would have brought forth a car that looks similar to the aging F80 they would have been cooked much like GM with the latest Camaro which simply looked too much like the previous generation leading to them dropping from 1st to 3rd in pony car sales.
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      09-06-2020, 08:41 PM   #22
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Thanks for your review Erind! Pretty much confirms our fears. I'm disappointed to hear about the side vent being non-functional as well as cheap looking.

I was cruising PCH today and saw a number of G20s in M Sport trim and honestly, that car does tend to blend in despite being in "M" trim. The back looks too Lexus-ish until you get close enough to see the roundel. It's gotten so big I can't tell it from a 5 series anymore. I also saw a number of F82s and F80s and they all looked muscular and well proportioned. If that is the new "dated" look then I'll take it. Saw a San Marino M4 comp and it looked beautiful in the sun. I feel sorry for the G82 M4 bc it just sounds like it's gonna be just hideous.
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