[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by EXE46

Good to hear, glad you’re enjoying it. I need to test drive one of these although I don’t plan on getting a new car before sometime next year. Sometimes I do feel like the M340i is not hardcore enough for me. I want more driving engagement.

Driving engagement is definitely there.... partly from it being a 6MT and partly from the G80 just feeling more "raw" than the G20.

I should mention, the first 1,000 miles or so had me worried in the beginning. The shifter needed to be manhandled a bit, the clutch was vague and the 1-2 shift was brutal and unforgiving. Had me thinking I forgot how to drive stick. Now with over 2,500 miles on it, I'm happy to say that the linkages have loosened up a bit and I'm able to flick the shifter into gear, the 1-2 shift has smoothed out, and the clutch engagement is more predictable now. It's now an absolute joy to drive whether I'm doing some spirited driving through the twisties or simply dropping my daughter off at school.

I also used to make fun of people who claimed they got a lot of attention in this car... saying things like, "calm down, it's not a ferrari". I take that all back. I'm surprised to admit it actually does get quite a bit of attention. Whether it's people getting their cell phones out to snap pictures, or just turning their heads not so subtlety to look at it. It's got a TON of road presence. And it's all positive feedback through thumbs ups, or people saying "nice car".

[jmg]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

Driving engagement is definitely there.... partly from it being a 6MT and partly from the G80 just feeling more "raw" than the G20.

I should mention, the first 1,000 miles or so had me worried in the beginning. The shifter needed to be manhandled a bit, the clutch was vague and the 1-2 shift was brutal and unforgiving. Had me thinking I forgot how to drive stick. Now with over 2,500 miles on it, I'm happy to say that the linkages have loosened up a bit and I'm able to flick the shifter into gear, the 1-2 shift has smoothed out, and the clutch engagement is more predictable now. It's now an absolute joy to drive whether I'm doing some spirited driving through the twisties or simply dropping my daughter off at school.

I also used to make fun of people who claimed they got a lot of attention in this car... saying things like, "calm down, it's not a ferrari". I take that all back. I'm surprised to admit it actually does get quite a bit of attention. Whether it's people getting their cell phones out to snap pictures, or just turning their heads not so subtlety to look at it. It's got a TON of road presence. And it's all positive feedback through thumbs ups, or people saying "nice car".

It's a polarizing car, much more than any previous BMW's I've ever had. More people have complimented me in this car than any other. On the other hand, I know there are people who also don't like it, but maybe that's why it gets so much attention. I've seen IG posts of my car at meets that other people have taken with unflattering tags. People who have never driven one say it's too heavy to be a performance car. Yet when I give ride alongs at my local track, people always end up with a smile on their face after the first lap. In fact, I recorded my fastest lap and won that session of Time Attack... with a passenger!

The car has flaws, but it will surprise people how well it is engineered. You either hate it or really like it, but at least it isn't boring.

[maco33]

The g80 looks extremely aggressive and I actually like the look of the grille—I initially thought it looked awful when the first press photos were released, but, after seeing it in person in Isle of Man, my mind was permanently changed