[A6bullet]

This is a rant post.

Can someone explain to me the reasoning for the US 4 series getting such plain looking seats for a nearly 70k car?
Why can't they add the M sport seats that are available everywhere else??

On another note, Why does the 4 get ventilated seats and the 3 does not? How does this make any sense?

Lastly, what's up with the, yet again, uninspiring and limited color choices?

Please discuss.

[VetteGuy]

The seats are fine, but yes it would be nice if the U.S. market could have at least the option of the M seats.

The BMW ventilated seats suck because they eliminate seat width adjustment so very few enthusiasts will order them and thus it’s a moot point.

Yes, a few more color options, both interior and exterior, would be cool.

Not a lot to really rant about though. I was able to buy a combination of blue over black leather with blue stitching so at about $67,500 MSRP I’m happy.

[sikotic]

They used to have the extended merino leather option with the red and black two-tone quilted leather on the X4 but from what I can see they removed that as well. Feels very limited when there are 3 series all over the rest of the world with the Fiona red leather

[3erMan]

I can appreciate OP's frustration. Any large purchase should come with some reasonable choices for the buyer to select. When a manufacturer shows its cards in the form of making options available for some markets and not others, that does more to frustrate buyers in the lower grade market who are aware of the existence of those options in the particular model. Other than the cost savings (BMW probably saves a minuscule amount of money by minimizing option combinations), manufacturers know they can get away with this because extremely few customers in each market are aware of the existence of those options in other markets.

It's not about the options themselves as much as it is the "you're not important enough for us to make these available in your market because your market just isn't that big and/or we think other buyers in your market won't care about it enough" attitude that really irks me.

Here's an interesting read on a particular example, but it's not the article itself that is so great, it's the comments. There's one in particular that is better than any rant I could have made: https://jalopnik.com/the-manual-gene...nik-1845107621

[wtwo3]

The seats are similar to the 3 series.

I am still confused on everyone complaining about a "$70k car" when it's the price for a loaded model, and isn't far off from a loaded m340i. Maybe I'm late to the party, but were people complaining about the price of a loaded m340i as well when it was first released?

Further, compare it to the competition:

m440i xdrive msrp: $58,500
C43 4matic coupe msrp: $58,500

As for color options being limited, this is clearly a supply issue which BMW is facing across its entire lineup of cars. The reason certain models are more limited than others is because BMW is doing a demand/pricing analysis to determine which models will get which colors. Premium leathers/colors will be reserved for higher end models (5 series/7 series) because 1) those customers are more likely to pay extra for premium colors/leathers and 2) for the time being it differentiates the models and minimize cannibalization given the current climate.

A reasonable assumption can be made that as supply catches up, more colors/options will be offered again. You see the same trend in other models. In my 2020 G05 for example, I was able to order options such as acoustic glass and individual ametrin metalic paint. Both of these options are no longer available in the 2021 X5 40i, however the general consensus is that again, once supply stabilizes, they will become available again.

People need to relax.

[Vmaxx]

I agree with the OP which is why I changed my mind and ordered a M340ix because there are just too many small things BMW could have done to make this car slightly better and to help overcome the front end styling. In regards to the colors, BMW already has the plants fitted to use their other colors so why not?? We’re not referring to new colors, but just other colors they could have easily offered to appeal to a larger group of potential buyers.

[wtwo3]

Another note on colors. Currently literally the only colors the M340i has that the M440i doesn't are Mineral Grey and Sunset Orange. The M440i has Arctic Race Blue, Dravit, and Tanzanite Blue II. Again, there are obviously supply issues which are creating these discrepancies because both Dravit & Tanzanite were options on the 2020 3 series.

[SteveinArizona]

"As for color options being limited, this is clearly a supply issue which BMW is facing across its entire lineup of cars. The reason certain models are more limited than others is because BMW is doing a demand/pricing analysis to determine which models will get which colors. Premium leathers/colors will be reserved for higher end models (5 series/7 series) because 1) those customers are more likely to pay extra for premium colors/leathers and 2) for the time being it differentiates the models and minimize cannibalization given the current climate"

I think you are right BUT companies that have tried to avoid cannibalizing their products have often fallen by the wayside. It usually ends up driving customers to other providers and these customes often stick thereafter with the other providers.

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

"As for color options being limited, this is clearly a supply issue which BMW is facing across its entire lineup of cars. The reason certain models are more limited than others is because BMW is doing a demand/pricing analysis to determine which models will get which colors. Premium leathers/colors will be reserved for higher end models (5 series/7 series) because 1) those customers are more likely to pay extra for premium colors/leathers and 2) for the time being it differentiates the models and minimize cannibalization given the current climate"

I think you are right BUT companies that have tried to avoid cannibalizing their products have often fallen by the wayside. It usually ends up driving customers to other providers and these customes often stick thereafter with the other providers.

Agreed, but I think this situation is more so exacerbated by the current climate and a result of supply shortages.

To some extent there is still going to be an effort to avoid cannibalization of sales so that your own product lineup doesn't compete against itself. BMW and Mercedes are very guilty of this simply because of the sheer number of models and variations they offer. If you simplify your lineup, then potential cannibalization also automatically sorts itself out. There's a balance that they struggle to find between offering options for every niche, and just simple rationalization of product lineup to maximize what you can offer (and situations like this are better able to be avoided).

[WestCoast76]

Just be patient !

Next spring in Europe, the 4 series will be available with more colors and more options. I was also surprised by the lack of obvious options but it seems a choice from BMW to proceed like this for the European market.

[stein_325i]

Agreed on colors. I'm happy that we are getting so many different blues from Tanzanite, to Phytonic, Artic, etc. however not everyone wants blue, so the only are choices are basic monochrome of black, gray and white. What happened to red? Especially for a car who's concept version was shown off in a beautiful shade of red, why would they not bring that to production!

[Burrcold]

Those are the same seats as the M340i (one of the things that really pissed me off about the G20 was not having a sport seat option like the C43 and S4/5).

[BMW11]

To me the G20 M340 seats feel less cushioned as compared to my F30 340i

[Smiller155]

Originally Posted by A6bullet

This is a rant post.

Can someone explain to me the reasoning for the US 4 series getting such plain looking seats for a nearly 70k car?
Why can't they add the M sport seats that are available everywhere else??

On another note, Why does the 4 get ventilated seats and the 3 does not? How does this make any sense?

Lastly, what's up with the, yet again, uninspiring and limited color choices?

Please discuss.

You can thank BMW North America for limiting the seat options, removing fender badges, and limiting the spoiler to the 440. Some exec makes these silly limitations and its very frustrating.

As for colors, for the M440 there's Black, White, Portimao Blue, Artic Race Blue, Davit Grey, & Tanzanite Blue. Only difference from M340 is no mineral grey and orange but you get 2 more blues & one more grey. I think there are plenty of colors, I just wish they didn't limit some based on MSport or not--that just seems stupid.

[stein_325i]

Originally Posted by Smiller155

You can thank BMW North America for limiting the seat options, removing fender badges, and limiting the spoiler to the 440. Some exec makes these silly limitations and its very frustrating.

As for colors, for the M440 there's Black, White, Portimao Blue, Artic Race Blue, Davit Grey, & Tanzanite Blue. Only difference from M340 is no mineral grey and orange but you get 2 more blues & one more grey. I think there are plenty of colors, I just wish they didn't limit some based on MSport or not--that just seems stupid.

There are a good number of colors but the variations between them are little. Its pretty much, black white, gray or blue. I especially don't understand the lack of red, the color of this car's concept. Makes no sense.

[VetteGuy]

There is also the issue that worldwide, the most popular vehicle colors are black, white, gray and silver. Therefore, manufacturers tend to stay conservative and offer what sells.

[NorCalAthlete]

Any idea if we can individual order the M seats as an option? How much are they in Europe to add on?

[Burrcold]

Originally Posted by NorCalAthlete

Any idea if we can individual order the M seats as an option? How much are they in Europe to add on?

No you can't...not now anyways.

[SteveinArizona]

I am waiting for the grill option. I guess that will be a long wait.

[NorCalAthlete]

For those with the M340 - are the non-M seats even that bad? They look like a significant improvement over the F32/F30 to me but I haven't sat in an M340 yet.

[Burrcold]

Originally Posted by NorCalAthlete

For those with the M340 - are the non-M seats even that bad? They look like a significant improvement over the F32/F30 to me but I haven't sat in an M340 yet.

They aren't terrible but aren't overly sporty either. In pictures I find they look way more bolstered than they actually are.

[VetteGuy]

They could definitely use better bolsters but overall they are supportive and comfortable.