BMW i4 and iX in person

[W1NGE]

I was at a BMW driving event and they had real iX and i4 on display. My impressions:

• iX exterior looks weird and worst than the photos. It has a lot of champaign color accents which I did not like
• iX interior is top notch, very luxurious, but I did not like the color on display.
• iX size is big, closer to X5 than X3
• i4 looks better in person than the photos but I am not sure why they insist on that face..
• i4 interior was also nice following the familiar BMW looks. It was not as luxurious as the iX but I would say it is on par with the Taycan.
• the i4 overall looks almost the same as a 4 series both inside and outside
• both cars had their charging port on the rear of the passenger side.

Plug ugly (no pun intended).

Ever since Steve Bangle headed up the design of BMW we were subjected to some god awful designs. Whoever is responsible for these has taken it to new heights.

 

[fullmetalbaal]

It was an Autocross event at the Cow Palace in Daly City.

I got to drive the M440i xdrive 6 autocross laps. I know that some poeple in this forum might grill me for what I will say but the M440i was more fun than my Taycan 4s for sporty driving. The exhaust sound and the 1000lbs lighter chassis were the major reasons. Also the new 3.0 engine has a lot of torque and it felt almost as responsive as my 4s when it was in 2nd gear in Sport mode. There was only one time that I notice a minor power lag and I think it was the Traction control (which they did not let me disable) and not turbo lag.

Other generic comments about BMW:
- Their 3.0 inline 6 turbo engines are gems both the version that make 382hp and the one in the M3/4
- iDrive is much better than the PCM and Audi's MMI.
- In my opinion right now the best looking BMWs are the X3 M40i and the M2/M240i. I hope they don't introduce the big grille in those models.

IMHO the M2 competition is the last of the true BMWs. Would have been even better with an NA engine...

 

[Artman]

Bring me my Porsche!!!

 

[kreshi]

I was away for a week and after returning today I took my Taycan out to grab a quick snack. Parked it at a busy parking lot in the evening sun. Compared to any other car, the Taycan is just so many levels above the rest. No matter what angle you look at it.

I really like the 2021 BMW 3. The regular one with the small grill. Great looking car imo. The EVs you guys shared here are making Hyundai and Kia look like Ferrari and Lamborghini. ?‍?

Btw: saw the Merc EQS in person. Wow what an uuuugly looking car. Incredible tech and interior but my god the exterior…

 

[ciaranob]

I was away for a week and after returning today I took my Taycan out to grab a quick snack. Parked it at a busy parking lot in the evening sun. Compared to any other car, the Taycan is just so many levels above the rest. No matter what angle you look at it.

I really like the 2021 BMW 3. The regular one with the small grill. Great looking car imo. The EVs you guys shared here are making Hyundai and Kia look like Ferrari and Lamborghini. ?‍?

Btw: saw the Merc EQS in person. Wow what an uuuugly looking car. Incredible tech and interior but my god the exterior…

Agree that the exterior of the Merc is less than appealing which I was more than a little surprised by TBH - but def not for me.

 

[Windpower]

... with all the crystal knobs ...

Looks like this was 3D printed for the prototype. I have a hard time believing any car manufacturer would put crystal pieces in a high end car.

 

[perski]

As the proud former owner of a 2009 5-series GT I think these look rather handsome ?

 

[chrisk]

Looks like this was 3D printed for the prototype. I have a hard time believing any car manufacturer would put crystal pieces in a high end car.

They already have them in the current BMW X5 and M850i so it is happening. What is interesting is that I have seen a lot of people in the BMW forums asking if they can retrofit crystal knobs/shifter to their cars, so apparently there is a big target group.

 

[dwaltchack]

so ugly, looks like the folks from Nissan designed a BMW.

 

[kl98cwg]

I’ve had 16+ years of BMWs and held on to the last one for a long time waiting for the right EV to come along. The Taycan ticked all the boxes so I jumped, but I really did expect BMW to come along with something appealing. I saw both the i4 and iX recently and they are just so garish - and the iX seems very expensive, so I suppose the crystal etc is to justify the price.

Personally I think they’ve lost the plot, will be interesting to see if that’s the case and they loose buyers …

 

[Fish Fingers]

Just sold an M2 to the move to the Taycan. Wife has got an X2.
Both great cars.

But nothing new at BMW currently interests me.
Their cars are moving further and further away from I have always liked about BMWs.

Beaver tooth grills and crystals will never appear anywhere near my driveway.

Shame.

But they are targeting the Chinese market.
I read somwehere they know the new designs are polarising and they are happy with it.

 

[VA_CT]

My feeling as well.

My previous EV was a BMW i3, which was great for a two passenger car. It was roomy and had a surprising amount of trunk space. I ran a two year construction project driving that car, and regularly filled the trunk with 5 gallon cans of spackle, paint and tools. It was fabulous for hauling and was super comfortable in the front seats.

BMW really blew it by not taking the i3 platform and developing it over the years. They could have done an taller version (mini SUV) and a real 4 passenger version. BMW was ahead of almost all EV manufacturers (the Tesla model S was launched the year before the i3) but in the end, they are playing catch up. And not doing a very good job of it ...

Agree, same here. . I have owned various BMW over the past 15 years and I am currently driving an I3s, they should have built on that platform years ago. BMW continues to miss the mark!

 

[feye]

One word: ugly as hell.
sorry, three words

As much as I agree, if it sells well in China, all is good in Munich!

 

[Deleted member 1697]

I was at a BMW driving event and they had real iX and i4 on display. My impressions:

• iX exterior looks weird and worst than the photos. It has a lot of champaign color accents which I did not like
• iX interior is top notch, very luxurious, but I did not like the color on display.
• iX size is big, closer to X5 than X3
• i4 looks better in person than the photos but I am not sure why they insist on that face..
• i4 interior was also nice following the familiar BMW looks. It was not as luxurious as the iX but I would say it is on par with the Taycan.
• the i4 overall looks almost the same as a 4 series both inside and outside
• both cars had their charging port on the rear of the passenger side.

I was a bmw M user for years !
BMW was an excellent car maker for european gangsters : perfect to be discreet while transporting big and fast and solid. There are lots of stories (myths) in germany and europe around that. It’s part of the history of this brand. Drug/bank attack/gotojob..
it seem european gangsters are not the market core anymore.
As a global car maker, women of all this foreign and weird countries buy these cars and it is now the new market core. They (she) have the power !
White male is not welcome anymore…
And if « you don’t like the new line. Go away »

why this blue lines ? Why bmw EV is so showing off ??
Because this part of costumer want to show off it is an EV. If we can’t see it’s an EV they (she?) don’t buy it ?

so BMWis making stupid and luxurious SUV with blue lines and big grills !
Sad

panamera is the new M5!

 

[B61]

I was away for a week and after returning today I took my Taycan out to grab a quick snack. Parked it at a busy parking lot in the evening sun. Compared to any other car, the Taycan is just so many levels above the rest. No matter what angle you look at it.

I really like the 2021 BMW 3. The regular one with the small grill. Great looking car imo. The EVs you guys shared here are making Hyundai and Kia look like Ferrari and Lamborghini. ?‍?

Btw: saw the Merc EQS in person. Wow what an uuuugly looking car. Incredible tech and interior but my god the exterior…

IMHO, exterior of EQS is not ugly….it’s just …Mercedes… boring….nothing unique or head turning as Porsche…