IwannaSportSedan Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 [quote name='kanoswrx']They pretty much designed the car for germans, I mean it only makes sense. Going 150 is normal for a German, afterall they have the autobahn. So it makes sense to gear the power towards high speeds. Its just americas stupid love for 0-60 times and street racing that makes people wonder why their are 7 gears. I mean most americans could care less about 5 or 6 gears all they want is a 4 speed auto :( Just shows how lacking our country is when it comes to car development. Of course that doesn't include exteriors, the new M5 looks like crap I think. But I love everything else about it.[/quote] I hope you aren't mis-understanding me. It isn't that I love drag racing, or muscle cars, or economy cars. I am a sportscar lover. I prefer road-racing, actually. I understand that the M5 was designed for germany. How many of those cars as a percentage, are sold outside of germany though? Most other european countries don't have the high speed limits that germany does, and neither does most of the rest of the world. In the US, BMW's largest export market has 65-75mph speedlimits for the most part. Even if you speed, how fast do you usually go. Rarely over 90mph. I would much rather have a car that performs really well up to 100mph, even if it's top speed is higher, so that when I drive between 45-80mph, depending on the road and conditions, that I know that the car will more than keep up with my modest skills, sort of a margin of error, if you will. Paying a huge premium for a car that does it's best work from 100-150mph, and has more gears to shift through as a result, as I said, while technically very cool, practically, it is a bit of a waste, really. Good for impressing people, but in the real world, is it really all that much faster in the realm that most people occupy? BMW has a history of detuning cars for the US, such as the E36 M3. It seems like, while they should keep the engine for the US M5, a 6MT, or 6SMG, and a taller final drive ratio would make the US version more appropriate for US roads. I am a big proponent of lighter weight, within reason (and the market), better handling, and better braking before ultra-high horsepower. If the M5 had those traits (which it may well have), and only a modest power increase, it might not have the marketing fodder, but I think it would actually be a purer performance car. And the styling... Nah. I do love those sleek looking side mirrors, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05LegacyGT330Ci Posted September 9, 2004 Author Share Posted September 9, 2004 Well its not like this car isn't fast it does 0-60 in the low 4s and 0-100 around 8 from what Ive heard and takes 13 seconds to get to 125 so this thing like a bat out of hell at any speed so don't think when I ment that it flys above 100 that it doesn't fly below too. I also personally love the styling of the new 5 the E39 M5 still edges it out in looks but this is a very close second in my mind. Also this car is more than 200 pounds lighter then its predesscor and 111 hp more powerful (based off the 396 official rating) '05 Black Legacy GT Wagon 5-spd '02 Topaz/Black 330Ci 5-spd Drift Ryder's School of Rally Arts, coming to an Australia near you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 200 lbs lighter, huh? Strange, it doesn't show... :D I didn't mean that the car was a bad one by any stretch, just that it seems like lots of overkill for our roads, and laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05LegacyGT330Ci Posted September 9, 2004 Author Share Posted September 9, 2004 Everycar with over 200 hp is overkill for our roads and laws doesn't seem to stop any of us from buying 250hp car that does 130+ that most people will never see above even 115. '05 Black Legacy GT Wagon 5-spd '02 Topaz/Black 330Ci 5-spd Drift Ryder's School of Rally Arts, coming to an Australia near you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drift Monkey Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 [quote name='IwannaSportSedan']200 lbs lighter, huh? Strange, it doesn't show... :D I didn't mean that the car was a bad one by any stretch, just that it seems like lots of overkill for our roads, and laws.[/quote] It visually gained weight. That's for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05LegacyGT330Ci Posted September 9, 2004 Author Share Posted September 9, 2004 Visually so has the new Legacy, amazing what weight savings technologies can do on a larger car. '05 Black Legacy GT Wagon 5-spd '02 Topaz/Black 330Ci 5-spd Drift Ryder's School of Rally Arts, coming to an Australia near you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drift Monkey Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 [quote name='05LegacyGT330Ci']Visually so has the new Legacy, amazing what weight savings technologies can do on a larger car.[/quote] Maybe you misunderstood. I meant it "looks" heavier and just more cluttered in general. Too busy looking, the previous generations were much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agctr Posted September 10, 2004 Share Posted September 10, 2004 SERIOUSLY Guys, I have NO idea what you are talking about, I personally think the car looks fantastic, yes the headlights are a bit wack but they have certainly improved the back end over that butt ugly 7 Series. (waiting for the tomatos to be thrown) Hands up seriously, if u had one of these puppies in yr driveway with yr name on the ownership papers, would u really care as U would be the envy of everyone u know. Trust me. Adam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted September 10, 2004 Share Posted September 10, 2004 Yeah, If I had the papers and the keys, I'd flog it for a couple of weeks, while I figure out which porsche to trade it for... or that hot new Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Part of it is what -I- see when I walk into my garage. Some cars are overstyled, others are bland, then there are the ones that are works of art. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drift Monkey Posted September 10, 2004 Share Posted September 10, 2004 [quote name='agctr']SERIOUSLY Guys, I have NO idea what you are talking about, I personally think the car looks fantastic, yes the headlights are a bit wack but they have certainly improved the back end over that butt ugly 7 Series. (waiting for the tomatos to be thrown) Hands up seriously, if u had one of these puppies in yr driveway with yr name on the ownership papers, would u really care as U would be the envy of everyone u know. Trust me. Adam.[/quote] *Throws tomatos on stage* I'd be hard pressed tp actually like the way this car looks at the end of day, assuming I could aquire one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3.7L H6 Posted September 10, 2004 Share Posted September 10, 2004 Yes, pretty interesting that the only other car mentioned in the idol-like E60 M5 is the STi. Fascinating. :mrgreen: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt_ltd Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 another great sedan (or 4dr coupe??): [url]http://www.outie.net/forums/viewthread.php?tid=4107[/url] This Space For Rent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 I think you found the only other german car that costs that much to look that bad. The lines are all wrong on that car. The car looks like it fell on something, and got bent upward in the middle. the beltline curving up in the middle makes it look squinty, and overweight, at the same time. All wrong. What the hell. I am starting to think I can design better looking cars than some of these people, and I know that isn't true. I am not an engineer or an industrial designer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agctr Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 It may be a variant straight from F1 for they have 7 Speed gearboxes. BMW has really aligned itself with F1 and this could be a way of bolstering sales in the UK, Europe, US, AUS, NZ and the rest of the world. Significant R&D for F1 may have resulted in savings for BMWWilliamsF1Team and for BMW at large. Who knows but 7 doesnt worry me at all. Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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