3 Series (F30/F31/F34/F35) [Video]: Richard Hammond says the F30 3 Series is the Greatest car ever made.
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The sixth generation of the BMW 3 Series consists of the BMW F30 (sedan version), BMW F31 (wagon version, marketed as 'Touring') and BMW F34 (fastback version, marketed as 'Gran Turismo') compact executive cars. A long-wheelbase sedan version (model code F35) was sold in China. For this generation, the coupé and convertible models were spun off to create the new BMW 4 Series nameplate. It was succeeded by the G20 3 Series, and the G26 4 Series Gran Coupé (F34). Production: October 2011 – October 2018
Can't disagree with him I guess. My biggest criticism of the car is the ho-hum styling, but it's an engineering marvel as far as I'm concerned (based on a limited but lively test-drive).
If the 5-Series was done with the precision of the 3-Series, I very much might have not been able to hold myself back from buying one. Though, in this segment I do want the luxury.... the 3er reminded me of how the story goes when BMW does not try and play anyone else's game, instead, more or less sticks to their own.
EDIT: LOL, those idiots were showing vids and pics of E90's. Where is the quality control in entertainment these days?
EDIT #2: Damn, listening to Hammond makes me practically want a BMW! They should make that dude head of Sales!
If the 5-Series was done with the precision of the 3-Series, I very much might have not been able to hold myself back from buying one. Though, in this segment I do want the luxury.... the 3er reminded me of how the story goes when BMW does not try and play anyone else's game, instead, more or less sticks to their own.
EDIT: LOL, those idiots were showing vids and pics of E90's. Where is the quality control in entertainment these days?
EDIT #2: Damn, listening to Hammond makes me practically want a BMW! They should make that dude head of Sales!
Watch out, if you speak the truth and give BMW anything but unabashed fanboy compliments that are blinded from realizing less than complimentary factors, you may get Klier-sirens.
And, I agree. As a buyer in the Midsize Premium segment, when I want Luxury, I don't immediately look to BMW, nor do I expect to. I want luxury from them, of course, however I want precision and excitement to still stand out as the leading testament to the car. The F30 made me excited to drive a BMW. It also made me blown away at the efficiency of chassis mixed with drivetrain, in terms of how well it almost defied logic.
I've said it before, but I was looking at a 550i the other day. It doesn't technically embody BMW in any way to me. A 4,500 lb V8 TT that makes 400 HP is pure gluttonously overweight in more ways then one, not much BMW precise efficiency there. Firstly, 4,500 lbs is ridiculously overweight for a car of the 5ers size, showing lack of cutting edge lightweight material usage, and 400 HP isn't even a whole lot for a V8 TT. With that, MPG is rather weak, and the car is nose heavy, not much of a handling beast as you'd expect from a 5-Series. It's just not what "BMW" has been about, to me.
I feel that the F30 is an "about face" of sorts.
Human
You. The Road. Nothing else.
From a BMW enthusiasts point of view: Yes, the F10 may be on the heavy side. Hindsight, it's such a complete car. IMO it looks great, has luxury and is in fact a luxury car in every detail. Has a well sorted chassis and is very refined. I love the steering position and feel whilst the ride comfort in any setting delivers on perfect balance. It's BMW's most complete car, that in fact may just be why some of BMW's trade-mark handling finesse is lacking, the F10 is complete and value for it's segment. The best buy consumer wise in BMW AG's lineup IMO is the 520d, fully loaded in M-Sport guise - perfect!
I may sound like Scott, but in this segment some trade-offs won't matter to the buyer of the F10. That is why the F30 stays true to BMW essence - for the connoisseur
In the end from a board room point of view this just broadens BMW's reach and keeping so many happy...And They Do! That is what makes BMW the undeniable success story in the Premium segment.
And given we all would like to see BMW using CFRP etc. in future models AND that will happen. Weight is a killer, take myself and Tarek for example we keep ourselves in-shape and following a strict diet. I mean I don't wanna spoil my next M3's perfect weight distribution
Yet the F10 is not killed so to speak by it's weightiness, it's not that heavy and no need to exaggerate the F10 being that heavy.
I may sound like Scott, but in this segment some trade-offs won't matter to the buyer of the F10. That is why the F30 stays true to BMW essence - for the connoisseur
In the end from a board room point of view this just broadens BMW's reach and keeping so many happy...And They Do! That is what makes BMW the undeniable success story in the Premium segment.
And given we all would like to see BMW using CFRP etc. in future models AND that will happen. Weight is a killer, take myself and Tarek for example we keep ourselves in-shape and following a strict diet. I mean I don't wanna spoil my next M3's perfect weight distribution
Yet the F10 is not killed so to speak by it's weightiness, it's not that heavy and no need to exaggerate the F10 being that heavy.
You make much sense, and I don't disagree with a lot of that. Though, actually I read that the 550i is around 4,500 lbs, which is incredibly heavy for a midsize. I believe the 535i is also north of 4,000 lbs, which is high for a 6 cylinder Midsize, namely one that has pioneered itself as the sporty/dynamic choice previously.
I think the F10 definitely put a lot of focus into being "Jack of all trades, master of none" (in which owners of the car itself have coined it on the cars own message board), as it gives you a little bit of everything, but doesn't go too extreme in any one area, as it remembers to give you just enough of that other area. However, my personal take on the car, especially after experiencing the F30 who showed that BMW still "can still out-engineer anyone when they want to" (quote from a recent Magazine test when describing the F30's relationship compared to the driving characteristics of the F10 specifically), is that the F10 might have been left behind while BMW invested so much R&D in their various other projects. I bet the driving dynamics of the next 5er and the cutting edge lightweight/high strength materials that this one lacks will suck the weight out some and provide a chassis that doesn't sacrifice in stiffness (logically will be stiffer as new cars always are).
On the F10 Boards, it's crazy how many of the cars owners are FIRST TIME 5er owners, most coming not from Mercedes or Audi or even BMW in quite a few cases, but from Acura and Lexus.... which is exactly who BMW-traditionalists accused the F10 of going after in the first place. BMW nailed it in that regard, but it did alienate some traditionalists.... enter the F30, and it makes more sense, as it looks like a "dehydrated F10" (quote from a recent Magazine review), yet retains most of the traditional purities lost from the F10.
The F10 is more rounded than the E60, but I feel that the E39 was still the flagship point. It was sportier than anything in its class, yet as luxurious (or more) as anything in its class.
I have a BMW salesman who's actively telling me he wants to sweep me into a Bimmer, and I told him to get me a white M-Pack 535i to drive (exactly how I'd want one if I hypothetically had one), so I'm gonna pay more attention to how I feel about its rounded characteristics after still having the F30's fun-factor still fresh in my mind.
I think the F10 definitely put a lot of focus into being "Jack of all trades, master of none" (in which owners of the car itself have coined it on the cars own message board), as it gives you a little bit of everything, but doesn't go too extreme in any one area, as it remembers to give you just enough of that other area. However, my personal take on the car, especially after experiencing the F30 who showed that BMW still "can still out-engineer anyone when they want to" (quote from a recent Magazine test when describing the F30's relationship compared to the driving characteristics of the F10 specifically), is that the F10 might have been left behind while BMW invested so much R&D in their various other projects. I bet the driving dynamics of the next 5er and the cutting edge lightweight/high strength materials that this one lacks will suck the weight out some and provide a chassis that doesn't sacrifice in stiffness (logically will be stiffer as new cars always are).
On the F10 Boards, it's crazy how many of the cars owners are FIRST TIME 5er owners, most coming not from Mercedes or Audi or even BMW in quite a few cases, but from Acura and Lexus.... which is exactly who BMW-traditionalists accused the F10 of going after in the first place. BMW nailed it in that regard, but it did alienate some traditionalists.... enter the F30, and it makes more sense, as it looks like a "dehydrated F10" (quote from a recent Magazine review), yet retains most of the traditional purities lost from the F10.
The F10 is more rounded than the E60, but I feel that the E39 was still the flagship point. It was sportier than anything in its class, yet as luxurious (or more) as anything in its class.
I have a BMW salesman who's actively telling me he wants to sweep me into a Bimmer, and I told him to get me a white M-Pack 535i to drive (exactly how I'd want one if I hypothetically had one), so I'm gonna pay more attention to how I feel about its rounded characteristics after still having the F30's fun-factor still fresh in my mind.
Imhotep Evil
Torque Titan
Yeah, but outside the bubble Americana, like say in Germany, the 5er had for only the second time in its history came in the top 10 most sold cars (in 2011).
And there's little to no Lexus/ Acura/Infiniti sales in Germany.
The 5er's design was first foremost to please to the chinese (biggest car market in the world and the trend setter) who don't really care for driving please, but yearn for the please of being driven.
It sucks, but you're gonna have to get used to it (we did it with cup holders).
And that and the weight issue nearly killed my BMW passion.
And there's little to no Lexus/ Acura/Infiniti sales in Germany.
The 5er's design was first foremost to please to the chinese (biggest car market in the world and the trend setter) who don't really care for driving please, but yearn for the please of being driven.
It sucks, but you're gonna have to get used to it (we did it with cup holders).
And that and the weight issue nearly killed my BMW passion.
mini_cooper4
Autotechnik Ace
Human, thanks for appreciating my car so much
Same as you I think that a fully loaded M-Pack 520d is the best buy from BMW currently and I'm driving exactly that
The F30 is amazing and it's exactly how a 3-Series should be!
The F10 on the other hand is finally what it should have been - more luxury, less sportiness yet still sporty enough to be called a BMW.
Trust me I know best what I'm talking about as I'm driving one every single day and it's close to perfection as it has the adaptive suspension and can be adjusted to your mood and road conditions every single moment
Same as you I think that a fully loaded M-Pack 520d is the best buy from BMW currently and I'm driving exactly that
The F30 is amazing and it's exactly how a 3-Series should be!
The F10 on the other hand is finally what it should have been - more luxury, less sportiness yet still sporty enough to be called a BMW.
Trust me I know best what I'm talking about as I'm driving one every single day and it's close to perfection as it has the adaptive suspension and can be adjusted to your mood and road conditions every single moment
-=Hot|Ice=-
High-Rev Hero
From a BMW enthusiasts point of view: Yes, the F10 may be on the heavy side. Hindsight, it's such a complete car. IMO it looks great, has luxury and is in fact a luxury car in every detail. Has a well sorted chassis and is very refined. I love the steering position and feel whilst the ride comfort in any setting delivers on perfect balance. It's BMW's most complete car, that in fact may just be why some of BMW's trade-mark handling finesse is lacking, the F10 is complete and value for it's segment. The best buy consumer wise in BMW AG's lineup IMO is the 520d, fully loaded in M-Sport guise - perfect!
I may sound like Scott, but in this segment some trade-offs won't matter to the buyer of the F10. That is why the F30 stays true to BMW essence - for the connoisseur
In the end from a board room point of view this just broadens BMW's reach and keeping so many happy...And They Do! That is what makes BMW the undeniable success story in the Premium segment.
And given we all would like to see BMW using CFRP etc. in future models AND that will happen. Weight is a killer, take myself and Tarek for example we keep ourselves in-shape and following a strict diet. I mean I don't wanna spoil my next M3's perfect weight distribution
Yet the F10 is not killed so to speak by it's weightiness, it's not that heavy and no need to exaggerate the F10 being that heavy.
2.5 tons isn't 'that heavy'? for a car that's suppose to be 'The Ultimate Driving Machine'?
2.5 tons isn't 'that heavy'? for a car that's suppose to be 'The Ultimate Driving Machine'?
are you saying that f10 weights 2,5 tons?
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Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, abbreviated as BMW is a German multinational
manufacturer of luxury vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
The company was founded in 1916 as a manufacturer of aircraft engines, which it produced
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