Uh Oh. An early look at the 2012 BMW M1..... and its slightly disturbing

I'm a European and hence special, so I don't mind about the 3 cilinder diesel bit, and I don't even care about the hybrid thing. But FOR THE LOVE OF GOD don't make it look like that. Also, this car needs to be light if it'll do the times they say it'll do. Which is good

Also, how will they manage mid engined and 2+2?
 
maxtortheone said:
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Not impossible, even a small manufacturer managed to do it
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yes and if you look closely at that "see through picture" you'll see that the driver's seat is going THROUGH the rear passenger's legs...
I dunno about that but I like my legs and would like to keep using them
 
They couldn't fit bigger wheels could they? What are those 22"? They look preposterous!

Yo dog we heard you like...
 
In defense of this new M1, judging from this bit from the article:
original article said:
two electric motors -- one packaged between the diesel inline-3 and a rear transaxle version of BMW's M DCT dual-clutch gearbox, and the other up front driving the front wheels through a single-speed gearbox.
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it's a series hybrid, and thus never directly driven by that piddling diesel generator. Keyword there is generator, not engine. The actual engine is the electric motor, and with its completely flat torque curve straight from idle and instant response, it's the kind of motor that should be welcome in a BMW M car. Whatever you want to fault BMW for, you can't fault their engineering, even when they stray from their so-called roots; witness the 335i's twin-turbo engine. And seriously everyone, the "hybrid=automatically evil" in this thread is about as idiotic a mindset as the "hybrid=automatically perfect" drivel you find among the greens.
 
AiR said:
Seriously guys, what's the problem?
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The problem is that it's a Diesel. Diesels sound like trucks and fail.
 
I'm fine with series hybrid power and electric torque, but my god it's ugly.
 
I don't think the buyers who are seriously planning to spend 100k+? on a M1 are your typical green costumers who actually care about saving the planet. This M1 is going to flop hard.

Top level in-your-face sports cars thrive on making the driver look good. It's more about image than performance for most. And with your M1 sounding like a VW polo bluemotion you aren't going to fare well on the promenade posing.

Maybe tesla can sustain the 10 sales or so they do per month but BMWs M1 selling that much is a death sentence for the line.
 
ja404 said:
356 HP is 356 HP.
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Exactly.

Who cares where they come from? Even better, the eco-mentalist will like it and won't bother you, and you won't have to pay extra-taxes on pollution or co2 emissions.

AND, it will cost you less money in fuel.
AND, it will have massive torque.
AND, it will be cheaper to maintain.
AND, it is possible it will be lighter and/or have better weight distribution.

it's great!

...if you don't have any aesthetic taste at all, that is... it's pretty ugly, it reminds me of a boat. With bling rims.

But I'm sure the actual car will look better: designer's absurdities tend to disappear when faced with brute reality.

However: great great great engineering, quite ugly styling. For now.
 
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ok, it will be "more of the same", then.
 
klankymen said:
My ears do! Seriously, there are few sounds more annoying than a Diesel engine.
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de gustibus non disputandum est, as the ancient latins used to say.

I don't care too much about sound. Sound is dispersed energy, I'd rather have it channeled down my car's wheels as power than down my ears as noise. Even if good sounding engines are not bad.
 
Seems like this car offers everyone something to hate. :p
 
No...no....no...no !!!

I have a huge problem with this car and it being a green eco-friendly diesel hybrid nonsense. And I'll tell you why.

It's not the engineering that bothers me, not at all. I think it is great that car manufacturers are pushing the envelope and designing greener techonologies and ways to make cars cleaner. But if this technology is available and manageable, why not put it into normal road cars ? 3-series Hybrid would sell like hotcakes, guaranteed.

But this isn't an everyday run-a-round. This is supposed to carry one of the most legendary nameplates in the history of performance cars. 365 hp is 356hp....now that just isn't true, and you know it. A super/hyper car is so much more then just numbers. Given the money, would you guys honestly buy this over a V10 or a V12 variant ? I thought so. It's not just the power...it?s the delivery...silently, with no noise, no vibration....just movement. Is that what we really want from hyper cars ? No, it's about the sensation, the noise, the feeling....yes, I have once again pulled out the "passion and emotion" card. I know it is overused, overhyped and completely pointless, but with super cars that is the bottom line.

Furthermore what is the point in trying to constrict the CO2 figures on cars, which be sold by the hundreds, maybe a few thousand in total ? Now compare that to the hundreds of millions of cars sold each year. It will not make any difference. "It'll be cheap on fuel".....look....if you are looking to buy a +150.000$ car, are you really going to care how much petrol it drinks ? Cars like this, Corvettes, M5s, AMGs, Porsches, Lamborghinis...they are special cars for special occasions. Why ruin it with all this hybrid nonsense ? It defeats the sole purpose of these cars. It takes the "super" away from the "car".

And then there is the point I have made alrady in the past: BMW has steadily been corrupting it's bloodline with the X5M and X6....now this ?? There once was a time when M-powered stood for absolute performance and absolute perfection without any sacrifices, no expenses spared. Now though...it's all gone. And it makes me sad, it's the same thing which Clarkson pointed out in the season 13 ending, when he said cars like this maybe dying. I know that times are changing and nothing lasts. But does it still mean everything has to go ? For me, no it doesn't. Everything has gone so badly overboard, that we have been suckered into thinking that everything hybrid is good. While the technology must be pushed further, it must also be applied properly. Use it for Corollas, for buses, commercial trucks.....use for something which actually makes a difference. It is hybrid techonology which should make it possible to keep making cars which we can dream about, cars like the orignial M1.

I am all for the greated good, but just please don't stain yet another great legend. Don't call it an M1, call it anything else, I don't care what it is.

Now put the technology to good use and build one with a proper V12 damnit !!
 
Brother Michael said:
No...no....no...no !!!

I have a huge problem with this car and it being a green eco-friendly diesel hybrid nonsense. And I'll tell you why.

It's not the engineering that bothers me, not at all. I think it is great that car manufacturers are pushing the envelope and designing greener techonologies and ways to make cars cleaner. But if this technology is available and manageable, why not put it into normal road cars ? 3-series Hybrid would sell like hotcakes, guaranteed.
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Unfortunately, this technology is not available to everyone, because it costs. Awfully. But if they don't start somewhere, they won't ever be able to sell this technology to someone else. The 1-series can be a way to fund part of the R&D process. In the past many things started as expensive version optionals and then became standard. ABS, ESP, airbags, Turbo, twin-turbo, alloy wheels, air conditioning... even electrical ignition or modern pedals layout! (top gear taught me something!!!!

If the car works properly and they find a way to produce it cheaply but reliably, it WILL become an everyday technology.

365 hp is 356hp....now that just isn't true, and you know it. A super/hyper car is so much more then just numbers. Given the money, would you guys honestly buy this over a V10 or a V12 variant ?
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Yes, you are right, a great car is not only figures, but we are talking about an electric engine, it has incredible amounts of instantly delivered torque, and it could also do without a gearbox... I remmeber the road-test of the Tesla, and Clarkson was pleased by the engine.

I think this BMW can be great to drive. Maybe it won't, but everything says the other way. We'll see.

Oh... I don't think I would just take the V10 version. I'd have to try both and see which one is best.

I thought so. It's not just the power...it?s the delivery...silently, with no noise, no vibration....just movement. Is that what we really want from hyper cars ?
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Not necessarily. I, personally, want hyperperformances and, most of all, fun. Fun doesn't requires noise or vibrations, even if they can bring in some fun.

Furthermore what is the point in trying to constrict the CO2 figures on cars, which be sold by the hundreds, maybe a few thousand in total ? Now compare that to the hundreds of millions of cars sold each year. It will not make any difference. "It'll be cheap on fuel".....look....if you are looking to buy a +150.000$ car, are you really going to care how much petrol it drinks ?
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ok, I admit I was thinking more in the future, to a car like this but affordable to me... I already said I think this is what we will have in the future as standard cars. (apart from the power, probably).

I am all for the greated good, but just please don't stain yet another great legend. Don't call it an M1, call it anything else, I don't care what it is.

Now put the technology to good use and build one with a proper V12 damnit !!
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Ah, the good old conservative passion for big engines! I understand it. And maybe "M1" is not the wisest name to choose, but don't let it take you away from possible good outcome. Besides, it will always be better than X5M or X6M...
 
klankymen said:
My ears do! Seriously, there are few sounds more annoying than a Diesel engine.
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Try an OM606 with 400+hp if you want a diesel that sounds good.
 
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