Are the Modern "M" Power Cars too soft????

Carsightings

Carsightings

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2005
Messages
1,017
Location
Israel
I just wanted to kick this around? this is something that i have been thinking about for some time now, ok BMW have addressed this issue slightly with the E46 CSL, but the statement many throw around in road tests is that they are too soft, or lack in feel or don't have the sharpness.......

I've been a long term believer that the Modern M car has to fulfill an allround task, sporting characteristics, to daily use, long distance travel, and nowadays family car & it does so exceedingly well, however in the quest for market needs are the new M Cars becoming a little soft.....

Point being the M5 has been earmarked as a bit vague in steering maybe because of the Electronic steering as compared in a test with a Ferrari F430.... the M6 in a uk comparison was said to be not that sharp a tool as compared to a 911..... The E46 has taken a knock from the new Audi B7 S4.

Ok i guess what i'm trying to ask is that when a new M is made should there have to be a CSL version? Or should it be a CSL straight out of the box.

what do you think??
 
The new M cars are more powerful and faster than the older ones, so not really too soft. But, they are more complicated, with fancy things and lots of buttons.

But, we'll have no dissing M cars around here, thank you. :p
 
I don't think they're too soft, when you consider that most of the time the owners expect them to be comfortable everyday cars, and the fact that the M-cars are still quite heavy. They're made to be the best compromise between ultimate performance and everyday comfort.

What good is a 500bhp V10 if the car is too uncomfortable to drive on the roads? ;) Of course, you can set the suspension and gearbox to be as agressive as you want for trackdays, and still be able to de-tune it for everyday comfort.
 
Carsightings said:
so from you two i understand that you are all happy with the route "M" cars are taking?
Click to expand...

The old ones were beautiful. The new ones, while possibly better road machines, are butt ugly.

If I could get the older M5 looks with the modern M5 power/car stuff/no silly computers, then that would be the best car ever.

Better yet, a modern M1.
 
I think what an M Car is has changed. M's are no longer homologation specials. If your looking for a track only car then a M is probably the wrong car for you.

However if your looking for a sleek, sporty car you can take your wife/gf to a nice dinner in, and then wake up the next day and either hit the track or for a spirited drive and still enjoy the cars good dynamics. Its a very nice balance between comfort and sporty. The E46 M3 for example may not be the perfect track toy ootb, but for a luxury coupe it still performs damn well on the track.
 
we dont get CSL's in the US, and we didnt get the M3 GTR either. the M cars in general, as mentioned, are just more user friendly
 
Don't worry Carsightings, i'm with you on this one. Every stock M i've driven or riden has been soft on purpose, just as was stated to compromise performance with comfort.

However, when an M is coupled with a sport or my favorite race springs, it's some of the funnest cars one can drive. So all M owners, buy em!

:thumbsup:
 
I think the M lineup is just fine. As it has been said a very good compromise between sport and everyday driveability. If you want a firebreathing trackcar then take a CSL, simple as that. If the cars where set up with rock hard suspension like say a 360 CS it would just jump around, literally, on any road that's just slightly bumpy. When there is no suspension movement to absorb the bumps the car jumps, making it pretty scary.
And about the M6 and 911, just wait till the M6 CSL comes ;)
 
Re: Are the Modern "M" Power Cars too soft????

Carsightings said:
I just wanted to kick this around? this is something that i have been thinking about for some time now, ok BMW have addressed this issue slightly with the E46 CSL, but the statement many throw around in road tests is that they are too soft, or lack in feel or don't have the sharpness.......

I've been a long term believer that the Modern M car has to fulfill an allround task, sporting characteristics, to daily use, long distance travel, and nowadays family car & it does so exceedingly well, however in the quest for market needs are the new M Cars becoming a little soft.....

Point being the M5 has been earmarked as a bit vague in steering maybe because of the Electronic steering as compared in a test with a Ferrari F430.... the M6 in a uk comparison was said to be not that sharp a tool as compared to a 911..... The E46 has taken a knock from the new Audi B7 S4.

Ok i guess what i'm trying to ask is that when a new M is made should there have to be a CSL version? Or should it be a CSL straight out of the box.

what do you think??
Click to expand...

I think you're better off asking someone with an M... you'll get the best answer that way.
 
Top Gear Girl said:
The new M cars are more powerful and faster than the older ones, so not really too soft. But, they are more complicated, with fancy things and lots of buttons.

But, we'll have no dissing M cars around here, thank you. :p
Click to expand...

She's baaaaack.

Anyhow, I think that the rawness of the older M-Models has somewhat disappearred. I would like to see less creature comforts and weight, but more performance.
 
Personally, I think it?s a phenomenom that?s happening in all car makers.
The top of the range, sportier models are ever faster and more powerfull, but have most of the comfort and luxury itens. Personally, I think they?re not softer, just have a different focus.
 
Thats why we have Lotus, but sadly...too expensive.

Stupid American safety and emissions laws.
 
OptionZero said:
Thats why we have Lotus, but sadly...too expensive.

Stupid American safety and emissions laws.
Click to expand...
And Noble, and TVR and (to a certain extent) Ariel and Caterham.
 
Top Gear Girl said:
The new M cars are more powerful and faster than the older ones, so not really too soft. But, they are more complicated, with fancy things and lots of buttons.

But, we'll have no dissing M cars around here, thank you. :p
Click to expand...

Exactly but like other have said, today's people are soft so they need a soft ride ;).

I personally am saving up for an E39 M5 because to me it is the perfect balance between everyday car and an outright mean machine :).
 
MSRP on lotus and an m3 are pretty close. So if you can afford a m3 an elise is not far away.

OptionZero said:
Thats why we have Lotus, but sadly...too expensive.

Stupid American safety and emissions laws.
Click to expand...
 
I personally think that cars like the new M3 and M5 seem soft to us nowadays due to the increasing amount of "Normal" sport sedans that aren't M, like the new E60 5-series handles pretty darn well and the 530i isn't exactly slow, same goes to the E90 3 series, the M version of those are basically just edging it
 
lol. Well, since i'm already rollin' in an M3 and considering upgrading to another M model next year....I'm gonna have to disagree wit the premise of this thread.

Perhaps the cars are more refined
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top