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Why Audi can and BMW can't

8K views 57 replies 34 participants last post by  max_m5 
#1 ·
What do you think we need to do to send a message to BMW that they have lost touch with their market? The exterior of their new cars I can live with...maybe it will grow on me as time passes. The interiors...the worst I've seen in any luxury car. I like the Cadillac interior more!! Can one man really make a difference? If I don't buy the new M5 will it make any waves at BMW? If 40 of us don't buy it will it make a difference? Why can Audi make amazing interiors (see the all new RS4), Mercedes with the E55, Infiniti (yes Infinit!) with the new M45...but the best BMW can do is I-drive and barren wasteland of dashboard? It feels like a slap in the face after so many years of loyalty. I hate to abandon BMW because of one man's vision. It's like how they make worthless movies nowadays and put big name stars in them and think, "people will come and pay even though the quality is terrible, because of the big name star on the ticket". People will still buy the BMW because of the name and the emblem, even though it's not up to snuff. A car is more than an engine. It's more than performance. It's evident that BMW feels it sells itself from the outside and not the inside. Me, I'm inside the car. The car is for me and no one else. I want the inside of the car to be an extension of who I am as well as the exterior. I don't mean to get up on my soapbox, but what can we do??? There HAS to be something. The i-drive must be stopped!! Okay, time to take my medication. How can article after article, review after review, telling them that the i-drive is awful have absolutely no effect?!! I just don't get it.
 
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#4 ·
I like the E60 interior... maybe it isnt the best out of the crowd... but I like it more than the M45... Mercedes you're right its better... but Audis I havent seen...
 
#6 ·
paulbondy said:
What do you think we need to do to send a message to BMW that they have lost touch with their market? The exterior of their new cars I can live with...maybe it will grow on me as time passes. The interiors...the worst I've seen in any luxury car. I like the Cadillac interior more!! Can one man really make a difference? If I don't buy the new M5 will it make any waves at BMW? If 40 of us don't buy it will it make a difference? Why can Audi make amazing interiors (see the all new RS4), Mercedes with the E55, Infiniti (yes Infinit!) with the new M45...but the best BMW can do is I-drive and barren wasteland of dashboard? It feels like a slap in the face after so many years of loyalty. I hate to abandon BMW because of one man's vision. It's like how they make worthless movies nowadays and put big name stars in them and think, "people will come and pay even though the quality is terrible, because of the big name star on the ticket". People will still buy the BMW because of the name and the emblem, even though it's not up to snuff. A car is more than an engine. It's more than performance. It's evident that BMW feels it sells itself from the outside and not the inside. Me, I'm inside the car. The car is for me and no one else. I want the inside of the car to be an extension of who I am as well as the exterior. I don't mean to get up on my soapbox, but what can we do??? There HAS to be something. The i-drive must be stopped!! Okay, time to take my medication. How can article after article, review after review, telling them that the i-drive is awful have absolutely no effect?!! I just don't get it.
I like the minimalist look of the E60 M5, that said I also like the A8L's interior, and the SL's interior.

zzzzz simmikie
 
#7 ·
Can someone savvy enough to insert pics put in one of the E55 or CLS55 interior, the RS4 interior, the new A6 interior, and the Infiniti M45 interior...just so everyone can see my frustration...for those who haven't already. If I had the skills I'd be all over it. The new Jaguar XKE (I think) is also sick hot.
 
#8 ·
I hate to say but, but historically BMW's have had very spartan and cold interiors. From my fathers old E28 to the E39 we had, they werent the best looking in terms of great colors, every nook filled with buttons etc. But you know what? They work really well, they dont add cluster or fuss to the interior, and they put your attention back on driving.
BMW IMO has never had the best interiors in the world, but I'm not to worried about it. If it is luxury you seek, MB has always done better in that regard. If you want a sporty car, BMW has you money. Tradeoffs are always a challange when it comes time to sign the dotted line.
:cheers:
 
#9 · (Edited)
Whatever my views are, they are subjective. Of the 3 big Germans Benz, BMW and Audi, I find the interiors' looks most to least appealing in that order. Afterall, Benz is essentially about luxury more than anything (they even put an automatic into the SLR McLaren). So they do design "pretty" interiors. The new CLS is a curious model: it is much more about car styling and car expression than how it drives and handles. I personally find the Audi interiors least appealing - it trys to pick a bit of both worlds in terms i-Drive type control and regular buttons all over. BMW trys to breath a new fresh approach into the styling debate. Avant-garde themes tend to look spartan but the themes sometimes work well and sometimes it doesn't. I seriously don't think the Z4 interior is convincing, and neither is the new E90 series (a shrank version of the E60's interior particularly the area below the computer screen seems unelegantly squashed up). The 6 and 7 series interiors are nice, while the 5 is truely kept to a minimum but it does fit well. I like the sand dune theme of the 5 over the dash (but too squashed up in the E90). The M6 dash and interior are a vast improvement over the E31 8 series, and the only one now to maintain the driver oriented angle ;) .
 
#10 ·
Okay, I think I figured this attachment business out. I guess my issue is...shouldn't I expect the "best" in all aspects when I'm shelling out $90k for a BMW? How is it possible that a navigation system on a $35k Lexus blows the doors off the navigation on a $116k 760? It's as if BMW is saying, "we don't need to spend the money to give them the best...they'll still buy it". I want an electric trunk closer. I want a cup holder that doesn't look like it was made at K-Mart. I want a tire pressure monitor system that gives me pressure at all wheels. I want a bluetooth system that actually works with my cell phone. I want a single in dash CD AS WELL as a CD changer. I want a center console that actually holds something. Are these unusual requests? Give me $90 worth of car...not a $90 engine with some nice rims.
 

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#11 ·
paulbondy said:
Okay, I think I figured this attachment business out. I guess my issue is...shouldn't I expect the "best" in all aspects when I'm shelling out $90k for a BMW? How is it possible that a navigation system on a $35k Lexus blows the doors off the navigation on a $116k 760? It's as if BMW is saying, "we don't need to spend the money to give them the best...they'll still buy it". I want an electric trunk closer. I want a cup holder that doesn't look like it was made at K-Mart. I want a tire pressure monitor system that gives me pressure at all wheels. I want a bluetooth system that actually works with my cell phone. I want a single in dash CD AS WELL as a CD changer. I want a center console that actually holds something. Are these unusual requests? Give me $90 worth of car...not a $90 engine with some nice rims.
Seem as though you want a different car than what BMW is bringing to the table.

:typing: simmikie
 
#13 ·
BmwNut said:
I hate to say but, but historically BMW's have had very spartan and cold interiors. From my fathers old E28 to the E39 we had, they werent the best looking in terms of great colors, every nook filled with buttons etc. But you know what? They work really well, they dont add cluster or fuss to the interior, and they put your attention back on driving.
BMW IMO has never had the best interiors in the world, but I'm not to worried about it. If it is luxury you seek, MB has always done better in that regard. If you want a sporty car, BMW has you money. Tradeoffs are always a challange when it comes time to sign the dotted line.
:cheers:
I agree. I always felt like the whole point of a bmw was to drive it, and the less buttons the better. The newest crop of bimmers I've been into, compared to the e28 I drive, have had too many buttons for my taste. I like having a dead interior. It reminds you where the money went, and remember, bimmers still outperform all of the competition (the new m35 compared to the 530i, with 80 more hp, couldn't best it in the figure 8, when the handling and the braking of the bimmer allowed it to tie the infiniti.)

The new 5 series is no different. Bmw has become more mainstream in recent years, but they've gone back to a dead interior, sort of hinting that "if interiors are what you care about, look else where, you won't appriciate this car."

I think it's funny that everyone hates idrive, but it's ok for all the other manufacturers to have their version of it, from Audi's to Acura's. No one made a big deal about theirs.
 
#14 ·
paulbondy said:
Okay, I think I figured this attachment business out. I guess my issue is...shouldn't I expect the "best" in all aspects when I'm shelling out $90k for a BMW? How is it possible that a navigation system on a $35k Lexus blows the doors off the navigation on a $116k 760? It's as if BMW is saying, "we don't need to spend the money to give them the best...they'll still buy it". I want an electric trunk closer. I want a cup holder that doesn't look like it was made at K-Mart. I want a tire pressure monitor system that gives me pressure at all wheels. I want a bluetooth system that actually works with my cell phone. I want a single in dash CD AS WELL as a CD changer. I want a center console that actually holds something. Are these unusual requests? Give me $90 worth of car...not a $90 engine with some nice rims.
Personally I think that new RS4 interior design sux. Can't explain why, it just does.

But I'm really impressed by the pic at the very left (infiniti?). That looks very nice. Tho I'm still a lover of BMW.. Being able to control everything with just one monitor and ten buttons is just very cool :)
 
#16 · (Edited)
#17 ·
paulbondy said:
I want an electric trunk closer. I want a cup holder that doesn't look like it was made at K-Mart. I want a tire pressure monitor system that gives me pressure at all wheels. I want a bluetooth system that actually works with my cell phone. I want a single in dash CD AS WELL as a CD changer. I want a center console that actually holds something.
Trunk closer, cupholder and tyre pressure aren't high on my list of concerns (I love my 545i) however I will agree with the following:

Bluetooth is a major pain to find a phone that works properly with it, I've had to downgrade my phones to get compatability.

Single dash CD - the satnav does take a single CD, but then you have to remove the Nav disc, it would be better if the disc was held remotely, or the Nav data held on a seperate drive/chip.

Storage bin - agreed the in-dash bin in a joke, whenever I accelerate whatever is in it flies out and ends up under my seat!
 
#18 ·
I have been inside recent Audis and the quality & layout is generally excellent.

There are a few very annoying things inside these Audis though. For example, to reduce the number of dials & switches, many buttons have multiple functions. If you want to manually turn down the heater fan blower speed, you have to press a "function shift" button then adjust the temperature dial - really annoying.

I agree that BMW interiors can seem sparse by comparison, but then you have the option to go for a more luxurious look, especially with the Individual program.
 
#19 ·
Randomg said:
I agree. I always felt like the whole point of a bmw was to drive it, and the less buttons the better. The newest crop of bimmers I've been into, compared to the e28 I drive, have had too many buttons for my taste. I like having a dead interior. It reminds you where the money went, and remember, bimmers still outperform all of the competition (the new m35 compared to the 530i, with 80 more hp, couldn't best it in the figure 8, when the handling and the braking of the bimmer allowed it to tie the infiniti.)

The new 5 series is no different. Bmw has become more mainstream in recent years, but they've gone back to a dead interior, sort of hinting that "if interiors are what you care about, look else where, you won't appriciate this car."

I think it's funny that everyone hates idrive, but it's ok for all the other manufacturers to have their version of it, from Audi's to Acura's. No one made a big deal about theirs.
The E60 M5's interior just doesn't have a sense of occasion. Shouldn't money and inspiration be spent there like say, an 8 series?

 
#20 ·
call me weird, but i think the best interior is the one on the BMW 1 series.

Although I absolute LOVE the new RS4 interior based on pics alone, the Audi's have a way of reminding me of VWs when i'm actually sitting in them.

I don't like the newer benz interiors either... now the W140 S class interior.. those were awesome.
 
#23 ·
The answer is: if you don't like it, don't buy it- thats sending a message. Thats voting with your wallet. But if you really like how it drives but have some issues with other elements, so you will still buy BMW but just have some input/ feedback for BMW- write them a constructive letter. They will read it and they do make a difference. No, they will not change the entire product for one person, but if they get enough feedback that is similar I cannot imagine them (or anyone else) ignoring it completely- this is feedback from customers! Just be sure to be polite and use regular mail- not email.
 
#24 ·
paulbondy said:
What do you think we need to do to send a message to BMW that they have lost touch with their market? The exterior of their new cars I can live with...maybe it will grow on me as time passes. The interiors...the worst I've seen in any luxury car. I like the Cadillac interior more!! Can one man really make a difference? If I don't buy the new M5 will it make any waves at BMW? If 40 of us don't buy it will it make a difference? Why can Audi make amazing interiors (see the all new RS4), Mercedes with the E55, Infiniti (yes Infinit!) with the new M45...but the best BMW can do is I-drive and barren wasteland of dashboard? It feels like a slap in the face after so many years of loyalty. I hate to abandon BMW because of one man's vision. It's like how they make worthless movies nowadays and put big name stars in them and think, "people will come and pay even though the quality is terrible, because of the big name star on the ticket". People will still buy the BMW because of the name and the emblem, even though it's not up to snuff. A car is more than an engine. It's more than performance. It's evident that BMW feels it sells itself from the outside and not the inside. Me, I'm inside the car. The car is for me and no one else. I want the inside of the car to be an extension of who I am as well as the exterior. I don't mean to get up on my soapbox, but what can we do??? There HAS to be something. The i-drive must be stopped!! Okay, time to take my medication. How can article after article, review after review, telling them that the i-drive is awful have absolutely no effect?!! I just don't get it.
the thing is that rs4 is not a new car it is a facelift so its not a new interior. So we should wait and see what the a4 will look like and that compare. because i think that all of the newest designs are starting to head the same direction as bmws interior!
 
#26 ·
Premonition...and resolution to my problem...BMW is sued in early 2006 for an accident caused by someone fiddling with the i-drive and not paying attention to the road. Internal documents are discovered at BMW with evidence that they knew the i-drive was a distraction and could lead to unsafe driving conditions. A class action suit ensues. Bungle is fired, BMW loses millions, and i-drive is replaced for 2007 models. Sound too fantastic? I don't know...I think if I were a lawyer I'd be chomping at the bit for this one.
 
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