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Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards
Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards
Postings were removed somewhat arbitrarily.
Meanwhile, let's get this discussion back on track.
Thanks.
Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards
A.R. the reason only WhatCar has 'em is probably because they were only posted yesterday.
As far as those pics not having the same body proportions as the blacked out spy photos - I'd say it's hard to compare - I didn't think the blacked out spy photo revealed too much. The other images on that GeoCities site were just wishful thinking.
No manual tranny planned A.R. - sorry.
Also, if, as it says, it's quite a bit bigger than the current 7 series, then it's definitely aimed as a highly competent luxo express and not a sports sedan. That will be left to the 5 and upcoming 6 series I presume.
Anyway, exciting car I'm sure. Looks terrific, particularly that back view.
Jag is seemingly about to go more mainstream and join the others with their new XJ design, and I feel the current XH (especially in XJR guise) will leave a void behind no one else is taking on. Which is why I got myself an '01 XJR. It is a dated conept, some say. To me, it's a timeless car enthusiast statement for those who make the concesion to life with 4 doors after having only had coupes...
I think all the cars mentioned in this topic are phenomenal. But I could only live with the XJ8 personally. And I am not sure I could live with the car that seems to be desitned to replace it. Probably it'd be back to coupe existence (and ideally a Bentley Continental :-)
As for the Q45 -- everyone here knows I'm a Toyota loyalist, but I try to be honest about things (I love ALL cars anyway, and that helps), and I have to reply to the following: "The Infiniti Q45 is a wannabe something that we don't know what it wants to be. on the one hand it wants to be a BMW 740i, on the other hand it want's to be a LS430, but in the process it turns into neither and turns into cow dung. Let's see it's as ugly as a Maxima, even looks like one from the front, it's interior is downright a disaster, and even with 340bhp it only does 0-60 in 5 1/5 seconds. Nor is it's handling as great as the 740i or S430 sport even with 18" wheels & tires. And it doesn't even handle better than the barge called the LS430. The Infiniti Q45 is basically a wannabe BMW-Lexus-Benz for people who can't afford a 740, LS430, S430."
Whew! Let's review our history a minute. The original Q45 was universally praised in the automotive press for its performance and handling -- especially relative to the LS400. It's only problems were somewhat controversial styling and a dingbat advertising campaign. Bad launch = bad sales. A shame really, but that's the way it is. When the LS and Q were introduced at the Detroit Auto Show, everybody swarmed over the LS but stayed away from the Q like the flu -- this before anybody had a chance to drive it, which tells me it was primarily a styling issue (plue the interior didn't look as luxurious as the LS's).
Now, two generations later, we have thelatest version, and it sure looks like a winner to me in the performance category -- but the front end looks like an anteater (to me), and that may prove problematic once again.
Nissan (and by extension, Infiniti) has had some strange ideas about automotive styling for the last ten years, and it has hurt them more than they're willing to admit.
My prescription? Make the cars beautiful. Stop trying to be edgy or "with it" and just make them sleek and beautiful. And don't copy ANYBODY (the LS430 comes immeditately to mind).
Someone mentioned the interior -- matter of taste, of course, but every time I see their ad in the magazines I just drool. I think it's beautiful (as is the LS430's, which recently won Best Interior by the Automotive Interior Designers association).
I notice that most of the 45 baching comes from BMW and Mercedes apologists, by the way. Surprise, surprise.
Oh yeah -- someone also mentioned 5.5 seconds to 60 as being kinda wimpy. Dunno where you were in the 60s, but that's big block Chevelle territoy, dude. Check it out.
Anyway, makes the S-Type look GREAT.
Obviously you want to hear otherwise you wouldn't be reading and responding.
It's not my fault nobody is buying the Q45, not my fault the Q45 has pathetic resale value.
Truth of the matter is that Q45s have had horiffic resale value. This I know. I am a dealer, I buy them at auctions. I see how cheap they sell for.
I think that things will be different with the new one, but that's only a guess.
Chill out guys..
Bill
Go to my roommate's site:
http://www.thehollywoodextra.com
The scroll down to the red link to my car page.
Folks, if you want your post to stay in this discussion, you have got to find a way to express your opinions in the civil and respectful manner called for by your Terms of Use.
Brentwoodvolvo gave some excellent advice: "Chill out"
Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards
Anyway, I cant say I really like that new 7. The rear looks like a concorde, and the front looks like a combo Z9 with an audi.
I have talked with several of the other dealers and they agree that they dont like the looks of the new 7.
Robert
In light of recent issues here, I expect that the same party who stated that.."the front end is definately barf" will have a need to debate this over and over again...This is counterproductive to good discussion. Instead, why don't we try to state our future opinions in more subdued and respectful tone. OK?
Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards
Click on the small pics for bigger ones with MUCH more detail.
http://www.bmw.com/e65/
The technology on this car trumps the S-Class by leaps and bounds. I hated the car when I first started seeing spy pics, but have grown to admire it. I think it will look much better, more impressive when seen in person. I think it will be more akin to the old W140, which is what BMW designed it to, not the W220. That is why they were shocked to see the sleek W220. But I do believe the interior materials on this car will also trump the W220. "This is not your dads BMW" might be an appropriate term. :-)
Frankly, I think the new BMW continues the typical German Teutonic styling. Mercedes has chosen to soften it's edges more, more like a Japanese auto.
Just my humble opinion, please no rants and raves.
M
M
vishnu_da,
Actually there is *some* resemblance there. I've seen the Rover 75 on tv (Auto Motor und Sport) a few times. It's one of the different, but good looking cars. It's going to be so refreshing to get Alfa, and Maserati back in this country soon. Imagine Rover and a few other long-gone Euro returning!
M
If I could buy a Rover 75....
I must truly wonder how most of today's somewhat anonymous designs will age. I don't think it'll be pretty.
However, I fear the new 7-series may be a bit too derivitive of it's smaller, less expensive siblings. In the "statement" segment these cars fall in, I wonder if many are going to be enthralled by the idea that their expensive new 7-series might be mistaken for a 325i or 525i. Plus, the rear on the new 7 is, well... strange. I think it has to do with the trunk. It almost looks like it was taken from a different car and retrofitted in place. Overall, I still like it but, again, I love the 3-series look.
Beyond the exterior, the interior is nice but doesn't have the more luxurious and modern look of the Lexus or Infiniti. The idrive is a bit of a curiosity which I'll have to reserve judgement on until I can actully see it in action. No doubt, the 7 will probably, in the BMW tradition, be a great drivers car. But, it doesn't appear to be a slam dunk winner or, in several key respects, even the class leader when compared to some of the other cars here. I'll take a 330i or IS300 (or the G35 when and if it arrives with a manual)... and the change please.
Give me the Web Page that that was from I want to see this for myself... The address that you gave doesnt seem to work.
Robert
Though I guess they did have GM transmissions a few years back. :-)
Don't get me wrong, I am and have always been an admirer of BMW. It has an unmistakable corporate identity, and it is totally committed to it. When it tries to do something else, it's ultimately repealed as a distraction from what they *really* want to be doing well. It is a major liability from an investor's point of view in the long term, but product-wise it results in excellence for the time being.
The interior is very nice indeed. Might set a class standard. The steering wheel is waaaaay too busy, though. I already dislike the tendency to have volume and cruise control buttons integrated into the steering wheel. This goes way beyond it. I want to drive a car, no feel like I am in a friggin' Boeing 747 cockpit. Car manufacturers need to reconsider this trend a little, I think. Or maybe it's me? Do you guys like this inflation of at-your-fingetips bloated electronic functionality? Are you truly constantly fiddling with stereo controls and such? To me, it is intrusive. The steering wheel ought to be a somewhat sacred point of contact, as far as I am concerned, leave all the electronic gizmos out of it.