Luxury Lounge

tagman

Pictures are fine now.

When I read your "stealth" post, I knew something was wrong... LOL... funny!.

Somehow I don't think you fit with that particular car and that you are going to feel a little letdown after the 911. Just my thoughts and I hope I am wrong.

I hope you are wrong, too... but it will be what it will be. When I'm not in the 911, I always seem to be yearning for a small car, yet one that is cool, fun, and can hold the kids on occassion. I think this 135i might do the trick. If not, then of course I will still be on a quest. The GTI comes close, but it just doesn't quite have the style I like in a car, nor does it perform quite at the level I want. It is very good, though, and it deserves a whole lot of credit for what it is. Truth is, I'm not easily satisfied when it comes to car #2. Car #1 is fine. If this 135i doesn't do the trick, then what? An Audi perhaps!

Thanks again.

TagMan

tagman

Gorgeous!

Alpine White or Jet Black are great colours for BMW. I chose gray as a compromise between those two colours.

The sparkling metallic gray is a great color for the BMW.

I drove by the dealership, and they have a very big inventory, so I decided to peak. Almost every single car in all the models was either black, white, silver, or gray... and divided fairly equally between the four colors. Amazing! There was one single burgundy color, one single blue color, and two bronze-ish color vehicles, one of whick was an SUV.

The interiors were divided fairly equally between black and beige.

I guess that probably tells us what sells the most!

TagMan

pat

Actually... the pictures messed up the right margin and I had to delete them. I posted a way to keep that from happening here: pat, "Luxury Lounge" #9760, 25 Jan 2008 8:54 am.

Careful! Don't wanna have to add you to the list of chronic misbehaving picture posters!! :P :shades:

Though you would be in good company, indeed!

tagman

Thanks... I'll check it out. I tried linking to my album in My CarSpace, but those were the ones that originally wouldn't display in the post.

I'll try again!!!

TagMan

EDIT: Are there more specific instructions? When I linked to My CarSpace,
it worked until I closed my browser. When I logged back in, there was only empty boxes. :confuse:

designman

Purchase thoughts perhaps? I could definately imagine you driving the standard-equipped 128i or 135i.

No immediate buying plans. I live vicariously through you... Elise, Carrera S, Jag, first 135 in the USA... glorious Hawaiian vacations... state-of-the-art Heidelberg presses...

Hey, I missed last week around here. Any football comments? Pats are goin' down now that the Giants beat America's team - the Pack... Brady and his famous foot... Tag, now I'll take you up on that business about Brady not being the best of all time...

blckislandguy

Au Contraire, Dewey. A Maseratic or Jag coupe acts as Viagra for the ladies. Don't worry about your board-mate.

tagman

'bout time you showed up. You've been sloughing off here... another vacation? Maybe not... I guess you've been too darned busy being responsible and productive with your time... tsk, tsk. You're making me look bad.

TM

lexusguy

Au Contraire, Dewey. A Maseratic or Jag coupe acts as Viagra for the ladies. Don't worry about your board-mate.

I have to vote for a Jag convertible instead. The ladies love those. Trust me on that one :shades:

esf

while Mercedes vehicles, on the other hand, have often become classics

Most companies with long history are likely to have few "classics" and that also includes the none luxury brands like Chevy, Honda, Nissan and Toyota.

Not necessarily. Mercedes-Benz can boast more classics than any other car company, ever. You should just see pictures from their museum. It's incredible. They deserve more credit than any other luxury brand around.

Classics after 1990? The 2003 SL, W221 S-Class, revitalized G-Wagen, 1998 SLK (first retractable hardtop), all AMG models using the 6.2L V8, S65 AMG (fastest sedan in the world), E320 Bluetec, S400 Bluetec Hybrid Concept, etc...

If it were a Lexus-only museum, the LS400, RX300, RX400h, GS450h and LS600hL should be there. But in terms of a true car museum? Only the RX300, RX400h and LS400 deserve a spot.

'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet

esf

USA Today is not a definitive automotive source by any means.

The Cadillac CTS--while nice--didn't set any new standards for the industry and definitely does NOT deserve to be ahead of the BMW 7 Series.

Scion xB?

Hummer H2?

I may as well post a list of Maxim magazine's hot cars for 2007.

'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet

esf

Yes, yes, sorry... I don't usually know they're too wide until after I post them.

Will check more closely from now on.



'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet

laurasdada

"...1998 SLK (first retractable hardtop)..."

I'll believe that you mean first for MB as Mitsubishi offered a HT Convert 3000GT prior to the SLK. And Ford with the Skyliner (IIRC) in the '50s. Possibly more, but the SLK was not the first overall.

I don't disagree with MB place in automobile history, or even that they can lay claim to a plethora of classics. But, like beauty (see Maserati GranTurismo), "classic'' may be in the eye of the beholder.

In fact, my wealthy brother drove for many years a Rambler "Classic" convertible. A "Classic" by self-nomenclature only, I'd venture...!

esf

A BMW can definitely work in white. Audi and MB, not so much.

I take it you haven't seen a white Audi S5 or even a white Mercedes S-Class.





'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet

esf

I completely forgot about the Skyliner. Was that power-operated?

'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet

dewey

IMO the very best looking white cars are Audis especially their Avants.

Audi RS4 Avant

dewey

have to vote for a Jag convertible instead. The ladies love those. Trust me on that one

The ladies find me highly irresistable without a Maseratti or Jag convertible. Me with a Maseratti would be a marriage breaker and that is exactly why I buy more prudish BMWs instead.

tagman

Me with a Maseratti would be a marriage breaker and that is exactly why I buy more prudish BMWs instead.

LOL!

TM

laurasdada

Yes, a powered top. But it was a few years before my time. I think it was a one piece that moved entirely intact into the trunk:

Ford Skyliner

After the Skyliner went bye-bye, Mitsu in '94 introduced the 3000gt HT convertible. Then, the SLK and the floodgates were opened...

Speaking of which, does everyone here intensely dislike the Caddy XLR? If so, why? Had Caddy priced it right, say a la an SC430 (~$60k), would it have sold better? While based on the 'Vette, we know it is not a 'Vette. If viewed as a "GT" cruiser version of the 'Vette at a not so ridiculous price ($75k+ Caddy, good call... :sick: ) would that elevate it a bit? IMO, not a bad car, just a bad value. Too much GM parts bin, especially the interior, for their asking price...

tagman

J.D. Power shows that the VW Beetle is their survey favorite.

Surprisingly, the Mitsubishi Eclipse spyder, however, had the most registrations by women.

Also, Volvo and Lexus are the top marques for percentage of women buyers.

So... this could mean it makes more sense to show up at that class reunion in a Beetle. The guys might think you're an idiot, but then again, they aren't about to matter all that much. And, there are three extra seats in that Beetle instead of one, so use your imagination.

Or... show up in a Volvo wagon... gosh, they might even propose marriage, since you would look so "smart and secure and safe"... the perfect husband-to-be.

Actually, kidding aside... even though I have posted the real statistics, I don't know WHAT to make of them. When I was younger, I had as much fun in an old junker as I did when I finally got my first Porsche later on. Sure, the ladies did look at me more when I was driving the Porsche, but those were the kind I was better off to stay away from anyway. I think they call them "golddiggers"... they aren't really interested in us guys for who we really are... it's just the money they imagine... and who wants a gal like that anyway?

If she likes you for who you are... don't let her get away!

TagMan

bmlexus

nice pics. the s5 is really looking great. as well as the new rs4. they all looks great in white.

tagman

When Audi first came out with their latest front-end look, I was hesitant about it. I don't know what I must have been worried about, as it is absolutely awesome, and I truly love the Audi appearance now, both inside and out.

And, I see that my little 135i isn't the only car being posted here that looks good in white. That white RS4 Avant is stunning beyond words. Almost shocking. Thanks for posting it.

TagMan

bristol2

The true test is scoring with a Honda.

When you can walk into your xx reunion and pull the birds with an Accord sitting outside, you truly know you're the man.

blckislandguy

FWIW, I'm no fan of Lexus but I saw a Lexus 460H (did I get the suffix right?) AWD in the flesh yesterday on the Mass Pike. I thought the rear end was very well done, especially the dual exhaust exits from the body. It looked much nicer than a 7 Series or the new S Class.

Re: Cars in white. I think that the perception is that white cars lack gravitas. This may be OK in a Honda, but not in an S Class. On the other hand, most commercial pickups are in white (the dealers order that way and they letter easily). We, on the other hand, buy company trucks in a dark grey (not silver) because if kept up they age much better in my eyes than an older white pickup. We get them detailed, yes, detailed, once in a while and it helps to slow down the trade cycle. Plus, clean trucks run better.

tagman

I agree that some white vehicles can be associated with commercial use. However, that aside, some vehicles just look good in white, and there's no way around it. Black is one of the most attractive overall, IMO, but I'm stubborn at this point about ever owning a black vehicle again... just too much dirt and especially the spider-line scratch marks. I hate those scratches. White is very forgiving. But on the wrong car, it can be boring and look like a rental car.

I just returned from an hour-long trip, and I was actually checking out car colors as I was driving. There is little doubt, IMO, that black, when waxed and polished, is the best-looking vehicle color overall. When dirty, however, it looks like hell. But, I saw a beautiful Lexus LS and an S-Class as well as a 5-Series BMW that were all real standouts in white. They did not look "commercial" in any way at all. They were beautiful and elegant. There was nothing lacking about them whatsoever.

Again, it depends upon the car. Dewey's pic of the Audi RS4 Avant sticks in my mind. It is outstanding. The R8, on the other hand, just begs to be black, IMO, although a car a gorgeous as the R8 can probably look good in almost any color. After all, as I see it, the R8 must have been crafted by God himself.

I first wanted that little 135i in red, but then I actually saw the Sedona Red, and it is a letdown, so I simply changed the order to silver without really thinking about it. But once I saw the pic of the car in white, I was sold on it. It's been twenty years since I owned a car in white. Of course I hope I like it. But frankly, I'm much more interested in the "drive" that all the reviewers are raving about than the color.

TagMan

dewey

. Of course I hope I like it. But frankly, I'm much more interested in the "drive" that all the reviewers are raving about than the color.

I think BMW expects the 1 Series to be a big hit in the USA.

Why? Because despite the recession word becoming more prevalent in the USA, BMW still expects the USA to be its biggest growth market.

""Looking at countries, the United States with 336,000 units overtook Germany as our main market already a few years ago. And it is there that we see the absolutely strongest growth worldwide,"" Krause said.

link title

tagman

I think BMW expects the 1 Series to be a big hit in the USA.

I think so too. The 1-Series is practically in its own class/segment. The car should hit a lot of buttons for a lot of folks. The 128i will be a great BMW for those that want the great little handling car without quite as much zip and without the heftier price tag. The convertible version of the 128i should be a smash with the ladies. The 135i is the obvious choice for a lot of guys like me, and also the younger crowd that wants the small performance sedan and knows that the 135i will deliver a drive that has little competition for the price. And, of course, the convertible version of the 135i will also come out, and this one (unlike the 128i) will be purchased by the guys as well as the ladies. Then, later on, an "M" or "t", or "s", or some sort of hot tuned variant will emerge, no doubt.

The car could very well have a unique appeal to most age brackets, although I suspect the younger crowd will take to it the most, and just like the 3-Series, it will mostly sell to men, (although I am terrified that someone might use the word "cute" at some point, LOL, and the car could appeal to women as well.)

Even though the fuel economy isn't spectacular, it will likely be considered reasonable, and that could be yet another draw to the 1-Series, as some folks start downsizing their cars in general, but want to purchase a nice marque.

Mercedes will no doubt bring out the CLC in an all new rendition, or something similar, to combat this 1-Series. They would be idiots if they didn't. I expect something along the lines of this....




It's all very cool,,, and this is just the beginning

TagMan

pat

All of you are officially out of the doghouse. :shades:

THANK YOU!!

louiswei

I see that my little 135i isn't the only car being posted here that looks good in white.

You are darn right there.

These look absolutely stunning. :shades:

louiswei

I think you meant the LS600hL.

I think nothing in the high end luxury sedan class defines "understated luxury" better than the new LS. Okay, I'll give the A8 a close second...

The 7-series has a "hey, look at me!" stance and the S-class looks like it's declaring "I am the king" whenever it drives by.

tagman

the S-class looks like it's declaring "I am the king" whenever it drives by.

And it IS, without a doubt! It has so much presence. Terrific design.

TM

tagman

Since esf's post of the '09 Mercedes SL pics, (which were deleted and landed him in Pat's doghouse... ), I've been thinking about that car. My initial reaction was that the car was a bit disappointing, but what the heck, I would warm up to it.

After a while, my reaction to the '09 Mercedes SL has gotten colder, not warmer. Why? Because Mercedes went to sleep on this all-important opportunity to give their iconic Roadster a serious shot in the arm... which they obviously did not do. The new front end does not flow even like it's long-in-the-tooth predecessor does. It is choppy and a poor excuse for a long-awaited all-important update.

This is a big letdown, IMO. In the wake of the Audi R8, Mercedes SL designers weren't just asleep at the wheel, they were in a coma... worse, maybe they died, and the night guards had to do the redesign. Changing and watering down a few cosmetic features is a pathetic excuse for an all-new 2009 Mercedes SL.

The Mercedes SL is a car that deserves much more, and when I consider what a company like Mercedes could have done, and should have done, as compared to what they came up with, it is no less than an abandonement of one of the world's most noteworthy cars. Mercedes has no excuse, IMO.

That's how I see it.

TagMan

louiswei

I think the '09 SL is just a mid-life refresh, meaning only cosmetic changes like the front fascia, interior, rear fascia and maybe a few body panels. However, the current gen SL has been showing its age so I'd expect to see an all new redesigned model coming out in the near future.

I was reading that MB was considering to produce a mid-engine roaster, pretty much a R8 fighter slotted at around $150k. Don't know if that'll ever happen but sounds interesting enough.

tagman

I think the '09 SL is just a mid-life refresh,

Could be... but there is nothing refreshing about it!

Mid-life changes are common in the industry, but more typically those changes are spicy motivators, until the "real" model change occurs. This one is a total waste. Who's going to get excited about THAT?

TM

louiswei

And it IS, without a doubt! It has so much presence. Terrific design.

I agree the current S-class is the best looking one in its class.

tagman

I agree the current S-class is the best looking one in its class.

Lou, is that really you?

TM

louiswei

Lou, is that really you?

If you look back I have always said that the S-class is the looker in its class.

I am just not so hot about its interior style that's all.

tagman

I have always said that the S-class is the looker in its class.

Yes... I was kidding with ya' , hence the wink.

TM

tagman

Hey Lou, you might want to try posting those pictures again from your post 9875. They didn't come through.
TM

lexusguy

Could be... but there is nothing refreshing about it!

Mid-life changes are common in the industry, but more typically those changes are spicy motivators, until the "real" model change occurs. This one is a total waste. Who's going to get excited about THAT?

Considering how long the last SL was around, there's no way Mercedes would replace the current one after just six years on the market. This isn't an RX we're talking about. All of the big convertibles tend to have rather long lives. All it takes is one look at the interior to know that this is just a mild freshening, and not an all-new anything. They changed the steering wheel (for the worse) and that's about it. On the outside, they added more creases, slashes, gave it a new C-class grill, and changed the peanut headlights to CLS-type "L" blobs. This generation SL was never my favorite, and it still isn't.

louiswei

Tag, I can see those pictures fine. Try to refresh your screen couple times.

lexusguy

Mercedes will no doubt bring out the CLC in an all new rendition, or something similar, to combat this 1-Series. They would be idiots if they didn't. I expect something along the lines of this....

At least this time it won't be a hatch, but I'm still not sure this new little Benz coupe will be more successful than the last one. The last gen platform and last gen C-class interior is just pathetic. Didn't the old C-class coupe have that same interior? Jag can afford to make an all new interior for the XF, but M-B needs to start pulling parts out of '05 cars? What is going on here? I also don't think it has enough power. Coupe buyers care about that, and the 135/335i and G37 have lots of it. The CLC350 on the other hand won't be any faster than the A5 3.2. Is that enough? The rear end also looks more than a little like the LS460.

houdini1

Tagman, remember the 318 TI that BMW sent over here back in the mid 90's? Is this new 1 series a lot bigger? I know it has a much larger engine.

I don't think the 318 TI ever caught on. I remember looking at one and being very disappointed.

pat

I can't see them either, but there are times when that might be a good thing, ask some of your fellow picture posters! :P

louiswei

Pat, as you should know, I am the master of picture posting. :P

I posted those pictures from my Carspace album, so if anything it's probably something wrong with the Carspace. I have noticed lately that the performance for Carspace has been a little shaky.

I'll try it again, if still not showing up here are the links:
Photo 1, Photo 2

pat

Links work, then after I click on the links the pics show up in your post, weird. Maybe it's a browser issue.

tagman

I agree with Lou. I couldn't get the pics from my 135i album to work either. As I had said, they work for a while, then after logging out and thrn logginh back in, the pics are gone!!

I think there is a CarSpace issue. It still malfunctions.

TagMan

dewey

Tagman, remember the 318 TI that BMW sent over here back in the mid 90's?

A smaller performance 1 series is exactly what the market is screaming for unlike the Mid 90s when bigger always meant better ( the age of booming sales of Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators).

This is another millenium altogether in which the hottest segment of the auto market right now is focused on smaller cars like the 1 series.

Problem with the 318Ti during the 90s was that it was a hatchback and not available as a 325Ti.

esf

As long as we're on the topic...














'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet

esf

Part Deux







Or cars that look hot in everything:







'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet

louiswei

I have to say the best looking one is that M3 and the C63 is a close second. A white IS350/250 probably will look better with a mild drop than that IS F, the IS F might be a good performer but definitely not the looker in its class.

The Bentley Continental GT looks pretty good too.

Never like the idea of a white Porsche though. Hopefully Tag's 911 is not white... :P