Automotive

Was at the BMW dealership for routine service a few days ago. And in the showroom I saw two new vehicles; the new BMW M3 sedan and the new BMW M4 coupe. While I still don't like the name "4-series" because I have mild tetraphobia, I do have to say I like ...  

When the lease on my 2011 M3 sedan expired, I went with an M5 with the following specs . I haven't pushed the engine too hard yet, but it is a noticeably softer ride.

Very nice! Great color combination and selection of options. I actually really like the aluminum trim. No need to push it hard, just enjoy it for what it is. The engine I find is very quiet, this M5 is really a very docile and normal luxury car, unlike th... 

The configuration was a luck of the draw, as the closest M5 I could find was in Nebraska. The M5 does feel noticeably bigger than the M3. The manual recommends not testing the engine much for the first 1,200 miles but that is now behind me. Time to play w... 

They're actually extremely similar, the 550i is a tad bit less responsive initially during the start but a very very fast car (445 horsepower). The M5 is even faster, has an even nicer interior, and has the nicer transmission, but otherwise the M5 is very... 

Thanks for the report Patrick. I'm not so sure of the styling of the new 3 and 4 series with the side coves. I wonder if BMW is going to bring out a M3 or M4 convertible? Are you planning on getting one of these? Regards, ED-209

So, the M3 will represent all the sedans and station wagons. It is unlikely they'll build a station wagon at this point. So the M3 will be just the sedan. The M4 will be the coupe and the convertible. It's not going to be available in the "Gran Coupe" tho... 

would I pay over list for any mass produced object like a car. If I were in the market for a Ferrari or some other very limited production vehicle maybe, but certainly not a BMW. To my knowledge the production run is not limited. Just m pinion... Jeff

but I think my heart is set on getting the Ghibli as my next car even though I know it won't drive as well. - AT

Why are you interested in the Ghibli? You said so yourself, it doesn't drive well. And being such a small car company, Maserati probably doesn't have the R&D department like Mercedes-Benz and BMW has. Also, the safety of the Ghibli is probably not as ... 

Never owned a Maserati before too. - AT

amp;msid=27992093&ti=898498&fi=1076&pi=6145623 I can see the appeal. Hmm, in fact, a Panerai looks even better in a Maserati.

I would have loved to see a true modern iteration of this car, I mean with two doors only... ...  

USD 143.000 is what the m4 will cost you in The Netherlands. Without options. So that price you show us looks actually quite good to me!

Since they're such a bargain in the US, you should buy one here in the United States. When you're not using it, I'll drive it around, and after it's a year or two old (and heavily depreciated), ship it back to The Netherlands with minimal import duties. I...