The Best Of - BMW Car Reviews from Men & Motors!
Explore the epitome of automotive luxury and performance with "The Best Of - BMW Car Reviews from Men & Motors!"
Immerse yourself in a thrilling showcase of BMW's finest models as our experts from Men & Motors dissect and unveil the unparalleled craftsmanship, cutting-edge technology, and exhilarating driving experiences that define these iconic vehicles!
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© Men and Motors - One Media iP 2024
Immerse yourself in a thrilling showcase of BMW's finest models as our experts from Men & Motors dissect and unveil the unparalleled craftsmanship, cutting-edge technology, and exhilarating driving experiences that define these iconic vehicles!
------------------
Enjoyed this video? Don't forget to LIKE and SHARE the video and get involved with our community by leaving a COMMENT below the video!
Check out what else our channel has to offer and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to Men & Motors for more classic car and motorbike content! Why not? It is free after all!
----- Social Media -----
Follow us on social media by clicking the link below to elevate your social media experience by connecting with us!
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If you have any questions, e-mail us at talk@menandmotors.com
© Men and Motors - One Media iP 2024
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MotorTranscript
00:00There's no point in denying it, the coupe sector is the fashion end of the car industry.
00:11It's the shiny plastic handbag sector.
00:14It's the place where beauty is more than skid deep, it's an entire reason for being and
00:18it's a place where we buy cars not for their performance or their ability, but for the
00:22way they look.
00:23It's a beauty parade.
00:26It's a complicated business if you've got around £20,000 to £25,000 burning a hole
00:30in the pocket of your jeans and you're looking for a car.
00:33If it's outright performance you want, then you're likely to be looking at something like
00:36Subaru's Impreza or the Mitsubishi Evo.
00:39If you want sports car thrills, then there are loads of little rear wheel drive roadsters
00:43like the Mazda MX-5 or for a little more, Honda's new S2000.
00:48But no, you want a car that's a little more familiar, that echoes perhaps a more sensible
00:52choice but still stands out in the company car park, though not too much, because it
00:56doesn't want to upset the bosses.
00:58In fact what you want is a car that your fleet manager is going to let you have.
01:01Enter the BMW 3 Series Coupe.
01:19Two six-cylinder versions are first to be available, the 323 and the 328.
01:23The 318 with four cylinders is available in the autumn.
01:26The 323 confusingly has a 2.5-litre straight-six, this, the 328, has a 2.8-litre straight-six.
01:32Classic BMW engine, huge bucket loads of torque and a glorious straight-six bellow to accompany
01:38it.
01:39The driving position is neutral, you feel very much in command with all the controls
01:43exactly where they should be.
01:44A couple of criticisms, both to do with the steering though.
01:47It's very precise and very direct and quite communicative as you'd expect from a BMW.
01:52But it could do, I think, with a quicker rack.
01:55You do have to put in an awful lot to get a response.
01:58And this wheel is enormous, it's like driving a tractor.
02:01It could do with something a little bit smaller just to make it feel like it's a little more
02:05eager to turn in.
02:06At the moment it just follows the corners rounds rather than turns into the bends with
02:10vigour.
02:11And then it has a whole barrage of technological wizardry to help you avoid throwing the thing
02:16at the scenery.
02:17There's ASC plus T, ABS, SSC, the list goes on and on.
02:20Basically we're talking traction control and probably one of the most advanced traction
02:24control systems on the market today.
02:27Bearing in mind this is a rear-wheel drive car with quite a lot of power, you could get
02:30into a little bit of trouble.
02:32And to illustrate the point of just how effective that traction control system is, try turning
02:36it off and then being a little over-enthusiastic with the right boot and you soon find things
02:41get a little bit naughty.
02:47There is a certain irony to this.
02:53The BMW 3 Series Coupé is in its own right a very good car and it doesn't share a single
02:58body panel with its sister, the 3 Series Saloon version.
03:01And yet despite the enormous expense and amount of engineering involved in achieving that,
03:06it's been designed to look, well, pretty much like the 3 Series Saloon really.
03:10In fact it's longer, lower and wider than the Saloon and than the previous Coupé.
03:14And it does have the same steeply raked front and rear windscreens that kind of define it
03:18as a Coupé shape.
03:19But it is all very elegant and very understated.
03:23And the same can be said for the interior where it's equally elegant and understated.
03:27And it's equally ironic that a car so often bought by the terminally brash should boast
03:32one of the most understated interiors on the market.
03:35Slide into the cockpit of any modern BMW in fact and you enter an environment designed
03:39to make you comfortable with maximum efficiency.
03:43Everything in the right place and everything built to last.
03:46Mind you it's never going to win any prizes for being the most interesting place on earth to be.
03:53Standard equipment though is pretty good for the 3 Series Coupé.
03:56We've got electric seats on everything, air conditioning, safety has been given a high
04:00priority with six airbags in here, ABS and a sophisticated traction control system.
04:05And plenty of goodies in the cabin to play around with as well including electric windows
04:08front and rear.
04:10And it's little touches like this that can make all the difference.
04:24The 3 Series Coupé accounts for a quarter of all UK sales in its sector.
04:28And that's a level of success you can't argue with.
04:30BMW must be getting something right with this car.
04:34And apart from the build quality and image that probably starts with the combination
04:37of rear wheel drive and strong engines.
04:40The straight six units are a real peach and the 328 is a very fast peach.
04:45Indeed strong and tractable with plenty of power right through the rev range.
04:49It really is a joy to drive and feed the power through into those rear wheels.
04:53You would expect the 3 Series Coupé to be something of a special drive and it doesn't disappoint.
04:59What we found was that our customers actually ordered lots of options on Coupé, much more
05:04so than the saloon variant.
05:06So what we thought we would do with this one is give them what they actually wanted
05:09in the first place.
05:10But actually in overall terms when you take account of the additional specification the
05:15car is actually better value than the old one.
05:17We came in in 92 with the previous car and it was the first proper Coupé that we had built.
05:22And immediately the market expanded and a lot of competitors have now followed us into that sector.
05:28So it's gone from around 16,000 units a year up to 35,000 units a year and we have 25%
05:35of that market.
05:36So we actually, as you rightly say, have a fair stronghold on that market.
05:41The principal reason we believe for that is that this Coupé, perhaps even more so than
05:47its predecessor, is a very, very good mixture of style because style is important in Coupés.
05:52It has to look good but also it's practical.
05:56BMW's philosophy has never been to be wild with its cars.
06:00It's an evolutionary styling just as the saloon is.
06:04And I think that's really because we've found a style which our customers like, a family style.
06:11And if we were to change that, actually we risk alienating a lot of our customers.
06:16The feedback we get from our customers is they like it.
06:19It's identifiable as a BMW.
06:21It's not an extreme car.
06:22You can park it and people are not sort of gawking at it all the time and perhaps making
06:26the occupants feel embarrassed.
06:28But it's a nice mixture between restrained style and, as I've said before, practicality.
06:35The new 3 Series Coupé will sell and probably in enormous numbers.
06:39But when you think about it, for all the wrong reasons, for its pretty face, for its BMW badge.
06:44But if it looked like an old allotment shed and was labelled a lumpy doodah Coupé, it
06:47would still be worth a look.
06:49Its sheer ability would overcome such disadvantages.
06:52Sure, it might be in the fashion end of the motor industry.
06:56And to use a fashion statement, BMW would tell you that their design is a timeless classic.
07:00And you know, I don't think they'd be that far wrong.
07:03Of the three Coupés we've looked at so far, they all lack just one thing.
07:08Class.
07:09Not as cars in themselves, more in the badge department.
07:13And that is not a problem for this car.
07:16The BMW 330ci.
07:19Outside every inch the classy Coupé.
07:21But it's not outside that the story lies.
07:41And that story is not just the fact that yes, it's luxuriously appointed inside.
07:45And believe me, it is luxuriously appointed, including a telly, which is very, very nice.
07:59The really clever bit here is the gearbox.
08:02Now listen carefully, because I don't fully understand this, so as I explain it, we're
08:06going to be learning together.
08:07It is an ordinary manual gearbox, just as you would get on any other BMW Coupé.
08:14And it works automatically, sequentially.
08:17So what we're not talking about is your traditional automatic box.
08:20There are very good reasons for having a manual over there.
08:23I'll explain them in a second class if you pay attention.
08:26What we've got then is a gear lever in the usual place, and we just slide it into the
08:31middle position.
08:32There is no clutch pedal.
08:33We depress the throttle and we pull away smoothly.
08:36Both the clutch itself and the actuation of the gears in the gearbox is carried out electro-hydraulically.
08:42That's automatically to you and me.
08:44But don't forget, not an automatic box.
08:47You've still got your standard manual gearbox.
08:50You can then change gear either by waggling a bit about in the middle as you would in
08:54a Tiptronic-style gearbox, or with these little paddles on the steering wheel.
08:58Okay, if you're still with me and still paying attention, one final point of that reason.
09:02Well, an automatic gearbox loses a lot of power, apart from making a rather nasty noise
09:07and being a bit lurchy and boring.
09:09You soak away a lot of the torque through the torque converter, through the actual mechanics
09:13of it, compared to a manual gearbox.
09:15So what we've got here is the convenience of a manual gearbox with the enormous expense
09:19and extra complication of a load of clever gubbins to change gear for you.
09:24Yeah, all right, with the 330ci, we threw budget right out of the window at nearly £28,000.
09:30But look what you get for your bucks, 231bhp from that creamy, smooth three-litre engine.
09:36Personally, I'd throw the gearbox out of the window and go for something more ordinary.
09:40The performance is simply superb.
09:42Six and a half seconds, 0-60.
09:44But insurance is really going to smart.
09:47Group 17, ouch.
09:49Like the Dodo, the woolly mammoth and the friendly bank manager, the sports coupe was
09:54seemingly extinct, lost forever with old favourites like the Jaguar E-Type and the Scimitar GTE.
10:00And then we, the car-buying public, regained an interest in buying quirky and thirsty but
10:05indomitably attractive cars, and the sports coupe was reborn.
10:09And BMW are right in there with this, the M Coupe.
10:13Now usually, manufacturers develop a roadster from their hard-topped equivalent, a bit like
10:18taking the top off a boiled egg, really.
10:20But not with the M Coupe, BMW did it the other way around.
10:24In fact, a group of super keen BMW mechanics stayed late and worked after hours to turn
10:29an early Z3 prototype into the coupe's lines.
10:34Just because it's the work of the class swats, though, doesn't mean it's all square.
10:38Oh no, not at all.
10:41Before its recent facelift, the Z3 had been accused of being a bit too soft, particularly
10:46around the rear, even a bit girly.
10:49But certainly not the case with the coupe.
10:51The blistered rear arches and big chromed exhaust are pure aggression.
10:55Subtle?
10:56It ain't.
10:57Outrageous?
10:58It is.
10:59And the swats certainly did let their hair down and show us their wilder side when it
11:03came to under the bonnet, where you'll find one of the world's finest engines.
11:07It's a straight six.
11:08It was first seen in BMW's M3 and in the M Roadster.
11:12Develops about 321 brake horsepower, which is a lot.
11:16It's the same, in fact, as the M3, but with less weight.
11:19The M Coupe has the advantage.
11:29You really do climb down into these leather-lined sport seats, where you'll find there is electric
11:34adjustment for and aft and for the height, and manual adjustment for the backrest.
11:38Now, smaller drivers will have no difficulty at all in finding a nice, comfortable driving
11:42position, but those over six foot might find it's a bit of a challenge in here in the headroom
11:47department.
11:48As you'd expect from BMW, the quality of the interior is right up there with the best.
11:53Chrome surrounds the gear lever and the dials.
11:56You'll find air conditioning and a radio cassette player come as standard.
11:59There are those who might say that in a £41,000 car, they'd expect to find a compact disc
12:04player as standard as well, but I say that's rather missing the point.
12:08Let's not get too caught up on all the little bells and whistles here.
12:18Because this car is all about the potency of that straight six engine.
12:22Unusually for a car manufacturer, BMW make quite a conservative claim for the 0-60 time
12:27of about 5.7 seconds, whereas in the dry, times of under five seconds have been recorded.
12:34And if the autobahn is long enough and your nerves are strong enough, you'll hit 155 miles
12:38an hour before the rev limiter cuts in to spoil your fun.
12:43Boo!
12:44It's the in-gear times that put this car into context.
12:47In top gear, 50 to 70 miles an hour takes just six seconds, a Lotus Esprit GT3 takes
12:548.3, and even BMW's own mighty M3, 7.9, when completing the same test.
13:01All of the controls are precise and fingertip light, and there's plenty of feedback through
13:05that enormous steering wheel as you stare ahead down the very long bonnet.
13:10And like a thin sheet on an old mattress, you feel every single bump, as you should
13:14in a proper sports car.
13:15Also, as you should in a proper sports car, it's got incredible brakes.
13:20From 60 miles an hour to a standstill comes in about 2.8 seconds, which is extremely impressive,
13:25having said that, there perhaps isn't as much feel through the brakes as there could be.
13:31Let's get back to that eggshell business.
13:33Think about the difference it makes to the rigidity of the structure when you have the
13:36top on or off, and you'll understand why the coupé will out-handle the roadster.
13:42In the dry, those huge Michelin pilots offer enormous amounts of grip.
13:47In the wet, however, you do need to be a little more gentle with the right foot.
13:51The surface area of rubber on those tyres, combined with 321 brake horsepower, can lead
13:56to some rather tail-happy slides.
14:02In an age where BMWs have been accused of losing their soul, the M Coupé points to
14:07a roarer type of BMW that we know and love, but also a car that seems almost to have been
14:12forgotten.
14:13BMW have made themselves a muscle car.
14:16In these politically correct times, when even Ferrari and Porsche have started making
14:20cars which are well-behaved and easy to drive, the M Coupé harks back to another age, when
14:26sports cars would punish the foolish.
14:34BMW say that the M Coupé is a rival for the Porsche 911, but on paper, that would seem
14:39unlikely.
14:40The Porsche is £25,000 more expensive, and these days, more refined, giving Swift a though
14:46arguably less involving and exciting performance.
14:49However, with only 200 of these due to be imported into the UK every year, the M Coupé
14:56may well offer a more exclusive proposition.
15:00Maybe the truth is that the direct competition for this car hasn't been made for about 20
15:04years, and the M Coupé is practically in a class of its own, appealing perhaps to buyers
15:09of the old-school 911s who like their performance fast and scary.
15:16The BMW is the latest of our three cars to be launched in the UK, and although it went
15:20on sale earlier this year, it's still quite a rare sight on the roads.
15:24That could be either that BMW are trying to keep their new 7 Series exclusive, or that
15:29the buyers don't like the way it looks.
15:32It certainly is a radical look, and an obvious breakaway from the lines of the previous 7
15:36Series models.
15:37Very aggressive, very angular, and very modern.
15:40I'm sure the younger executives will love this styling, but as to the old school directors,
15:44managers, and golf club secretaries, I'm not so sure.
15:49And if you wanted any proof that American BMW designer Chris Bangle was obsessed with
15:54a kidney grill, you won't see any bigger than this.
16:07And those wheels are 19-inch, understated?
16:18Not this car.
16:19But then again, I'm not an understated presenter.
16:22Maybe we'll get along just fine.
16:37This car really is something different from BMW.
16:40As you'd expect, it's stylish, refined, and very classy indeed.
16:45But it's very high-tech too, and it grabs you as soon as you get into the car.
16:48In fact, from the moment you hit the start button and everything glides to meet you electronically,
16:53it really does take your breath back.
16:55It's even got a Formula One-style steering wheel with four paddles underneath, with various
16:59different controls, including the gearshift.
17:02But there's also different gearshifts as well.
17:03It's got three modes.
17:05You can go for regular, automatic, sport, or manual.
17:08Well, at the center of this high-technology totality is this.
17:17It's what BMW call the iDrive, and it's one large knob right in the middle of the console.
17:22And it pretty much drives all the electronics.
17:24Well, you probably need a PhD to be able to learn it all, and a year off to be able to
17:28do it.
17:29Having said that, in its defense, you can actually activate some of the functions by
17:34voice.
17:35There is even a clever little function where you can take notes for five minutes and record
17:38them.
17:39A useful little item for a businessman on the road.
17:56The V8 engine is powerful, but very smooth indeed, and so is the transmission.
18:00And depending on whether you're on the automatic or the sport mode, it doesn't really make
18:05a difference for how the actual car handles.
18:07And in terms of its handling, it's once again excellent.
18:11No fear of roll, even though this is a very big car, it handles superbly.
18:16No doubt about it, when it comes to refinement, the BMW is superb.
18:20Extremely smooth and quiet, yet with good performance figures.
18:23Up to 60 in under 7.5 seconds is impressive for a car this size, and the fuel consumption
18:29is better than many at 26 to the gallon.
18:32Something to bear in mind for those mammoth motorway sessions.
18:35I'm still not convinced with the central iDrive control, though.
18:38You need to be on the ball to use it properly, yet surely anything that takes the driver's
18:41attention off the road can't be a good thing.
18:45For drive and comfort, the BMW really is superb.
18:49It's powerful, it's smooth, it's refined, it's everything you'd want from a luxury car.
18:54And it's very high-tech.
18:56But to be honest, it might be just a little bit too clever for its own good.
18:59And those looks, well, they may not be to everyone's tastes.
19:02And now, ladies and gentlemen, here is the BMW 5 Series, and it's fantastic.
19:10My bit of German, not too bad, school German, but I can still speak a little German.
19:15Yes, all the hassle of Frankfurt have been worth it to see this, the all-new BMW 5 Series.
19:21In its previous incarnation, this won shedloads of awards all around the world, and BMW have
19:26filled this with a barrowload of enhancements.
19:29It is, I have to say, quite incredible.
19:32And it also comes with a very controversial active steering system.
19:38But with the Mercedes E-Class hot on its heels, how have they improved this 5 Series to beat
19:43the competition from Stuttgart?
19:44Well, let's join motoring journalist Ivor Carroll, who's in Baden-Baden just down the
19:48road at the International Lounge.
19:51Now you may recall a couple of years ago when BMW introduced its new 7 Series, there was
19:56something of a public outcry about its styling.
19:59Now this 5 Series looks a little bit like the 7 Series, but thankfully isn't quite as
20:04extreme.
20:05The real area of controversy with the 7 Series styling was its back end, which many would
20:10call ugly.
20:11Fortunately, the 5 Series has a much softer back end, and I think it's quite attractive.
20:16Now there's a school of thought that says you've got to keep doing radical things with
20:20car styling in order to keep the audience interested, keep the punters coming.
20:25Similarly, a lot of people say, well, if the styling ain't broke, why would you want to
20:31try and fix it?
20:33We're just wondering whether Chris Bangle, chief stylist on this project, has pushed the
20:37envelope too far and is doing to car styling what Malcolm McLaren did to pop music in the
20:42late 70s.
20:44There are some amazing styling details on the new 5.
20:47Big wraparound light clusters, shark's fin antenna on the back here.
20:52Come along the side, you see a strange blend of hard straights and soft curves.
20:58Come to the front, you see a nose that's very evocative of Chris Bangle's Z4 sports car.
21:04And look at the amazing styling of this wraparound headlamp.
21:07It's really quite wacky.
21:08It comes all the way around the corner of the car and even incorporates up here a row
21:12of amber LED lamps that act as a side marker lamp at night.
21:18It's important to spend some time looking at this new 5 Series because the 5 has always
21:22been considered a benchmark executive car and it's gained many awards over the years
21:26including our very own Men and Motors Top Ten Award.
21:30Now, no one aspect of the old 5 Series styling really stood out.
21:35The whole package was right in all respects and it was a true driver's car, there's no
21:39doubt about that.
21:40But there was never anything striking about its appearance.
21:43Could it be that with the spectre of the very pretty Mercedes E-Class taking sales away
21:48from the 5, BMW felt they had to make a really bold decision about its new executive's looks?
21:55And if so, did the company get it right?
21:59First of all, it's a good looking car and that will grab people's attention and make
22:03people want to take a closer look at it.
22:05There's a lot of technology in the car but not so much that it will put people off and
22:09on paper I think the diesel looks very strong on performance and fuel economy so it's threatening
22:15to be an all-round class leader.
22:17I think it's got big shoes to fill replacing the E39 and I think it will take a while to
22:22replace that car in people's affections but if BMW hadn't been as brave as they have been
22:27they would have been criticised for moving backwards and not keeping pace with the competition.
22:32So I think all in all, it's a great car.
22:34I think it's quite dynamically styled, I think it'll be a good seller, I think it's a vast
22:41improvement in looks on the last model and it performs very well.
22:47I think it's a quandary car, in so many respects it's a car that I wanted to criticise when
22:52I came out to first drive it and yet I find myself being in a situation where I can't
22:58criticise it too heavily.
23:00The chassis dynamics are fantastic, the finish of the car is actually very, very good.
23:05Sadly when you get inside the motorcar it doesn't actually feel as high quality as the
23:11original 5 Series which I think is a little bit sad.
23:14I think BMW may struggle to sell it.
23:17Of course it's easy enough to make a wacky looking car and it's been done before.
23:20Witness Fiat's Multipla, the Audi A2, even the ill-fated Renault Avantime but none of
23:27those have been volume sellers or were really intended to be large volume sellers, least
23:31of all in the UK.
23:33This however is going to be a major mainstream car and we're wondering whether it was safe
23:38of BMW to make it look quite so radical.
23:57So that's enough about the BMW 5 Series for now, we'll come back to it later.
24:18Meanwhile let's go back to the Frankfurt show.
24:25It's hard to believe that it's ten years since Mazda first launched the MX-5 and created
24:30the rebirth of the Roadster.
24:32And as the manufacturers realised that we're suckers for a cute little convertible it was
24:37quickly followed by a succession of gorgeous models for us to choose from.
24:41The SLK, Fiat's Barchetta, the MGF and of course 007's choice, the MWZ3.
24:49Now although the gorgeous MWZ3 was good enough for James to chase those bad guys in, the
24:55motoring world was split, underpowered, not butch enough, a hairdresser's car, all phrases
25:02that were bandied around about it.
25:04Well the doubters can eat their words now because this is the new MWZ3 and it looks
25:09terrific.
25:10Now it may not seem that long since the previous model hit the roads but there are new versions
25:16due of both the MGF and the SLK and of course Honda have just launched the S2000.
25:22It may make for a few unhappy owners of the current model but at least it shows that BMW
25:27aren't a company to rest on their laurels.
25:31At first glance the changes are very subtle, it's only when you get the two cars side by
25:34side that you realise the new version has had a huge testosterone injection.
25:40It's been working out and it now has one hell of a rump.
25:43It's got a redesigned rear bumper, the boot lid has been redesigned to feature these L-shaped
25:48light clusters but the most noticeable thing are the gorgeous curves on the wheel arches.
25:54The whole look is squatter and it's lower.
25:57This car now looks just as good from the rear end as it does from that gorgeous bulging
26:00bonnet.
26:02And it's not only cosmetic changes that are beef for Z3 up, there are changes to the engines
26:07line up as well.
26:09There are now four engines in the range, a two litre straight six replaces the four
26:12cylinder 1.9 and the entry level model is a new 1.8 version that costs just under £20.
26:20The 2.8 engine now features BMW's double vanos valve timing which gives it greater mid range
26:25punch and the powerful M Roadster remains unchanged and still tops the range.
26:32This is the £23,000 two litre straight six and it shares its engine with the superb 520i
26:38and it feels very impressive in the Z3.
26:41It also features BMW's latest double vanos technology.
26:45What this means behind the wheel is that the engine feels very torquey right throughout
26:49the range.
26:500-60 takes just 9 seconds and it has a top speed of 130mph.
26:56There are of course a few important considerations that go towards making a great Roadster.
27:00Of course it needs to be rear wheel drive and front engine, which this is, it has to
27:04have tight, precise steering and fantastic handling, which this has, and it needs to
27:10have a great gearbox and this five speed manual version feels just perfect.
27:15It's slick, all it takes is a flick of the wrist and you're working your way through
27:19the gears.
27:20It just makes a fantastic driving experience.
27:23There is an option of an automatic box, but why on earth would you want it?
27:28Working your way up and down the gears is what makes driving a Roadster such fun and
27:31so involving.
27:34Seats belong in large cars and that's where they should stay.
27:42Yes I like this car a lot, get this two litre version out on the open road and I can't think
27:47of many experiences that are quite so satisfying.
27:51In fact the ride is so good that I can forgive this Z3, it's very uninspiring interior which
27:56is straight out of the BMW compact.
27:59The changes in here are very subtle unfortunately, there's a colour coded panel in the middle,
28:05some nice new silver trim on the dials, but the steering wheel still doesn't adjust which
28:09is something that you want in a car like this.
28:12And the control panel for the electric hood has also been moved, it's now just at the
28:16back here.
28:17This 650 quid electric option means that you don't even need to get out of the car to put
28:22your top on anymore.
28:23It is a very nice luxury, but the standard hood is so easy to operate that it really
28:28is a luxury.
28:32Once the hood's up you'll see that it now has an interior lining which is very welcome,
28:36it'll help to keep out the cold on those nasty winter mornings and it will also make the
28:41ride quieter.
28:42Although one noise that it doesn't stifle I'm happy to say is the wonderful tune that's
28:47now played out of the twin exhaust pipes.
28:51And now it's time for the crunch, because this is my car, I love the old Z3 so much
28:56that I bought the 1.9 version.
28:59So would I swap this for the 2 litre version that now replaces it?
29:03This is Paul, he owns and runs an IT consultancy and lives in the glorious countryside around
29:09Charlesworth.
29:10He's a very lucky man, he's looking for a new toy car and we reckon we can help him
29:15find one.
29:16Paul, welcome to the show.
29:18Thank you Richard.
29:19Thanks for being our car buyer.
29:20Now a man looking for a toy car and not afraid to admit it.
29:24Yes definitely.
29:26This is for holidays and holidays.
29:27One has to enjoy oneself.
29:28Well one does indeed.
29:29Now you already have a toy car.
29:31Yes I do, yes.
29:32An XJS Jaguar, quite old but classic.
29:34This is another one, this is something a bit special, in the garage to scoot up to France.
29:38Well I've had that eight years now so I think it's time to have a change.
29:41New toys, you are a man after my own car, Paul we're going to get on.
29:45OK we've got three absolute beauties here and this is a dream assignment for us because
29:49they're all lovely cars.
29:50First up, Corvette, 5.7 litre, V8, classic piece of Americana, well within your budget.
29:56What do you reckon?
29:59Seems very nice.
30:00It's very big.
30:02Very comfortable.
30:03Very red.
30:04The only thing about this is the left hand drive, but the power delivery is superb and
30:07it sounds gorgeous.
30:08Well we'll see how you get on with it, we'll see how you get on.
30:10I don't know, I think you might find the left hand drive isn't such a problem when you've
30:13sampled that grunt.
30:15Right.
30:16So talking about grunt, our next car has got it too, let's go and have a look.
30:21So from a classic piece of Americana to a real true Brit, TVR Cerbera, big bad mean,
30:27what do you think of it?
30:28Beautiful car.
30:29This is the V8 I understand with the four and a half litre engine, 350bhp, sounds really
30:36nice.
30:37Looks the part.
30:38Now I think in an odd sort of way, this is as close as you can get to your Jag, do you
30:43know what I mean?
30:44In that it's long and low and slightly sinister.
30:48Yeah I can see what you mean, it is about the same length, it's about as low.
30:54I mean completely different in other ways, as you say it's not made of metal and it's
30:57a newer car, but somehow it just reminds me of it.
31:00It could bias me a little.
31:01It's a bad boy car you see, I think we're learning more and more about it.
31:04It's a beautiful car.
31:06It is a stunning thing.
31:07Well we'll find out what you think of the drive of that, but first we've got our third
31:09car to meet and it's a bit of a contrast.
31:13And it is from Germany, a BMW Z3 M. Are you familiar with them?
31:18Yes I am familiar with the brand, I've never driven one, I've driven the 1.9, which was
31:23a bit tame to be honest.
31:24You're not smiling that's when you see this.
31:27Well look, it's a completely different car to the 1.9, honest, we wouldn't bung you in
31:32an ordinary Z3 compared to these two, really.
31:35Well it does promise astonishing power, yes I must admit.
31:37Yeah and when they M it up, I mean it's more than just a few tweaks, it's pretty significant
31:40changes.
31:41Well you're going to find out for yourself because I've got in my pocket keys if I can
31:45get these.
31:46Now I should tell you, these are the keys to a brand new car.
31:49Right.
31:50There's a reason for this, we did have a used version which you would get within your budget,
31:54but we broke it, really badly, sorry.
31:58So we're going to use this brand new one, courtesy of BMW, but it will at least give
32:01you a flavour of the car, yeah?
32:02I won't complain.
32:03Right, let's give it a go.
32:11Well this is our first car, the BMW Z3 M, now you know the score, we get a drive, admittedly
32:21it's probably not as long with the car as you'd really like and you don't get to really
32:26put it through its paces, but you have a go.
32:28Yes.
32:29Immediate impressions, what do you think of it?
32:31It's very tall, I think I mentioned to you that I've driven the 1.9 before, so this is
32:36certainly a step ahead.
32:40An important part of all of this, as we're looking at these cars, we know you're a sensible,
32:43mature, responsible businessman, but you are buying a toy here, it's got to look right
32:50hasn't it, let's be honest, posing is part of this, what about the image of this thing?
32:54I think it says very sensible, it relies on people knowing it's an M I think, and that
33:01would be a concern, it's pretty obvious at the back I think, four tail pipes looks really
33:05well, I suppose it's discreet more than anything.
33:08I would not have bought one on the basis of the 1.9, so I'm quite pleasantly surprised
33:13by this.
33:14It's probably been worth it having it in the mix today, just for that, just to make you
33:18look differently at the car that perhaps you'd have written off without thinking about.
33:22On the plus side again with this is, because you occasionally like to romp off to the south
33:26of France don't you, you and your wife together?
33:28Yes.
33:29Reliability-wise not a problem?
33:30Well that's it of course, it's outstanding reliability, BMW you don't question it do
33:33you?
33:34Sure about this colour personally?
33:35No.
33:37No.
33:38No you never know, it could have been yellow.
33:39It could have been yellow, it could have been bright yellow, well Paul's test driving
33:44our first car is nearly over and whilst he enjoys the last few moments, Ian Royal has
33:48got more information on the car.
33:51So Paul we've picked out for you today a fine piece of Germanic engineering, built by quality
33:56craftsmen in the south of Germany, in Munich, by BMW, it's the Z3M Roadster, except that
34:03it isn't built by Germans, it's built by the good old boys in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
34:10Yes it surprises people that this car isn't built in Germany and I was lucky enough a
34:16few years ago to go on a trip to the factory where they build the Z3s, now at the time
34:21we'd only seen the 1.9 and the 2.8, there were rumours that there was an M version on
34:26the way but we hadn't seen it until we wandered round the factory and there was one lurking
34:31in the corner, marvellous.
34:33So what do you get on this car, you get a straight six engine, 321bhp 0-60mph in just
34:39over five seconds, a top speed of 155mph, it's loaded with just about everything you
34:45would want including an electric hood for when the sun finally shines and what about
34:50prices?
34:51£40,000 new but if you can put up with a pastel yellow one like this, £25,000.
34:57The Z3M uses BMW's renowned straight six engine, 3.2, 321bhp with lots of tweaking
35:06from BMW's motorsport division.
35:12Cars tend to fit neatly into their own nice little categories, you know the kind of thing,
35:17compact city cars, sensible saloons, ravishing little roadsters, a car to suit the kind of
35:23person you are and the type of life you lead.
35:26And that being the case it stands to reason if you're a high powered executive city type
35:31you drive a large luxury saloon.
35:34But what if when the weekend comes you fancy getting to grips with nature and sampling
35:38a taste of the great outdoors?
35:40What you?
35:41Well I know it's not usually my style but if I had the kind of vehicle that offered
35:45me the opportunity to do both I might just try it.
35:48Impossible, what kind of car can offer superb on road performance and luxury and have the
35:54capabilities to go off road?
35:56Well actually this one can, the BMW X5.
36:01So what's an X5?
36:03Well the name gives it away, think about it, the 5 from BMW Super Saloon, the 5 series
36:10and the X from Cross Country, put the two together and hey presto.
36:16A car to pose around town in, a car that lets you spot that parking space outside Harvey
36:21Nicks before anybody else.
36:23Or if you prefer a car that can cope with the rough stuff and loves nothing better than
36:28thrashing its way through a nice bit of mud.
36:31Now the market for off roaders just keeps on growing, a few years ago you could basically
36:36have a Land Rover or a Jeep but now all the manufacturers want a 4x4 of their very own,
36:42even Mercedes have the M class for goodness sake and BMW certainly don't want to be left
36:47out of the game.
36:49But the holy grail for manufacturers has been to design what has so far been a very
36:53elusive creature, a vehicle that has the looks of a 4x4 but offers the performance of a top
36:59class car, after all these kind of vehicles are bought by buyers who want to look down
37:03on their neighbours and not by farmers who want to cross their fields.
37:08They love the looks but they want the performance and according to BMW with the X5 you can have
37:13both.
37:16Whatever name they may give it, I reckon it looks like an estate on stilts, which maybe
37:21doesn't sound very flattering because it is actually a rather handsome and refined creature.
37:27The wheel arches have a very subtle flare and they smoothly merge into the gentle curves
37:31of the body and just to remind you and of course the neighbours about the off road bit,
37:37you get beefed up bumpers, neat fog lamps, discreet running boards, nice fat tyres and
37:43some extra ground clearance.
37:45The interior as you'd expect from a BMW is extremely civilised.
37:49The instrument panel doesn't favour the driver so that one's passenger can take care of the
37:53stereo, the air conditioning and that satellite navigation thing.
37:58Everything is superbly positioned and of course it's all superb quality and there are no complaints
38:03about the driving position either, in fact these seats are more comfortable than the
38:07sofa in my living room.
38:09There's plenty of room for the driver, for the passengers and for the most important
38:13bit of all, the shopping bits.
38:28Out on the road, well it might be a large powerful vehicle but it's surprisingly easy
38:32to drive.
38:33The extra height means you get a great view of everything around you, but it doesn't come
38:38with any of the rock and roll that you normally associate with off roaders.
38:43The performance from that V8 engine also reflects that, 0-60 takes just 7.5 seconds and it easily
38:50cruises to a top speed of 128mph.
38:55The steering really does feel very direct and it responds without any fuss or any bother.
39:00The five speed automatic gearbox does all the work for you and when you add to that
39:04a very, very comfortable ride you'll find it impossible to believe that you aren't in
39:08a top class saloon.
39:10And if that's not enough for you, then there's a sport chassis available too, if you feel
39:14the need for a marginal improvement in handling for a slight reduction in comfort.
39:22But the best thing is you get fantastic fat tyres and even bigger alloy wheels which will
39:26cause such a stir down the Kings Road.
39:41It probably won't surprise you to discover that 95% of people who own off-roaders never
39:48take them off-road.
39:49Let's be serious, when the X5 goes on sale at the end of the year, it's going to cost
39:53around £47,000.
39:56If you'd spent that much money, would you want it to get bumped and bashed and covered
40:00in mud?
40:01I don't think so.
40:02Well the good thing is though, that this X5 isn't mine and remember, I'm rather keen on
40:07getting to grips with nature.
40:13Off-road the X5 proves its worth.
40:15The permanent four-wheel drive system directs most of the power to the rear wheels, so lack
40:20of grip and wheel spin is reduced to a minimum.
40:23Of course the serious side to all this technology is that ultimately it makes for much safer
40:28driving, particularly on those dreadful winter mornings, which is probably why you find so
40:33many of this type of vehicle taking a rather precious cargo to the school gates.
40:46Now because of BMW's connection with Land Rover, it will be no surprise to you to discover
40:50that quite a few of their gadgets and gizmos are on the X5.
40:54I'm talking about things like hill descent control.
40:57Now this system, rather unsurprisingly, controls the engine's speed when you're on a very steep
41:03slope.
41:04It allows it to creep down at a steady six miles per hour.
41:07All you do is flick a switch just down here, you let the engine do the work for you, you
41:12don't panic, you don't even need to use your feet.
41:32The only limiting factor is the 180 millimetre ground clearance and the compromise on road
41:37tyres.
41:38But hey, you can't have everything now, can you?
41:42Oh no, look how dirty it is.
41:44Why would you want to do that?
41:46You see, what buyers want is a vehicle that looks the part and has the off-road capabilities.
41:51Heaven forbid we should actually want to try it.
41:54Well you can speak for yourself, because some of us will relish the challenge of discovering
41:58what the X5 is really capable of.
42:01We should try it sometime.
42:02Oh well, that's the beauty of it, I suppose.
42:05Whether you're looking for on-road performance or you want to have fun on an off-road course,
42:10then the X5 will suit you down to the ground.
42:13Well you couldn't have missed last year's saloon of the year, really.
42:16I think the 5 Series BMW, which was unveiled in 1996, arguably my car of the year, they've
42:24got one better.
42:25After the 5 Series saloon, they've launched the touring version.
42:28They don't call this an estate, because estate cars are those grubby things for taking rubbish
42:34down to the municipal tip-in.
42:36A BMW 5 Series estate is called the 5 Series Touring.
42:41You don't put rubbish in the back, you put your golf clubs in the back.
42:45Or occasionally you might put a little bit of shopping in the back when you go to one
42:48of those upmarket supermarkets.
42:50Now, it's an interesting design.
42:53Of course it's got the conventional boot release so that you can just lift it like that, but
42:58in case you've just got a couple of carrier bags and you need to plonk them in the back,
43:02probably Harrods bags actually, just a little flick of that switch and in they go.
43:08You've got here a cover to hide any valuables you've got in the boot.
43:13You've also got beneath the floor a lockable compartment, which means you can put some
43:17small valuables in with the spare wheel and in theory nobody would ever know about it,
43:22but I've just told them where to look now, haven't I, silly me?
43:25So like this, I promise you.
43:29How about this?
43:31Oh look, they think of everything.
43:34Not only is there an extended load carrying area for putting loads on and then sliding
43:38them in if they're awkward, or even for putting your kids on if you're having a picnic or
43:43the kids are trying to get off their muddy boots or something like that, but attention
43:47to detail I think we call that.
43:48We didn't know that was there.
43:50But I really do worry, this only takes 75 kilos and that means that a fat bastard like
43:55me couldn't sit on it, so I'm not sure that that's a great idea and it all adds to the
43:59cost.
44:00And talking of cost, the new 5 Series BMW Touring goes on sale in April.
44:07It will cost of the order of £25,000, about £25,300 for the 2 litre version, but get
44:15this, it goes up to about £45,000 for the 4 litre 540i.
44:24To put that in context, you could have this car plus a very nice 3 Series saloon, or come
44:29to that, probably a bottom of the range 5 Series saloon for the price of just one 540i
44:36Touring.
44:37I can't really see, although the 540i is better equipped in every department virtually, I
44:42can't see how a car that shares the same body shell as another one can be £19,000, £20,000
44:48more expensive.
44:49But it has to be said that with that 540i you get a lot for your money.
44:53You also get a lot for your money with the bottom of the range 520i, I should add.
44:59In fact, BMW reckon that there's only a sort of £1,900, £2,000 price premium over the
45:05saloon version.
45:06So that's what you're paying for the equivalent estate, or as they prefer to call it, Touring.
45:53Now the other one, and this one.
46:17Would you pay £25,350 for this car?
46:48He doesn't like it.
46:51What is it?
47:17No.
47:18No.
47:19No.
47:21No.
47:24No.
47:27No.
47:30No.
47:33No.
47:36No.
47:39No.
47:42No.
47:45We're joined by an old friend of the programme, Chris Willows from BMW GV.
48:04Chris, who's going to buy this sort of car?
48:07Well, judging by the people who previously bought the 5 Series Touring, they're executive
48:14managers of companies, a lot of them company owners, almost 50% of people who actually
48:19own or have a serious stake in a company, and of course, family people.
48:24This is a more flexible saloon car, in effect, rather than an estate.
48:27That's the way we put it across, and that's why the previous one was bought.
48:32It's family people, but family people who have a degree of success or can control their
48:36own lifestyles.
48:37And a degree of money in the bank as well.
48:39Yeah, of course.
48:40Absolutely.
48:41And talk us through the range.
48:42It starts with the 520i, which I think comes in at about £25,000, £350,000, something
48:46like that.
48:47That's right.
48:48And what other versions are there?
48:49Well, the 2.0-litre one, 520, comes in May.
48:53It's first of all the 528 and the 525 TDS diesel.
48:56The 520 is the range starter, if you like, at the price you've mentioned, £25,000, £350,000.
49:02That will be followed by the 523, which confusingly has a 2.5-litre engine in it.
49:07Then the 528, which is this car here, then the 525 TDS, that's the diesel intercooled
49:14turbocharged version.
49:15And topping out the range is a large 4.4-litre eight-cylinder engine car, the 540i Touring.
49:21Now that comes in, from memory, at about £45,000.
49:24Just under.
49:25Huge price difference.
49:26I mean, you're getting the same body shell, but you're paying £20,000 more for the car.
49:29Now, all right, you're getting a bigger engine, but it seems an awful huge price disparity.
49:34Well, you're getting more than double the size of engine, Mike, for it.
49:37But does that account for £20,000?
49:38Of course, part of it is the engine.
49:40It's an eight-cylinder engine.
49:41It's produced in very much smaller quantities, and the engine is much more expensive to produce.
49:46But it's not just the engine, it's the equipment that you get with the car as well.
49:50That car comes as standard with air conditioning and all sorts of creature comforts, if you
49:56like, that make it the sort of car you would expect at £45,000.
50:00But it is true to say you could actually buy a bottom-of-the-range five-series Touring
50:04and a 1.9-litre Z3 for the same price as one top-of-the-range Touring.
50:09I can see the direction you're coming from, Mike.
50:34I think it's worth having a closer look at this rear tailgate, because it's this soft
51:00touch device.
51:01There's no leverage goes on here, just a gentle touch.
51:04You may have heard that.
51:05And it lifts up, and similarly, when you close it, there's no slamming, just a gentle drop
51:10down of the hatch, and it kind of shuts electronically.
51:13This extended load-carrying area, I'm not quite so sure about.
51:18It extends about two foot.
51:20It will take, like I said, 75 kilos, which means that somebody like me, it's probably
51:25a little bit too heavy for.
51:26But the idea is that if you've got a couple of kids, maybe we'll find a couple of kids
51:30later to demonstrate the point.
51:31You can have them sitting here, maybe peeling off their muddy boots or, I don't know, having
51:36a picnic watching the point-to-point or something like that.
51:39But like I said, this is not an estate car.
51:41This is a Touring, and it doesn't do grubby things like go down to the municipal tip.
51:46It carries hampers, and Harrods bags, and golf clubs, and that sort of thing.
52:47In fact, for that test drive, we've grabbed a 528i SE, which stands for Special Equipment.
52:56You would think, wouldn't you, from that badging that this car, and particularly its price
53:01tag of £32,505, would be a car that would be very well-equipped, as indeed it is.
53:07But in fact, the version we're in right now actually has, believe it or not, £10,500
53:14worth of extras on top of that.
53:16So we're in a sort of £42,000, £43,000 version.
53:20What do all those extras include?
53:22Well, for starters, you've got these what are called comfort memory seats, which means
53:28that you can set the position every time you climb back in the car after somebody else
53:32has driven it, the seat will go back to the position that personally favours you.
53:38There's also the onboard navigation system, which is probably the most advanced of its
53:44type.
53:45That's another £4,000 something of that order.
53:47We've got metallic paint, one or two other things.
53:50£10,500 worth of extras on this particular car.
53:53I mean, my advice for people would be, go for the basic car.
53:56Ironically, we don't have a sunroof, funnily enough, but I think a sunroof is not a bad
54:01idea.
54:02This car's got a very expensive CD system.
54:04Avoid CDs, just stick with a cassette player and a radio, and really ask yourself if you're
54:09going to get anything back on all those extras you're investing in.
54:13It's a bit like having an expensive kitchen fitted in the house.
54:17When you come to sell that house, you ain't going to get the money back on what you spent
54:21on that fitted kitchen.
54:22The same rule applies with cars, really.
54:25Spend several thousand pounds on extras.
54:27When you come to sell the car, you won't get a great deal more for it.
54:30Certainly you won't get your money back.
54:36As you'd expect from a quality car like a BMW, driving this is the absolute.
54:41For me, I can't think of too many cars I'd rather be driving cross-country.
54:49You remember a few weeks ago, we looked at the saloon version, and I was raving then
54:53about its driving qualities, its refinement, I don't know if you can get a sense of that
54:59acceleration, but absolutely nothing lacking in performance terms.
55:05In terms of comfort and feeling at one with the car, you just cannot go wrong.
55:11I don't quite know how BMW do it, but you kind of snuggle in, you get behind the wheel,
55:18and you instantly feel confident.
55:22Immediately, this sort of vehicle inspires you and makes you want to drive.
55:27It's a corny old thing to say, they call it the ultimate driving machine.
55:31In terms of saloon cars and estate cars, sorry, touring cars, then really I think they have
55:38very, very few competitors, if any at all.
55:41The days when Mercedes gave BMW a run for their money, I think are over.