OK here's some of my thoughts on the whole thing:
1) Why are we arguing about turbo reliability? Don't we have plenty of data from E9x 335s? I only know of one person who had terrible luck with his turbo that made him sell the car. But I don't know about the Consumer Reports etc.
2) There is no question the M4 sounds like f*** sh**. Watch the videos out there, there are several and the only person I could see even liking this sound is an Evo or Suburau driver - because it's really just a step up. BMW should be f*ing ashamed of themselves for releasing this ghetto nonsense. Every hear a Nissan Gxx drive by? Yea, almost like that. I guess Rainer Drees is the man to thank.
http://player.vimeo.com/video/93073026
BTW - even in this article hear how the M sound engineer goes on and on about how great NA engine sound is and how difficult it is to make sound from a turbo. I guess it's a challenge all in itself just to FORCE it to sound good.
http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=979417
3) I'm upset that BMW was lazy in the last 5 years and went from such a beautiful improvement of raw power, even from a nicely raw powered 6 cyl, back down to their same old engine and just juiced up the turbo. Couldn't the N55 engine with a tune produce the SAME figures as the new M4? That's BS.
I think BMW should have worked up a new engine 3.5L or so 6cyl turbo'd. That would keep me excited about BMW innovation. I really wish BMW would attempt to make the M3 compete with the GTR, but I'm not sure why they don't care about that. I mean the GTR sounds awesome and I never could believe when I learned it was a 6cyl! But at least it's a large ass 6 cyl.
4) I think there might be light at the end of the tunnel in the next gen. Think about it, where else does BMW have to go with the M3 next gen? No way they are gonna just juice up the turbo. They won't go back to NA. So I'm thinkin my point 3 might make an appearance. Maybe they'll try to go after GTR. But really, at some point a Lamborghini is a Lamborghini. What is that point for the M3?
Either way, I'm pretty sure in 5 years I won't be caring about BMW's basic daily racer and I'll be driving Porsche.
5) I'm curious how the turbo's will feel. If my rental vehicles (535i and 328i, X5 M pkg) are any indication the car feels more like a lexus. Everything is all smooth feeling. The turbo's press in carefully and noticeably. The steering is super disconnected and smooth. Everything about the car feels like Lexus and not BMW. Terrible.