favorite & least favorite M3 design elements

[esquire]

okay, i'd like to gauge people's immediate reaction to the new M3's DESIGN ELEMENTS (in other words, let's exclude discussions of performance and handling)

please:
post your FAVORITE design element as your #1.
post your LEAST FAVORITE design element as your #2.


for example:

1) side gills (this would be my favorite design element)
2) front fascia/air dam (this would be my least favorite element... i hate it haha).


i'd like to hear what everyone else has to say on this topic, and looking forward to the input.

[OtuaCarGod]

1. front fenders, the flare flowing into the vent, just looks killer
2. the 'power dome' on top of the hood that looks GREAT on the e46 looks VERY out of place on the e92. First thing I thought of when I saw it, nice they're trying to carry over a design element, but it's really fugly on this car... bad move, bmw.

[edgarj]

Ditch the "powerdong/dome". They capitalize its spleeling like it's not just a bulge in the hood. It kills the strong horizontal lines of the e92 and dosen't make your pee-pee any bigger. Hartge fit the S85 V10 under a similar bonet without padding their package, so stuffing socks down the m3's jock should be left to the aftermarket.

Everything else is classic M3 sex. I even dig the mirrors. The gills, without mesh, are super cool, and the rear diffuser boldly fits the car. The interior is a mess, but I have no doubt that BMW will turn it into a perfect blend of motorsports utility and pure luxury.

[ksfrogman]

1. The hood bulge is a bit too big and the wrong shape? The sculpted lines of the E92 (and E90) show distinct edges, but that bulge is simply round and bulbous. Either go round or edgy, not both. I think the Vorsteiner hood bulge looks better. The lower portion of the rear bumper and side skirts have too much going on. Someone get me a file so I can smooth those sharp edges underneath. If a Cayman-S is sexy, curvaceous, elegant and easy on the eyes, this new E92 M3 concept takes you the opposite direction by increasing designy entropy.

I don't want to sound like I'm hating on the M3 concept car.

2. I love the CF top, and overal,l like the car. Yet, it seems like the designers got a little crazy with their design.

[mkoesel]

Most favorite - flared fenders.

Lease favorite - got to agree on the fromt air dam - looks like a swollen shnoz. Luckily that's an easy fix with aftermarket parts.

[paulyd]

Fav: The entire car
Least Fav: Hate the front air dam/fender/bumper/mouth looks out of place as does the hood bulge.

[southlight]

1) Side gills (I love LED indicators)

2) Size/height of powerdome. I would prefer a a powerdome ala Z4 M.

[ase2dais]

1. I love the more aggressive Shark Mouth
2. dont care much about those twin side mirror mounts

[EmUc]

Good: Everything minus the front&back bumpers, and the hood bulge.
Bad: Hood bulge (a.k.a power-pimple... I mean the power dome)

[carnuts3]

Originally Posted by ksfrogman

1. The hood bulge is a bit too big and the wrong shape? The sculpted lines of the E92 (and E90) show distinct edges, but that bulge is simply round and bulbous. Either go round or edgy, not both. I think the Vorsteiner hood bulge looks better. The lower portion of the rear bumper and side skirts have too much going on. Someone get me a file so I can smooth those sharp edges underneath. If a Cayman-S is sexy, curvaceous, elegant and easy on the eyes, this new E92 M3 concept takes you the opposite direction by increasing designy entropy.

I don't want to sound like I'm hating on the M3 concept car.

2. I love the CF top, and overal,l like the car. Yet, it seems like the designers got a little crazy with their design.

I agree with ksfrogman's critique regarding the hood. The hood and hideous vents are just plain wrong for this car. BMW designers need to rework this with a "bulge" and vents that compliments the overall design, not detracts from it (maybe extend and incorporate the "gill look"on the hood) . I already sent an e-mail to BMW complaining about this. I hope enough enthusiasts who feel the same way let BMW know as well. Maybe we can influence a design modification before it's too late. Get you're e-mails out today!

[SpencerM3]

Don't want to sound too much like a homer, but I love the whole thing. I wouldn't change one thing on that car.

[absolut.k.aws]

Originally Posted by ksfrogman

1. The hood bulge is a bit too big and the wrong shape? The sculpted lines of the E92 (and E90) show distinct edges, but that bulge is simply round and bulbous. Either go round or edgy, not both. I think the Vorsteiner hood bulge looks better. The lower portion of the rear bumper and side skirts have too much going on. Someone get me a file so I can smooth those sharp edges underneath. If a Cayman-S is sexy, curvaceous, elegant and easy on the eyes, this new E92 M3 concept takes you the opposite direction by increasing designy entropy.

I don't want to sound like I'm hating on the M3 concept car.

2. I love the CF top, and overal,l like the car. Yet, it seems like the designers got a little crazy with their design.

:rocks:

you're like me, the hood and the rear bumper sucks ass

[swamp2]

1. Favs: Front fender shape/width and side gills+LED indicators
2. Least favs: Powerdome height, mirrors, rear bumper cover (exactly what ksfrogman pointed out with his pic)

[RandyB]

There is a little 'designer masturbation' going on, but not too crazy.

[OtuaCarGod]

It just seems like they took the well sculpted e92 and just tacked on a bunch of non-flowing aftermarket body-kit type stuff on there and it just doesn't flow with the main essence of the car at all. It just doesn't flow as an overall design.

Almost like the e46 was designed as an M3 then they removed the nunneccesary stuff for the basic 3-series. on this car they tried to go the other way around. had a nice looking 3 series and tried to add the trademark M3 stuff onto it from the e46 but it doesn't match with Chris Bangle's styling cues... overall just seems patchy. Like they took Bangle's design and had some other hack add the M3 stuff.

[Hans Delbruck]

Originally Posted by edgarj

...stuffing socks down the m3's jock ....

I think there are some autojournalists who will be stealing that line, good one!

I am sure it will look more subtle in person - try not to overanalyze the pics... and some tuner will have a carbon fiber hood for those who don't like the bulge. Oh wait, that's "rice" too, isn't it?

I like the car overall... I wish the front fish mouth was more like the M6's, but I am happy with the way it looks.

[esquire]

i'm still not sure how i feel about the back... i do agree that recessed spaces in the back make it kind of look weak. i'd like to see a more 'solid' back, maybe something that appears a little lower to the ground as well.