BMW bills their new X2 as coupe-inspired. Full stop. To the rest of us, it resembles a small SUV. Here’s the full quote: “A racy coupe-like silhouette is just the beginning. The BMW X2 revels in turning conventional automotive design on its head – creating an appearance that’s unlike anything else on the road.” Read five counterpoints here.
Why the …
I'm so ready for the "SUV for every niche!" death march to be over. It's killing my automotive enthusiasm.
"I just can't wait for the Ferrari Purosangue" -- no GRM member, ever
nderwater said:I'm so ready for the "SUV for every niche!" death march to be over. It's killing my automotive enthusiasm.
"I just can't wait for the Ferrari Purosangue" -- no GRM member, ever
It's weird to have a front-row seat to the whole show, though. Would I ever buy an X2 M35i? No. I'd go bald. But it's fastish and makes fun noises. It put a smile on my face once.
That may have been the concussion, though.
I wish BMW would stop trying to shove this B.S. down our throats. If they would just listen to their customers (at least in the USA) they would understand that we want a FWD car like Porsche enthusiast want a 4 cyl in a 911 or Cayman. The answer is NO!
My parents, 86 and 82, have a 2017 Mini Clubmen. Think of it as the 2wd BMW stepchild, with the three cylinder turbo. They love the car.
The market for the X2, are couples with fur children. They are the gateway to the X5, when kids seats are needed. The soccer moms, will be in the X7. They can care less about the grill, they need the room.
The circle of life in the BMW of today.
Dad, starts with the M2! But remember, they are German and they know what is best for us. Feels like that way, No?
This would be a pretty sharp looking wagon if it weren't on 5" of suspension lift that isn't necessary.
I live in Wyoming. About once a year, we get a SNOW storm. I'm not talking mere flakes, I'm talking more than inches, I'm talking "we start discussing when it's gonna hit a foot deep out there" terms. You know what I still daily drive? A car. Have never had a truck or SUV of any sort, probably never will unless I find a sweet deal on a ramp truck (thanks GRM, for inspiring THAT bad idea haha), my point being, cars on lifts are dynamically ridiculous. You don't see around traffic any better, as you ARE the traffic these days. Go buy a blimp if you want to see over traffic.
In short, I'm with JG, with the whole "get off my lawn" banter. Sometimes I really think marketing departments make "new" stuff just for the sake of things being "new" rather than a good idea. =P
We had one as a tester a few months ago. Remember when 300-horsepower turbo-4s were angry, manic, rip-snorting firecrackers? This...isn't. It makes a rather coarse noise and isn't as quick as you'd expect given the "M35i" designation. A GLA45 is only another grand or two and while it won't be more reliable than the BMW, it feels like an Evo X for business people.
I definitely feel like the X2 is for people who want to be seen in a BMW, but don't necessarily care about BMW driving dynamics (if that makes any sense).
Of course, I don't claim to know anything about marketing or selling cars, but I'm willing to bet that these types of people make BMW a lot of money.
Colin Wood said:
Of course, I don't claim to know anything about marketing or selling cars, but I'm willing to bet that these types of people make BMW a lot of money.
Nice one, Colin. Swish.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
I have my moments.
I wish BMW had come up with some other name for cars like this. It really bums me out to see the whole M brand get so diluted, especially as a long-time fan and a guy who used to work at an M specialist race prep shop. Of course, it also doesn't help that the "main line" M cars are somewhat underwhelming these days too, the F8x M3/4 are undeniably exceptional in terms of performance but they just don't have that "skunk works" feeling that the old Ms did, they're too polished and feel too much like normal BMW products instead of some insanity created by renegade motorsport engineers and slipped under the boss's nose.
All these BMW suv monikers sound like Comcast package names. Lets simplify things and have a 3 and 5 Series Wagon.
I for one am glad for all the performance SUVs hitting the market. The alternative is that as cars and sports cars are killed off, they are replaced by boring appliances like the Prius. And the reality is, I never purchased a Fusion Sport or SHO, even though they seemed to be aimed right at me. I purchased A Grand Cherokee or a Kia Rondo instead because I needed the utility. If SUVs are my only option in the future, at least let them be fast and handle with some degree of competence.
It's also easier for someone like BMW to develop rip-snorting motors that find their way into the 2 and 3 series sedans because they sell a lot more of them in SUVs. As coupe and sedan sales dwindle to almost nonexistence, the cost of developing bespoke components will be their death knell. If they can be sold in the thousands in SUVs, they will help to keep "our" cars alive.
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