Quote:
Originally Posted by MKSixer
Nowhere above do you discuss the actual fact that BMW has been the most awarded manufacturer for the International Engine of the Year award since it's inception. It flies in the face of your pronouncement that BMW evidences no real engineering leadership in the industry. Please address that fact for me. Thank you.
Sigh. I was talking about the major components of the entire system. Not a single part of the system (Planetary gearset - Sooooo Advanced). I was also providing perspective about the car markets and ownership. Please. Get out of the weeds.
I have a bunch of hard working engineering friends, small business owning friends, and biotechnology friends who work 65-80 hrs per week to take care of their families. As like minded people (we are car people...all cars, not just exotics.)
Earlier, I was attempting to ignore your subtle digs but I see where this is going. Please remember that we live in the USA (many of us, anyway) and all have equality of opportunity. I may sound pollyanna but I believe in this country and what it has to offer. Please avail yourself of every opportunity that this country offers and end your subtle digs. It is most unseemly.
If you don't like a car BUT haven't spent any serious time behind the wheel...I value your opinion pretty low. Let's get to brass tacks.
Do you own an i8?
Have you driven an i8?
Do you own a Volt?
Have you driven a Volt?
Or do you simply Keyboard Warrior it up and drop subtle digs at things you do not understand? Based on your original analogy, the ideal performance machine is definitely a motorcycle. I can spend $18,000, blow the doors off almost any car around AND have save enough money over the 'Vette to purchase fuel for my nonexistent grandkids. Jeeze. Next.
Cheers
MK
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I have no issue with wealthy people owning nice cars, I just don't see the need to mention them in the discussion as it adds no material value to the argument. I grew up on the same street as Robert Kogod (they've named the U of M Business school after him) so it's not like I don't know rich people too, while were rich-dropping here. His brother in-law built Crystal City, VA, and he lived down the street (their houses were basically one big complex with shared tennis courts and pools), so BFD about rich people. I delivered his newspaper too... So, relax about it.
Regarding the i8, no I've not driven one and don't care too since I'm not impressed with it nor in the market for a $150K car. It's an engineering exercise. It's nice, fast, advanced compared to the general car population, I get all of it. But it certainly not a paradigm shift in the transportation industry. I gave an example of a car that was. I have driven the i3, nice for a city car with 80 mile range. I think the REX version is a joke however.
I have driven a Volt extensively, and am quite impressed with it. Impressed because it executes its design goals perfectly and it costs $40,000. Its design goals are to provide general transportation to how most people drive with an electric range of 38 miles and an unlimited gas-mode range. The Volt is very good affordable solution to a 1-car household where the vehicle can be driven in EV mode at 106 MPGe and in gas mode at 40 MPG (Gen 1 Volt). The Gen 2 does even better. Further with the Gen 2, GM managed to increase the electric range to 48 miles (IIRC) and the fuel consumption to 42 MPG (again IIRC - don't have time to look it up), all the while reducing the overall vehicle weight by about 300 pounds, increasing the interior passenger volume slightly, and lowering the MSRP by $2,000. To me that is good engineering, not some snipit about how great the engine is. Most BMW redesigns increase in weight, increase in size and increase in price. By comparison, the new CF 7-Series chassis only loses only 77 pounds by using CF in the chassis (per BMW). Whereas Cadillac dropped the chassis weight of the upcoming CT6 by 88 pounds and didn't use any carbon fiber.
Most people by cars in the $30K - $40K price range, not $150K. Give any manufacturer a MSRP target of $150K and they'll come up with good stuff too. And with respect to the engine of the year awards, so the N54 was one; but let's ignore the coil issues, fuel injector issues, wastegate extended warranty, and the HPFP extended warranty - give me a break. Yup it makes great power and torque until it breaks at around 50,000 miles. So just because a manufacturer make the engine of the year award doesn't impress me. Let's discuss Ford's engine of the year awardee, the 1.0L 3-cylinder with the rubber-tooth drive belt for the oil pump buried in the oil sump. We'll see the longevity of that motor. Let's see how it does... And nice,we'll not laugh about VW...
And I originally stated that 15 years ago when major manufacturers were introducing production hybrids, BMW was paying the largest fines in the industry for missing CAFE regulations; not evidence of technical leadership by any stretch.