HI RES of E90 side by side with E46 & E36

[tron1043]

Let the bitter debate begin ;)

[tierfreund]

I love my E46. But as soon as the E90 is on the street, I´ll start drooling for it and the 46er will start to look dated in my eyes.

Very nice picture that just confirms what I had been expecting to happen. Thanks for posting :thumbup:

[Alex Baumann]

I'd love to see the E30 in that photo too.

Is the photo cropped or is it the original ?

[brybarrett]

I bet if you added the face-lifted sedan next to the e90, the e46 won't look that date. Well, that's just my opinion.

[Alex Baumann]

Never mind, found it.

[hmr]

2 things jump out at me: 1) the E90 is wider and 2) the nose is longer

[LarryN]

2 things jump out at me: 1) the E90 is wider and 2) the nose is longer

I had a similar response..

1) E90 looks bigger (wider)
2) E90 looks really good next to those cars. (and better than I thought it would in a comparo)

[Artslinger]

From those pictures you can really see that the 3 series has become bigger looking with every new generation.

[numbersguy]

From those pictures you can really see that the 3 series has become bigger looking with every new generation.

It's wider. But distortion in the photo makes it appear even wider than it is. Checkout the apparent width of the pavment squares from left to right.

[Artslinger]

It's wider. But distortion in the photo makes it appear even wider than it is. Checkout the apparent width of the pavment squares from left to right.


Now that you mention it the picture does look a little distorted.

[Alex Baumann]

Now the family is complete :)

[tron1043]

If the photo looks distorted, its because it's cropped, scaled, and heavily compressed, the original is like 6 MB.

It is an official BMW picture, I hope this doesn't come off as arrogant, but I would prefer not to give any information about where I got the picture.

[JPinTO]

The E90 looks like a 5er beside the E46. Wasteline expansion isn't just a human phenomena.

[tron1043]

beat me to it, damn work!

[Technic]

2 things jump out at me: 1) the E90 is wider and 2) the nose is longer

The biggest cause of that effect in the photo is because that E90 is the only one that has a Sport Package, which increases the body width visualization compared to the others, IMO.

If only the interior were half decent I would say that the car overall looks great... other than this and it is just OK. :eeps:

[Moderato]

I bet if you added the face-lifted sedan next to the e90, the e46 won't look that date. Well, that's just my opinion.

That was my first thought when I saw the picture. There should be a facelift sedan also, between the E46 and the E90. I'm not sure about the kidney grills, I'm not sure if I like the way they are U shaped with that strip of crome on the hood creating the illusion that they are a squarish, rectangular, circular shape like all the other cars before it.

[Reza]

I wish they also did a rear shot of the 3 family. The front of the e90 looks like an evolution in the design, but the rear and interior are definately steps in the wrong direction, IMHO.

[bluetree211]

my contribution to the bitter debate :eeps:

[Technic]

my contribution to the bitter debate :eeps:

Damn. :D

[TD]

It was a gray day in Munich...

[Desertnate]

To me that picture seems REALLY unflattering for the E90. I was beginning to warm to the E-90 exterior, but after seeing that pic, I am not sure. Something about the design just doesn't work...maybe it's the odd camera angle.

I still need to see the car in person before passing final judgement. :angel:

[blueguydotcom]

I bet if you added the face-lifted sedan next to the e90, the e46 won't look that date. Well, that's just my opinion.

I gotta say i think the front on my 330i performance package looks far more aggressive than the e90's frontend.

[xspeedy]

I think the new 3 looks awesome in that pic. Much more of a wedge for a nose, instead of the relatively blunt, almost square nose of the e46. From the photo, the e90 looks so much more squat and planted.

I know I'm probably going to buy one.

[vehigal]

The E90's front is what bugs me the most. It appears to be in a perpetual state of anger, bordering on rage.

The E46 in that pic is much more serene, which, to me, is classier. I admit, however, that the E46 would look better if it were a little wider.

Also, the E90 is dark. Imagine how much wider it will look in light colors. That said, the E90 doesn't look awful. A different spoiler would help brighten its mood. :)

[James]

I bet if you added the face-lifted sedan next to the e90, the e46 won't look that date. Well, that's just my opinion.
In fairness this is the pre-facelifted E90.

[Fifty_Cent]

Come on people...this photo was obviously taken by BMW to stress out the nicer design of the E90.

I mean look....
The E36 and E46 have orange indicators, and standard 15 and 16' alloys, compared with the E90 which has clear indicators and huge (18') wheels.

Put a 330i with the performance package next to the E90, and we will see who is the star of the block.

Even with clear sides only, and a pair of decent alloys, I bet you, the E46 will be the star.

The E90 looks bigger, much bigger, more angry, less calm and classy.

Is that what BMW wanted????

to have angry and tacky cars???????//

I will give you another explanation of tacky....
The full clear rear lights for the new 5 series.....
or the Lexus style rear lights of the E46 compact....
or the WHOLE design of the 7 series...............
I mean....where is the class in that????

CHRIS BANGLE SHOULD BE TAKEN AWAY from the design deptment. Now he is the Head, if i am not mistaken..


ALL his designs have the T-A-C-K-Y word written all over them.
Even the new X3.........Come on........it looks like a bloody Land Rover with a fancy bodykit and some new Aftermarket Xenon lights.

TACKY.
Where is the class????????????
Even the E30 looks classy in that photo. A 20 year old car.

Also, the Z4......look at it. All I see is some rich village people driving it....no class, just want to buy a B-M-W.

[James]

Come on people...this photo was obviously taken by BMW to stress out the nicer design of the E90.

I mean look....
No no, tell us what you <bold>REALLY</bold> think :rofl:. I agree though that this photo is staged to make the E90 look like the star of the show. Of course, that's the job of the press department. I'd expect nothing less.

James.

[LarryN]

Agreed. However, in all fairness, I believe they all depict the start of production models too. Both the E46 and E36 are first year, for sure. I'm not sure of the Eurpopean bumper configs of the e21 and e30. Also, notice the plates? They are all Munich registered. Clear markers/blinkers were not standard on euro cars back then. Other than the wheels, this is a very fair comparo.

[Claresecl]

Yuck :(

[Kaz]

E21->E30->E36->E46 is clearly an evolution. The E90, in comparison is a 'WTF' in this lineup, as bluetree211 so succinctly put it.

[Sean]

It was a gray day in Munich...


Yeah wonder why? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Artslinger]

E21-> evolution E30-> major redesign E36-> evolution E46-> major redesign E90

[adc]

2 things jump out at me: 1) the E90 is wider

What do you know? It's the new WIDE TRACK BMW. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Wider is better...
They even mimicked the grille...

But as strange as it may sound, it's the rear I hate the most, with those fat, ill-defined taillamps. The front at least has some character, but the back is just big and bland.


adc
03 330 ZHP

[andy_thomas]

The biggest cause of that effect in the photo is because that E90 is the only one that has a Sport Package
That's the standard front end. There does not appear to be any change for different models, according to the road tests of the 330i and 320d in Autocar today. (They liked it, except the packaging, which they thought was poor.) No alternatives have been seen yet, save the gaffer-taped lash-up on the various coupe mules seen thrashing around the 'Ring.

[Flex]

Folks,

On another perspective, it's nice to see 5 generations present in one picture. Brings tears to my eyes seeing this collection. Indeed, each generation brings that certain "ooh :yikes: , ahh :bigpimp: , and ewe :cry: ."

As for the proverbial debate on which model is better which, I'll have to wait until I see the E90 in person. Pictures have their limitations. Like all previous generations, I'm sure there will be a deluge of comments on the E90, once it's available around the world.


Flex

[04E46]

I think the e90 will grow on me. It will never be in my garage with that stupid iDrive though.

I dont know one single person that has the iDrive and likes it.

[Technic]

That's the standard front end. There does not appear to be any change for different models, according to the road tests of the 330i and 320d in Autocar today. (They liked it, except the packaging, which they thought was poor.) No alternatives have been seen yet, save the gaffer-taped lash-up on the various coupe mules seen thrashing around the 'Ring.

... I was refering to the 18" wheels and lower suspension of that E90. That's the Sport Package configuration so far announced for the E90. I have not read anything of the Sport Package having a different front end from non-Sport E90's... :dunno:

[ObD]

I think the new 3 looks awesome in that pic. Much more of a wedge for a nose, instead of the relatively blunt, almost square nose of the e46. From the photo, the e90 looks so much more squat and planted.

I know I'm probably going to buy one.


:stupid:

[ObD]

Put a 330i with the performance package next to the E90

Will never happen, the ZHP will only ever see the rear of the E90 :p

[TD]

... I was refering to the 18" wheels and lower suspension of that E90. That's the Sport Package configuration so far announced for the E90. I have not read anything of the Sport Package having a different front end from non-Sport E90's... :dunno:
FYI- The '99-'00 E46s did not have a different front fascia for SP cars versus non-SP cars. And the '01+ 325s still don't. Nor do any of the coupes. It's only the '01+ 330i sedans that change front fascia with the SP.

[JST]

E21->E30->E36->E46 is clearly an evolution. The E90, in comparison is a 'WTF' in this lineup, as bluetree211 so succinctly put it.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=43022
I completely disagree. Look closely at the E90, and you can see that it is nothing *but* an evolution of the E46, and not a particularly far-flung one. The swage line on the side is an interpretation of the same element on the E46. The greenhouse is nearly identical. The proportions are exactly the same, fore and aft, and similar laterally (though the E90 is obviously wider). The headlight forms are different, but only in detail--the underlying concept is the same, and if you put an 04 E46 coupe next to the E90 the evolution there would be obvious, too.

There is, IMHO, a much, much bigger break stylistically between the E30 and the E36 than there is between the E90 and the E46 (or even the E90 and the E36, for that matter).

[hockeynut]

The E90's front is what bugs me the most. It appears to be in a perpetual state of anger, bordering on rage.


I don't like the long Audi-esque "tongue". It is hidden well on the darkest colors but on the
lighter colors it doesn't look right.

http://www.nodalpoint.net/doc/e90/e90_1.jpg

http://www.segura-inc.com/segura2/desiner%20profiles/carlos/favorite%20cars-images/Audi%20A8L%20v12/Audi%20A8L%20v12_a.jpg

[NH-SHICKS]

If the photo looks distorted, its because it's cropped, scaled, and heavily compressed, the original is like 6 MB.

It is an official BMW picture, I hope this doesn't come off as arrogant, but I would prefer not to give any information about where I got the picture.

It appears to be on the roof of the parking garage next to the BMW tower in Munich. That is the old Olympic stadium in the background.

Steve

[AndDown]

I don't like the long Audi-esque "tongue". It is hidden well on the darkest colors but on the
lighter colors it doesn't look right.


With US license plates in the front, that "mouth" will look like it has some front teeth, ala :bigpimp:

[Mr. The Edge]

There is, IMHO, a much, much bigger break stylistically between the E30 and the E36 than there is between the E90 and the E46 (or even the E90 and the E36, for that matter).
:stupid:

[Jalli]

I think the e90 will grow on me. It will never be in my garage with that stupid iDrive though.

I dont know one single person that has the iDrive and likes it.

I dont get this argument.. no offense but you have to be a moron not to get I drive. Move and press down... its that simple..

My dad is 53 years old, and he cannot even turn on a computer but he CAN use idrive.
Maybe you should give it a chance before you run crying to your mommy...

[Cal]

I'd have to agree with JST (and Artslinger) on this one. The biggest break stylistically between all the 3-series generations occured between the e30 and e36. The next biggest one would be the e46 to e90. However, put back amber corners on the e90 and the redesign will look much more evolutionary (exterior wise only) of the e46 (even closer if it was the facelifted one).
[QUOTE=JST
I completely disagree. Look closely at the E90, and you can see that it is nothing *but* an evolution of the E46, and not a particularly far-flung one. The swage line on the side is an interpretation of the same element on the E46. The greenhouse is nearly identical. The proportions are exactly the same, fore and aft, and similar laterally (though the E90 is obviously wider). The headlight forms are different, but only in detail--the underlying concept is the same, and if you put an 04 E46 coupe next to the E90 the evolution there would be obvious, too.

There is, IMHO, a much, much bigger break stylistically between the E30 and the E36 than there is between the E90 and the E46 (or even the E90 and the E36, for that matter).[/QUOTE]

[TD]

I dont get this argument.. no offense but you have to be a moron not to get I drive. Move and press down... its that simple..

My dad is 53 years old, and he cannot even turn on a computer but he CAN use idrive.
Maybe you should give it a chance before you run crying to your mommy...
Um, your post speaks volumes...

And it's not a matter of any of us "figuring out" i-Drive. It's much more a matter of wanting it. It's simply not a better way of doing what it sets out to do.

[Mr. The Edge]

Um, your post speaks volumes...

And it's not a matter of any of us "figuring out" i-Drive. It's much more a matter of wanting it. It's simply not a better way of doing what it sets out to do.
how much time have you spent using iDrive?

[Alex Baumann]

how much time have you spent using iDrive?

Do you need to spend time to 'want' anything ?

[Mr. The Edge]

Do you need to spend time to 'want' anything ?
I was talking about this part of the quote:

It's simply not a better way of doing what it sets out to do.

but TD whines when I "selectively" quote anything he posts, so I included the whole post in my quote.

[TD]

Enough to know that it's not intuitive. But it goes beyond that. Unlike some here, I do not believe in technology for technology's sake. It's simply NOT a better solution.

From what I've read, the similar offerings from other manufacturers (Audi specifically with it's MMI) are trying to answer the same question in a similar manner and doing it better. I am still skeptical of the whole idea. Why require menu navigation when a blind turn of a knob or press of a button will do.

[Mr. The Edge]

Enough to know that it's not intuitive.
fair enough.

I've never used it at all

[Alex Baumann]

I was talking about this part of the quote:



but TD whines when I "selectively" quote anything he posts, so I included the whole post in my quote.

Fair enough.

I've used it, both on the E65 and E60. I like the concept, but the implementation sucks, IMO.

[Alstoy]

Let the bitter debate begin ;)

Nice one man! Any way to photoshop a 7,6, & 5 next to the E90?

[Artslinger]

I don't like the long Audi-esque "tongue". It is hidden well on the darkest colors but on the
lighter colors it doesn't look right.

I agree one of my biggest dislikes of the new design is the over-stylized front kidney grill and license plate area.

[pjsatz]

Let the bitter debate begin ;)

It's so much bigger it should be labeled as a 4 series. This way they could charge an extra 10k for it as well. What could they be thinking, they're missing a huge opportunity here! It seems with each update the cars get longer causing them to slither and slide around corners instead of just snapping through turns. Looks like I need to hurry and buy on of the e46s that I'm looking at.

[jetstream23]

Now the family is complete :)

Why is there an E60 5-series on the right in that picture? :p

[Jalli]

how much time have you spent using iDrive?

I have probably used I drive as much as anyone else since it was introduced...

Anyway, the chief gripe I hear about I drive is that it is overcomplicated. Now, having used most of the other systems (Audi etc.) there is a big difference in what they are trying to do. The overall theme of the new BMW interior is miniamlist.. performing all the tasks without as many buttons (read : distractions) to do this, the BMW solution was basically the only one. While I do agree that implementation isn't perfect, neither is Wndows XP but I still bought it.
They could have made the user interface a little simpler, and picked some other colors but overall they did a good job.

The overall theme of the Audi is to jar you with bright flourescent colors that make it look like you have stepped into a laser light show. They cram more buttons than the space shuttle into one little area.. I dont think it would be too hard to accidentaly press something.

If I have offended someone, I would like to apologize. Please realize that I hold my own views and since this is a forum I WILL express them.

[zoofa]

It's so much bigger it should be labeled as a 4 series. This way they could charge an extra 10k for it as well. What could they be thinking, they're missing a huge opportunity here! It seems with each update the cars get longer causing them to slither and slide around corners instead of just snapping through turns. Looks like I need to hurry and buy on of the e46s that I'm looking at.

Grab those E46s while they're hot! I think perhaps one of the reasons the 3er has grown in size is to make room at the bottom for the new 1er....if the 3er is too small they will just cannibalize each other's market share.

That said, I think it's an ugly car, and I agree with TD that iDrive is a waste. There's overcomplicated (have you seen the dash on the Saab 9-5?), and there is way too hard to use because it's so totally uncluttered (iDrive), and there is regular old-fashioned functional. My main beef with iDrive is that I don't think cars should be controlled by menu-driven systems on a screen; it's way too distracting. Don't be afraid to put some buttons on the dash; there's plenty of room for the important ones.

[missing23]

The E90's front is what bugs me the most. It appears to be in a perpetual state of anger, bordering on rage.

The E46 in that pic is much more serene, which, to me, is classier. I admit, however, that the E46 would look better if it were a little wider.

Also, the E90 is dark. Imagine how much wider it will look in light colors. That said, the E90 doesn't look awful. A different spoiler would help brighten its mood. :)

I dislike that front spoiler too...I hope they put a ZHP like one on the sport package version.

[Technic]

FYI- The '99-'00 E46s did not have a different front fascia for SP cars versus non-SP cars. And the '01+ 325s still don't. Nor do any of the coupes. It's only the '01+ 330i sedans that change front fascia with the SP.

I am talking about that E90 in the picture... :eeps:

[aural iNK]

I can't understand how you could not view the e90 as a evolution of the e46 before it. It looks similar to me, with sharper creases and some more exaggerated features. I think its more reasonable to compare it to the facelift sedan below:

http://www.graffitibiz.com/e90-46_comp2.jpg

[LmtdSlip]

The E90 looks like a 5er beside the E46. Wasteline expansion isn't just a human phenomena.

Same thing I thought.

It looks HUGE in comparison to the E36.

I guess BMW has taken into consideration the expanding belt size of the American public. :rofl:

[jrp]

I can't understand how you could not view the e90 as a evolution of the e46 before it. It looks similar to me, with sharper creases and some more exaggerated features. I think its more reasonable to compare it to the facelift sedan below:
The E46 face-lift always looked somewhat contrived to me. It seems to me that they did the new headlights on the E46 as a way of giving the appearance of evolution to the E90, softening us up for the mutation that's about to come out.

Not saying the E90 is ugly...but it is definitely not as smooth a progression as E21-E30-E36-E46.

[LmtdSlip]

Why do the E36 and E46 have their brights on and the others dont? :dunno:

It seems to me that BMWs reputation was built on the 3 series being a simple, elegant, design with reasonably quick acceleration and excellent driving dynamics.

But starting with the E36 and more so with each succeding generation they have become over styled, over complicated luxo cars. BMW have abandon the path that put the on the map.

Tamper with your brand image and promise at your own peril.