Wood trim options

So, it seems like there are two wood trim options: Fineline Siena wood trim and Fineline Wave.

From the pictures I've seen, one is lighter and one is dark.

Definitely do not want to end up with this:

http://data.motor-talk.de/data/galle...9712915468.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/TAIAw.jpg

Can't really tell here, if this is any better, but boy do I wish there were better wood options:

http://www.bmwblog.com/wp-content/up...DRIVE-1011.jpg

In any event, does anyone know which is which?

In my thread with the picture gallery from the Berlin BMW dealer, pics 2-3 would be the dark wood trim. Black leather and dark wood is presumably how most BMWs will be spec'd in the US.

The light wood is pics 13-14, on the Mineral Silver one with Oyster leather.

Hopefully BMW will allow the option of Aluminium trim in the US. If not, perhaps we can look to Canada, or just buy the damn parts in Germany.

Originally Posted by AzNMpower32

In my thread with the picture gallery from the Berlin BMW dealer, pics 2-3 would be the dark wood trim. Black leather and dark wood is presumably how most BMWs will be spec'd in the US.

The light wood is pics 13-14, on the Mineral Silver one with Oyster leather.

Hopefully BMW will allow the option of Aluminium trim in the US. If not, perhaps we can look to Canada, or just buy the damn parts in Germany.

Thanks. I guess I'm wondering which is called Fineline Siena and which is Fineline Wave. I tend to think that Siena would be the lighter one, since burnt sienna is more that color, but I'm being told the opposite from the dealer. Honestly, I just wish they'd offer the Bamboo from the X5. Both these options are not all that attractive.

Sorry I completely misread your question.

Fineline Siena is the light one, Fineline wave is the darker tone. Use the Visualiser below:

http://www.bmw.de/de/de/newvehicles/...isualizer.html

Brilliant. Thanks. Exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks again!

I don't hate the late wood but I do hate the dark wood.

I think the Aluminum might be the way to go but who knows? In real life it might make the car feel less luxurious without wood.

I am getting black on black leather, so for me the light wood would look odd, I think. I'm hoping they both look better in person, because honestly I can't really stand either.

Originally Posted by Tlon

I am getting black on black leather, so for me the light wood would look odd, I think. I'm hoping they both look better in person, because honestly I can't really stand either.

Nah...the light wood definitely looks better. It is not really all that light. It is a medium wood. It is just lighter than that dark funky wavy looking wood that has looked like different colors in different shots.

I might go with the brushed Aluminum.

Here is my personal opinion on black for what it is worth. I think the black loses all the advantage of the new styling. Two of the styling moves I like are the black bar in the front that goes up and back down and the black bar on the rear bumper. The black bar on the rear bumper is critical to give the sleek, non fat look.

When the X3 first came out, they had an idea about how much metal would make the car look normal and how much would make it look bloated. They created black bumpers so the colored metal was not too much. People complained that the black bumpers looked cheap so after 05 they made them color coated. This, in my opinion made the X3 look chubby and bloated.

I think their answer is the black line across the side and then going up the rear making it so the colored paint doesn't take too much room and look chubby. I think it is smart. You can see this effect is lost in their M version which loses the black stripe and looks bloated again.



Look how fat the back looks from the side or side/rear view. This is all due to no black rear stripe.

I think all black would have the same effect.

That said, black is a slimming color and once the E83 became fatter and fatter, the black to me was the best looking color.

There's my 2 cents.

Yup. I just went to the UK configurator to make a black one. It looks boring and bloated because the loss of the slimming black line and the loss of the detail with black.

If you are going to get black, you might as well get the current one (as far as outer looks).

Fair enough. Still prefer black. The other colors look fine from certain angles -- the one you posted, for example -- but for the most part it's still a mostly boring looking car on the outside. The Q5 is much better looking. That said, I'm mostly interested in two things -- the driving experience and the technology updates. I drove a Q5 and it was nice, but as soon as I got back in my 07 X3 after the test drive, I liked my car even more. I'm looking forward to the 35i engine. A little more power will be cool. And, the technology on my X3 is far too dated. Otherwise I would just stay with my current X3. So, not convinced the external updates are all that significant either way, but definitely am looking forward to the interior updates. Just wish there was better wood options. The aluminum makes the care look cheap in my view. But to each his or her own.

Will they offer the ''BMW Individual Collection'' on the F25, so I can get the piano finish black??

Originally Posted by 06BMWX3

Will they offer the ''BMW Individual Collection'' on the F25, so I can get the piano finish black??

Extremely unlikely in the US. Possible for Canada. But it's a brand new model, so don't expect it the first year.

Originally Posted by Tlon

Fair enough. Still prefer black. The other colors look fine from certain angles -- the one you posted, for example -- but for the most part it's still a mostly boring looking car on the outside. The Q5 is much better looking. That said, I'm mostly interested in two things -- the driving experience and the technology updates. I drove a Q5 and it was nice, but as soon as I got back in my 07 X3 after the test drive, I liked my car even more. I'm looking forward to the 35i engine. A little more power will be cool. And, the technology on my X3 is far too dated. Otherwise I would just stay with my current X3. So, not convinced the external updates are all that significant either way, but definitely am looking forward to the interior updates. Just wish there was better wood options. The aluminum makes the care look cheap in my view. But to each his or her own.

Yeah. I know what you mean about the aluminum. I just don't like that they added even more wood (doors etc). Too bad they are not offering the gray poplar wood of the current X3. See below...that would have been my choice.



For colors, I love the new color...the mineral silver(see below). The Titanium Silver (which I have now) is really boring. I wish they would make the mineral silver an exclusive order only rather than just the colors nobody wants...lol They just chose the rarely bought colors to save money. lol I'm not sure why they couldn't have come out with 2 more colors for exclusivity...like a cool looking blue ...maybe a hunter green.

I definitely would have preferred the current wood options or even better what's available on the X5. I'm hoping the Dark Wave is somewhat close to the current gray poplar. Looks a bit like it in the German configurator linked above, but not so much in some of the other photos I've seen. I'm just holding out hope that the photos have amplified the contrasting colors in the waves, sort of like taking photos of the current seats bring out the reflective lines. At least, that the hope that keeping me from being completely disappointed by the wood choice until I see it person.

And I hear you on colors. I would have really like the Platinum Gray Metallic that's on the X5. Nothing else really calls to me, and just wasn't worth the extra $500 for a metallic color.

Originally Posted by Tlon

I definitely would have preferred the current wood options or even better what's available on the X5. I'm hoping the Dark Wave is somewhat close to the current gray poplar. Looks a bit like it in the German configurator linked above, but not so much in some of the other photos I've seen. I'm just holding out hope that the photos have amplified the contrasting colors in the waves, sort of like taking photos of the current seats bring out the reflective lines. At least, that the hope that keeping me from being completely disappointed by the wood choice until I see it person.

And I hear you on colors. I would have really like the Platinum Gray Metallic that's on the X5. Nothing else really calls to me, and just wasn't worth the extra $500 for a metallic color.

If you are going to pay 45-56K on a car, what's an extra $500?

The wave one is not like the poplar gray...for one thing, it is brown and not gray. The waves are distinctive alright...lol

In most pictures I have been disappointed with the wood as well. The dark wood looked kind of orange, (maybe because of the ambient lighting), but in these pictures it looks OK. Will have to see it in person to get the proper perspective I guess.

Originally Posted by Stephen5242

In most pictures I have been disappointed with the wood as well. The dark wood looked kind of orange, (maybe because of the ambient lighting), but in these pictures it looks OK. Will have to see it in person to get the proper perspective I guess.

I was at the LA Auto show last week looking at the black X3. The wood trim was very diapointing it looks like an after market veeneer and the fit of the strip on the on the dash is below acceptable - I dont know if this is a production vechile - the spec sheet said 8 way poewerseats with memory ,but the seats in this unit were not powered .