2014 X5 vs 2014 Audi Q7 (both all new)

Originally Posted by smyles

This "50/50" that BMW (and lemming car journalists) has been pushing to the public is nothing more than marketing nowadays; just like the "perfect balance of 6 cyl naturally aspirated engine" has been quickly forgotten once the company decided to go turbo route and had to convince public to buy 328. While obviously 50/50 is a nice thing in itself, do you really think a company will invest $$ and increase production costs and risks just for something that is easily negated once a full tank is filled, and/or couple of suitcases tossed in the trunk, not to mention few passengers joining the party?

Re 0.24, it's from your Tesla review. Your review, so don't "you're putting words in my mouth".

Car journalists have been buying into BMW propaganda since the nineties. Its a sickness.

Has any car mag mentioned BMW orange peel ever?

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

Mike is also so clueless that he repeatedly hinted to us about a Porsche Cayenne Diesel coming to US, almost a year before Porsche made it official.

Even if thats the case, that seems like a mundane prediction at best.

Originally Posted by RockChips

Car journalists have been buying into BMW propaganda since the nineties. Its a sickness.

Has any car mag mentioned BMW orange peel ever?

Who doesn't have orange peel?

Most journalists regurgitate propaganda to climb the ladder. I call it like it is. Read my recent Infiniti IPL G Convertible review (link in my sig below). I basically said, "Do not buy it." For a bit more on-topic reading, check out my review of the new BMW M5 6MT. I took some heat for that one.

Originally Posted by RockChips

Even if thats the case, that seems like a mundane prediction at best.

I'm in a tough spot, as I know future product and technology from most automakers (many years down the road, in most cases) but I have signed non-disclosure agreements that prevent me from revealing it. In truth, the auto manufacturers frequently bring select journalists into closed rooms (with serious security outside) and show us things and ask our opinions as "industry experts." Last Fall, Chrysler flew me to Dearborn to drive one of its Viper test mules... I was not allowed to speak about it until last month. It is fascinating, but also frustrating as I am not allowed to discuss any of it. My "predictions" are deliberately mundane and shallow for this reason. I don't need a phone call.

- Mike

Originally Posted by Emission

Who doesn't have orange peel?

My cousin's Toyota Camry. I borrowed it for a while. No orange peel, that I could detect.

You should know that BMW orange peel is way over the top.

Originally Posted by RockChips

Car journalists have been buying into BMW propaganda since the nineties. Its a sickness.

Has any car mag mentioned BMW orange peel ever?

No, they weren't buying into it. The products were that good, compared to the competition. There's a reason why CarAndDriver was famously called BMW and Driver.

Now BMW is ****ing around and Audi/BMW have picked up the slack. Now people are saying that the media is Audi biased. Same **** over and over again.

Originally Posted by Emission

Last Fall, Chrysler flew me to Dearborn to drive one of its Viper test mules... I was not allowed to speak about it until last month. It is fascinating, but also frustrating as I am not allowed to discuss any of it.
- Mike

That is ridiculous and amazing. So what other new cars have you seen?

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

No, they weren't buying into it. The products were that good, compared to the competition.

Oh please. The 3 series usually was significantly shorter than the Mercedes C class and costed more.

Originally Posted by RockChips

Even if thats the case, that seems like a mundane prediction at best.

How so? Even when the last gen Cayenne got a diesel in Europe, Porsche made it clear that they would not send a diesel Porsche to the US. Well, now look...

His prediction is spot on, so is pretty much everything Mike talks about there. It is nice to have someone in the industry on here. If there wasn't, it would be just be a bunch of self-obsessed BMW fanboys.

Originally Posted by RockChips

My cousin's Toyota Camry. I borrowed it for a while. No orange peel, that I could detect.

You should know that BMW orange peel is way over the top.

I should, and I do. However, orange peel varies not only from automaker to automaker, but from one vehicle to another on the same assembly plant week by week. I have had good BMWs, and bad ones. The inconsistency sucks.

I write for my audience. As few readers on Autoblog (mostly enthusiasts and industry) ever complain about orange peel, I don't make it a point to mention it in my stories unless it is really bad (there are usually a billion other things to bitch about). If I was writing a story about paint, or for a detailing site, it would be first on my list.

- Mike

Originally Posted by RockChips

Oh please. The 3 series usually was significantly shorter than the Mercedes C class and costed more.

The fact that it was shorter and cost more doesn't mean anything. The 3 series was always a stand out. No one could match its driving dynamics. It was that good. Go drive an E46 and an Audi/Mercedes from the same era. BMW was in a different league. 3 series "killers" always were there, but none could ever touch it. Until now.

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

How so? Even when the last gen Cayenne got a diesel in Europe, Porsche made it clear that they would not send a diesel Porsche to the US. Well, now look...

His prediction is spot on, so is pretty much everything Mike talks about there. It is nice to have someone in the industry on here. If there wasn't, it would be just be a bunch of self-obsessed BMW fanboys.

Thanks.

I am an industry insider, but as most on this site know, I have never claimed to be 100 percent right on anything. I have opinions, and I often make mistakes (I just published a big story this morning and spelled "Persuades" incorrectly in the title — Doh!). I'm human.

My objective is to offer insight and information that most consumers are not able to get or find.

- Mike

2014 X5 recipe.

1) Take f10 Xi and inject some fat into it.
2) Add an extra row of seats, liftgate, pano roof
3) Add profiles for efficency, remove traditional BMW performance and make it a SPORT PACK, and add some fancy buttons, and Auto SS
4) Increase the price by a couple X
5) market as new and improved, with an increase in price
6) say it lost 10 lbs
7) Open some beer, and watch the sales pour in lol

Not complaining but just describing hypotheitical situation .