How do you feel about the upcoming LCI?

Originally Posted by hufington

First time I saw this, I thought that it was awesome. But after some time, now they look too cartoonish.

I agree. A little gimmicky. I love the classic BMW dials, and getting the Extended Panel Display to me is the best of both worlds. The timeless mechanical (as opposed to digital) class of the classic BMW analogue guages, yet the "nu age" digital "cool-factor" of an actual digital display that goes dark when off, and is incredibly precise to the real thing when on. I like how it's made to look mechanical rather than actually look digital (which is where the latter becomes "cartoony").

A word about the 6WB MFID coming to the US as an option for the LCI: Beware. The official pics are taken in bright daylight and doesn´t show the whole truth. At night the LCD area of the display across the speed and taco instruments turn blueish gray. It´s not black like the rest and like the two smaller ones for gas and oiltemp. The backlight makes the whole digital area look milky. Contrasts are gone. Just like on a 10 year old LCD TV. Compared to the classic analogue BMW display and to the blacklevel of my last year production Pioneer Elite plasma screen, it was a disapionting experience. And you can do nothing about it. If you use the thumbwheel, all lights in the car dim, including the MFID. Maybe something better is too much to ask for in terms of digital display technology, but the analog black and amber BMW night look is now gone. Designwise it´s OK, I think. Blacklevel sucks though. If you want this option, ask for a dark room demo and see for yourself if you can live with it.
By the way, when sunlight hits the dash, the effect is opposite. Now the LCD part is pitch black due to it´s surface, while the rest is pale black.

Originally Posted by douggie

It's possible, but can't be worse than the very first batch of cars that were released.

You would think so, but with software you never know.

No doubt something "NEW" will be introduced in relation to technology since this really seems to be the war in the car industry now that the HP wars seemed to have hot a plateau.

I also expect the 535 to become the 540. If remember correctly BMW always upgrade the lower engine first, and then middle engine a year or so later. I look forward to seeing it.
I for one am always shopping for my next car.

Originally Posted by miamiboyca

I also expect the 535 to become the 540.

We have seen this in the past and we'll see it in the future. This is the easiest way to make people feel that their car is not the most current and new car anymore and force them to buy/lease something "new". Pure marketing. 535 was not the right name anyways for a 3 liter engine neither is 528 for the 2 liter nor 550 for a non-5 liter engine.

Most people in this forum de-badge their cars anyways. If you wanna keep the badge, you may wanna change the last two digits.

One thing sounds good in this model # change though. Probably the LCI will be very subtle so that BMW feels it is also necessary to change the model number to move people to buy/lease "the new thing".

Originally Posted by janke

A word about the 6WB MFID coming to the US as an option for the LCI: Beware. The official pics are taken in bright daylight and doesn´t show the whole truth. At night the LCD area of the display across the speed and taco instruments turn blueish gray. It´s not black like the rest and like the two smaller ones for gas and oiltemp. The backlight makes the whole digital area look milky. Contrasts are gone. Just like on a 10 year old LCD TV. Compared to the classic analogue BMW display and to the blacklevel of my last year production Pioneer Elite plasma screen, it was a disapionting experience. And you can do nothing about it. If you use the thumbwheel, all lights in the car dim, including the MFID. Maybe something better is too much to ask for in terms of digital display technology, but the analog black and amber BMW night look is now gone. Designwise it´s OK, I think. Blacklevel sucks though. If you want this option, ask for a dark room demo and see for yourself if you can live with it.
By the way, when sunlight hits the dash, the effect is opposite. Now the LCD part is pitch black due to it´s surface, while the rest is pale black.

Wow, nice to know. They always looked like a cartoon to me since the first time I saw them.

I am looking forward to the upcoming LCI. Reinforces my decision to lease. When this lease is up, I'll get the face-lifted F10 (V-8 this time) and when that lease is up the new 5-series should be just on the market assuming the 6-7 year life-cycle.