Picked up my M135i today- gentlemen get your Kleenex ready for some car porn...

[lol-lol]

Gen 2 ZF8HP has slightly wider ratios, it's been fitted in the 1 Series on certain models since the facelift. But even on the M135i Auto 2nd to 7th more or less matched 1st to 6th in the manual. So the Auto had a lower gear for launch and an extra gear for motorway cruising.

As for block downshifts that's always been the case, same as the M135i or even the 116i. From 8th to 2nd if required. 

Lee

 

Edited by logiclee, Today, 14:31.

 

I find my M135 gears to be a little too closely stacked. This seems a shame as the engine has fantastic torque and I feel sure that slightly longer gearing would make for better cross country performance, or at least a little less busy (Sport and Sport+ coupled with the most aggressive auto gearbox setting is very busy indeed sometimes and makes going 'manual' almost a necessity). The same with the intelligent gearbox ( I have the F/L version with it linked to the sat nav), it would be nice if it jumped multiple gears more easily when approaching a hairpin for instance, although with slightly longer gearing this may not be so appropriate. Time will tell I guess and until I get to drive one, I wont know for sure :(

 

Sounds like they need to talk to Triumph cars about getting the patent on the overdrive unit, that gave me 8 gears on the those cars with a cool button actually on the gear knob, you could have 16 on the ZF8 box then.  Find 6 gears quite enough on the ZF boxed Jaag most the time, think it would be doing over 230 if it could redline in top. Mind you getting off the line, even in sports mode, is not great if one has mechanical sympathy.   

Edited 17 May, 2016 by lol-lol

[Lady Elanore]

I was more than happy with the 7 gears my previous car had. Seemed a good compromise for a quick road car, at least to me. I have a friend with a 9 speed LandRover and I am not too impressed with it to be honest. Perhaps it's because I can only count up to 7 ??

[Lady Elanore]

When I was young I used to drive the firm's Commer van and I remember it had an overdrive switch, although I would have sworn it was just a 3db noise reducer at best, as it made no difference to anything else

[Furbytom]

Well it look like it's coming sooner than we (Baby Beemers) thought. The M140 and M240 is almost on the horizon

The headlines seem to be

• Extra 14bhp (340PS?) and 37 pounderies/feetles torx (369)
• Manual cars 0-62: 4.9 (M140) and 4.8 (M240) seconds
• Auto cars both 0-62 in 4.6 seconds (many test seem to suggest the standard M135 can do this in dry conditions, so perhaps the new car will be quicker) and the auto 4x4 is 4.4 seconds (not available in RHD :( )
• Auto has longer gears (brilliant as the M135 gears are very closely stacked, especially for a car with a big torque spread form ultra low revs)
• Price drop of £200
• Autobox can drop multiple gears in one hit and the manual does gear change blips (like M2 I guess)
• Other stuff relating to economy and smoother something or other

For those of you that prefer the 'can't be ar$ed to read or write stuff approach', here is a link that doesn't even have a bespoke description and is to a site that I can't be ar$ed to tell you about (it is safe though)

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/bmw-launches-335bhp-m140i-and-m240i-and-iperformance-range

Perhaps I will look at the run-out model after all, when the time comes and I need to change my car

The only downside I can see is the newer engine may not sound as good? Time will tell of course, but the M3 sounds poor compared to the M135 (no kidding)

I'm getting quite excited by the M140i arrival :-)

Who knows might even be tempted with one myself at some point! The changes are sufficient enough to get around my "never get the same car twice" philosophy lol.

Although I'd have to change the thread title to "picked up my M140i" haha!

The rev-matching feature on the manual sounds good. I just hope they also revise the suspension a little and maybe offer some different choices of wheels.

[Lady Elanore]

I'm getting quite excited by the M140i arrival :-)

Who knows might even be tempted with one myself at some point! The changes are sufficient enough to get around my "never get the same car twice" philosophy lol.

Although I'd have to change the thread title to "picked up my M140i" haha!

The rev-matching feature on the manual sounds good. I just hope they also revise the suspension a little and maybe offer some different choices of wheels.

It probably isn't a big enough of a change for me to consider it (unless they have tweaked the suspension) but perhaps form a pre F/L?? Most of the jornos don't like the auto-blip feature n the M2, but I doubt I would be driving it in the same way as a jorno, so perhaps it will be a fun feature? If they tweak the suspension and let you have a leather and alcantara front seat, it would be a nice upgrade though

[lol-lol]

It probably isn't a big enough of a change for me to consider it (unless they have tweaked the suspension) but perhaps form a pre F/L?? Most of the jornos don't like the auto-blip feature n the M2, but I doubt I would be driving it in the same way as a jorno, so perhaps it will be a fun feature? If they tweak the suspension and let you have a leather and alcantara front seat, it would be a nice upgrade though

 

Get an M5 you know you want to.

Neighbour opposite new M5 starting up is like a full orchestra starting up at the beginning of Tchaikovsky overture....

 

Ducks guts.   Duck "2"  Guts "0" "0"   ...... 200

 

 

Edited 17 May, 2016 by lol-lol

[Lady Elanore]

Get an M5 you know you want to.

Neighbour opposite new M5 starting up is like a full orchestra starting up at the beginning of Tchaikovsky overture....

 

 

The body is willing, but the bank balance is weak :(

[Lady Elanore]

I have just spent a few minutes watching this I assume that it's time I won't ever get back :(

 

 

Did make me smile though.

[lol-lol]

I have just spent a few minutes watching this I assume that it's time I won't ever get back :(

Did make me smile though.

 

Duck guts is Ozzy for 200 mph.

A Duck, as a stick drawing, looks like a written number two, guts/stomach a zero, guts, two zeros.

Shut the gate/power and you are doing 200 mph with the 600 hp Weland supercharger and nitro.

 

Think the neighbour with the M5 has had the 250kph/155 mph limiter removed as he has family in Germany so pops over for a bit of autobahn driving now and then.  I wonder what percentage of M series owners have the 155 mph electronic limiter disabled.  In these crazy days when a Octavia Mk3 VRS (petrol of course) and some Superbs, can bounce off a 250kph limiter, it is acceleration and handling that matters, and ambiance of course, more so to most.  

 

150 mph+ = possible prison sentence in the UK, but perfectly OK in Germany on some roads.

Edited 18 May, 2016 by lol-lol

[Lady Elanore]

Many years ago I  bounced my Impreza speedo off the end stop (it was somewhere below the 160mph mark) and apart from being quite 'lively' it didn't do anything for me... apart form keep me very awake. I agree about the handling and ambience thing, perhaps I'm getting older or just wiser?

[lol-lol]

Many years ago I  bounced my Impreza speedo off the end stop (it was somewhere below the 160mph mark) and apart from being quite 'lively' it didn't do anything for me... apart form keep me very awake. I agree about the handling and ambience thing, perhaps I'm getting older or just wiser?

 

It is the time even performance cars can take to go from 100 kph to say 200 or 250 kph ie 15 seconds or so.  Bikes ie 1000 cc or so usually take half that, up and down like a Ninja.  

 

Comparison M1 to WRX  FYI with those time intervals http://www.zeperfs.com/en/duel4358-5346.htm ,a lot of performance for £30k-ish but a bike costing £11K is a different level of performance but a very different ambiance.

 

The Jaags have been described as a luxury suite being towed by a fleet of swans which I have to admit to more where I like to be these days.

 

Edited 22 May, 2016 by lol-lol

[vrskeith]

Seems to have gone quiet on Tom's thread.

So who is looking to PX for the M140i or M240i when launched?

https://site.bmw.co.uk/news/article/the-new-bmw-m140i-m240i/

Edited 25 June, 2016 by vrskeith

[Lady Elanore]

Link

 

Link

 

Link

 

Link

[logiclee]

I just had to click all four links. 

[Lady Elanore]

I feel your pain

[fabiamk2SE]

Many years ago I  bounced my Impreza speedo off the end stop (it was somewhere below the 160mph mark) and apart from being quite 'lively' it didn't do anything for me... apart form keep me very awake. I agree about the handling and ambience thing, perhaps I'm getting older or just wiser?

 

I agree. I dont get a massive buzz from top speed. I do enjoy it, but its not worth the consequences over here imo. 

 

I'd much rather take a corner perfectly and power out of it. Thats the best buzz for me. 

[Lady Elanore]

A small update to my car. I'm now in 5 figures for mileage ad the car has loosened up nicely. The economy is actually pretty good...considering A recent trip to London from Manchester at a realistic 'quick' average speed got me just over 35 mpg and on Friday night I came back from London (to Manchester) and it took 6 hours because of the ruddy traffic. Average mpg... 32 and a teeny bit mpg. I used the Eco Pro mode once on the motorway as it still lets me cruise at a reasonably high speed (I'll leave that figure to your imaginations) and if I need to accelerate quickly the kick-down easily takes care of that matter. I don't run the full fat Eco Pro though, as I have disabled some of the Eco potential, such as I have full aircon and not the eco version etc. From what I have read there is quite a lot of clever tech going on in the Eco mode. The engine cylinder head runs at 107'C in Eco and only 95'C in Sport, as well as the more obvious things like early upshifts and the throttle 'law' is made much less aggressive.

 

Overall I reckon if I drove sedately on the motorway in particular, I could easily hit high 30's for mpg, but who wants to do that I guess.

[fabiamk2SE]

A small update to my car. I'm now in 5 figures for mileage ad the car has loosened up nicely. The economy is actually pretty good...considering A recent trip to London from Manchester at a realistic 'quick' average speed got me just over 35 mpg and on Friday night I came back from London (to Manchester) and it took 6 hours because of the ruddy traffic. Average mpg... 32 and a teeny bit mpg. I used the Eco Pro mode once on the motorway as it still lets me cruise at a reasonably high speed (I'll leave that figure to your imaginations) and if I need to accelerate quickly the kick-down easily takes care of that matter. I don't run the full fat Eco Pro though, as I have disabled some of the Eco potential, such as I have full aircon and not the eco version etc. From what I have read there is quite a lot of clever tech going on in the Eco mode. The engine cylinder head runs at 107'C in Eco and only 95'C in Sport, as well as the more obvious things like early upshifts and the throttle 'law' is made much less aggressive.

 

Overall I reckon if I drove sedately on the motorway in particular, I could easily hit high 30's for mpg, but who wants to do that I guess.

 

Nice one! 

 

Still confuses me as to why anyone would run a car like that and go as far as sacrificing good aircon and what not to get good MPG. I always think a Bluemotion Polo might be better suited if thats the priority. 

 

Gotta use what there is imo . 

[Lady Elanore]

I only use Eco on the motorway when I'm either cruising or going through 3 hours of stop/start ruddy traffic jams....... and breathe.

 

 

It's a pain to use in built-up areas when you really want quick and accurate accelerator control

 

I should add that I reckon Eco is worth about 5% savings the way I use it.

Edited 25 June, 2016 by Lady Elanore

[lol-lol]

Thought I had seen all Top Gear episodes but missed this feature....

 

Worth it to see Jeremy's face when it spins at 120   (3 minutes in)....

 

Edited 26 June, 2016 by lol-lol

[logiclee]

I only use Eco on the motorway when I'm either cruising or going through 3 hours of stop/start ruddy traffic jams....... and breathe.

 

 

It's a pain to use in built-up areas when you really want quick and accurate accelerator control

 

I should add that I reckon Eco is worth about 5% savings the way I use it.

 

I once used eco pro for a week on my wife's 1.6T petrol 1 series. Around town the throttle response borders on the dangerous. At the end of the week the ecopro display said I had gained 25 miles of range. So for a week of driving a dire car and totally spoiling the driving experience and feel of the car I'd saved myself around £3

 

Lee

[fabiamk2SE]

I once used eco pro for a week on my wife's 1.6T petrol 1 series. Around town the throttle response borders on the dangerous. At the end of the week the ecopro display said I had gained 25 miles of range. So for a week of driving a dire car and totally spoiling the driving experience and feel of the car I'd saved myself around £3

Lee

Bargain! :D.

[Lady Elanore]

I don't like Eco Pro where quick, small inputs are needed. I use it to take my mum to the shops as she likes the serenity of it all (the gear shifts are very smooth).

 

btw the video that shows Clonkosn 'having a moment' was one of the reasons I bought the car. Any car that had a go at Mr C, couldn't be all bad I reckoned

[lol-lol]

Reminds me of when our local cops got their Sierra Cosworths for pursuit work, smashed two of there up within a couple of weeks by the back end stepping out and them loosing control.  We had Williams Clios and some exotic cars we had seized to use as Q cars within Customs.    

[lol-lol]

Lots of good deals on German cars as they try to dump their Right Hand drive stock before many can longer afford such cars...

 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/autor-makers-shift-gears-after-brexit-vote-1466799132

 

 

Auto Makers Shift Gears After ‘Brexit’ Vote Shares fall amid concerns about potential tariffs, currency fluctuations, declining sales

 

By 

CHRISTINA ROGERS and

 

MIKE RAMSEY

June 24, 2016 4:12 p.m. ET

8 COMMENTS

Global auto makers suggested they would have to re-evaluate U.K. investments following Britons’  startling vote to leave the European Union, raising the possibility of production moves and job cuts.  While offering few specifics, car makers sounded pessimistic notes over the historic referendum and signaled they would hold discussions with U.K. officials to ensure their businesses remain competitive.  Potential tariffs, currency fluctuations and declining sales are among their concerns. Auto makers’ stocks fell world-wide Friday amid a broader market selloff.   General Motors Co. stressed a desire for continued free trade as the U.K. exits over the coming years, but it had no immediate comment on plans to regain profitability in Europe this year after prolonged losses. France’s PSA Peugeot Citroën is weighing whether to increase new-car prices to account for a weaker British pound or accept a loss to protect market share.  “This is not a good day for Europe—and in my view, certainly not for the U.K., ” said Dieter Zetsche, chief executive of Daimler AG, which makes Mercedes-Benz luxury vehicles. “Geographically, the country may be an island. Politically and economically, it is not.”    Mr. Zetsche said Daimler doesn’t expect any immediate impact from the referendum but telegraphed worries about additional turmoil. “It is now even more essential that Europe does not continue to drift further apart,” he said.   The uncertainty threatened to undermine a fragile recovery for car sales in the region, which have been on an upswing for two years. Auto makers for years have cut costs in Europe, closing factories and moving production to lower-wage countries.  The U.K. last year delivered about 18.5% of all European car registrations, which reflect sales. Many car makers are hoping for some help from European consumers as demand cools in the U.S. and China.  “Ford’s priority has always been the need to maintain a stable trading environment so that we can continue building a strong and sustainably profitable business in the U.K. and Europe,” Ford Motor Co. said.  Ford, which employs 14,000 people in the U.K., gets about 19% of revenue from Europe and recently turned a profit in the region after losing more than $3 billion between 2012 and 2014.  The Dearborn, Mich., auto maker already has been cutting in the U.K. and said it planned to make sure key stakeholders in the U.K., the EU and elsewhere “understand our concerns, which mirror those of the majority of the U.K. and European auto industry.”  While Ford hasn’t made any changes to current investment plans, the company pledged to “take whatever action is needed to ensure that our European business remains competitive and keeps to the path toward sustainable profitability.”  Ford shares fell more than 6.6% Friday, and GM shares declined 4.9% to $28.35, keeping the largest U.S. auto maker’s stock well below its 2010 initial public offering price of $33 per share. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, Italy’s largest car-seller with significant exposure to the rest of Europe and the U.S., plunged more than 12%.  U.S. auto makers’ stocks are stuck in neutral on concerns from investors that U.S. car sales have peaked or plateaued after a record 17.5 million sold in 2015 amid cheap gas and easy credit. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged more than 600 points Friday afternoon, but oil also fell, which could keep gasoline cheaper and encourage consumers to continue snapping up profitable trucks and SUVs.  Nissan Motor Co., meanwhile, had been outspoken about its desire for the U.K. to remain in the EU, going so far as to bring legal action when a “Leave” group used the Japanese auto maker’s logo in promotional material.  Nissan employs 8,000 people in Sunderland, where it has promised new production. The Japanese company declined to comment.  For Volkswagen AG, which also has significant exposure in the U.K., uncertainty is especially unwelcome as it grapples with financial and reputational damage from an emissions cheating scandal.  The German auto maker posted its worst annual loss ever for 2015, and it has set aside more than $18 billion to address recalls, legal settlements and other potential penalties arising from its use of software in diesel-powered vehicles to dupe U.S. emissions tests. Volkswagen is currently the No. 1 car maker in the U.K., selling nearly 400,000 vehicles last year.  The company’s profitable Audi and Porsche luxury brands represent a third of the company’s U.K. sales. Evercore ISI said Volkswagen’s pretax earnings could fall €75 million ($85 million) for every 1% drop in the sterling.

Edited 27 June, 2016 by lol-lol