Thanks!

 

Congrats! You finally got your Alpina!

Interested in your thought about it having come back to ICE from EV. I dont know a lot of people who have done that.

 

Thank you, Steve, I appreciate it. You still remember and you know I said it long time ago and have been searching - the Alpina was one of my dream cars, and with this special ordered one, I couldn’t pass.
if it wasn’t for the Alpina, I would never ever switch back to ICE.
the only exception for ICE have always been 2 cars only (and still true): The Alpina or an S-class aka W223. No way I’d have considered anything else that is not EV if it’s not for these 2 cars.

 

Enjoy it! That’s an itch you’ve got to scratch!

 

I just saw a video on the new M5 Touring and it finally hit me. I've been struggling to say exactly why the new BMW design language looks so ugly to me, and not just kind of ugly, but the type of ugly that reminds you of something you wish you never did. The look gives my stomach that same queasy feeling that I got after waking up after a night where I clearly drank too much, then you look over and see the pile of puke on the floor. Or the time while in college when I took a dare and "romanced" an ugly girl just for stupid laughs; her name was Barbara and I hope she doesn't remember mine. I didn't realize how stupid that was until after it was too late. I could go on, but instead, I'll get to the point. For some reason, the look of new BMW's generates a similar feeling of distaste and regret, and I finally figured out why. They all look like they were derived from the General Motors Pontiac Aztek launced in the year 2000. It had an edgy design that was not welcomed by the public. It turned into a sales flop as the public and motor enthusiast all hated the design, even though the packaging was excellent. My best friend was an underling on the design team and hoped this would boost his career, and it obviously didn't. His recovered and fine, but the car didn't, and is still widely regarded as the ugliest car ever made by a major auto maker. Their sole defense/justification was that the design was just ahead of it's time. I guess they were truly prescient; I would have never guessed it would have come to fruition through BMW, but it has. I guess the heritage, technology, and performance are enough to look past the ugly grill, chunky body lines, and bulbous rear end.

Just one man's opinion.

 

Was your Aztec design friend somehow involved in the Tesla truck design, also

 

A lot of the BMWs are growing on me. The 7 already has but the 5 too I like the way they look now.

 

The “problem” is not the basic design of the LOVELY new BMW 5 Series wagons or “Touring” models as they are known, the problem is what happens when the BMW “M” clowns get their hands on it. I don’t like the vast majority of BMW M models, as I don’t like most all AMG models. These guys take beautifully designed vehicles and then give them the “BOY RACER” treatment, which to me, just screams out “LOOK AT ME, I’M DRIVING A RACE CAR!” Pathetic.

Here are photos of the new 5 Series Touring in the standard trim. I believe that this is one of the most lovely vehicles BMW has produced in many years. Hopefully, BMW will import this design to the U.S.. If they do, I believe Mrs. Streamliner may be placing an order. She loves her 2019 E450 Wagon, but someday soon, we may want her driving a newer car. MB has so screwed up the E wagon with their horrid “All Terrain” treatment, that she won’t even look at one. Can’t wait to see one with the “STAR” taillights.

My opinion is that MB decided to give their lineup a full rectal examination and while doing so, FELL IN! They are stuck in there, the batteries in their flashlight are dead and they are relegated to covering the walls of their asylum with 3-Pointed Star hieroglyphics, as they can’t think of anything else to do.

 

I mean, if the S213 wagon is still enjoyable, no point trying to find a replacement. No point spending more money potentially buying a headache or having buyer's remorse. I understand the new car bug does bite.

 

@Streamliner if Mrs. stream wants an experience as close to an i7 as possible in a more manageable package, I’d order her an ix xdrive 50 with dynamic handling package (dual axel air suspension/4 wheel steering), full leather interior, massaging seats, and the 30 speaker Bowers and Wilkins surround.

 

I always find the concept that slightly more aggressive looking body treatments amount to someone being "pathetic" pretty ridiculous lol

I wouldn't buy *any* MB model without the AMG appearance package. I think they just look soft and bulbous without them. BMWs are a little bit of a different story, many of them I prefer without the M Sport packages but their designs are considerably more aggressive than MB's designs out of the box.

IMO I would even go so far to say many MB models without the AMG appearance packages are actually ugly. Its amazing what a little tweak here and there can do. Great example is the GLS and GLE, even the S Class I think is actually a pretty ugly car without it, 222 and 223.

 

To my eye those wheels and plain white paint don't do the wagon/estate any favors. It looks bare bones. In higher trim levels with different wheels and exterior color it's a nice-looking vehicle. I think here in the U.S. we get the M5 variant only, starting at $125K!

 

She doesn’t care for that design. She loves her wagon!

Some here may remember: Back around 2019, I had decided I wanted an E450 Wagon with the Luxury trim, but at just about that same time MBUSA decided that they would no longer import the wagon in Luxury Trim form, only the AMG Line. I suggested to my wife that it could be her new car and to that I got an ABSOLUTELY NOT! I AM NOT DRIVING A “STATION WAGON” like Betty Draper! So, I decided that I would still like one, as an additional vehicle and started watching the used market. One day, I noticed that Sterling BMW had one, but it was advertised as being in Selinite Gray MAGNO, the matte finish, which I hate. But since it was within walking distance of my home and since I had never driven a wagon, I thought I’d walk down and drive it.

Well, as I approached the car, I realized that it was not the Magno finish but the lovely Selenite Gray Metallic, so I got a bit excited. I saw that it did not have the Panorama Roof—which I detest—and I got a bit more excited. Oh, it has 18” wheels and OH MY, the Designo interior! I was salivating!

It was during the virus fiasco so they copied my license, gave me the key and told me to take it for a drive by myself. I drove up a bumpy street I drive on most every day and I was impressed at how nicely the car rode. I also noted the quiet cabin. So, I pulled over, opened the glove box and sure enough, there was the original window sticker. It had Air Suspension AND the Acoustic Comfort Pkg., both of which I wanted. It was as if someone had ordered this wagon with ME in mind! I yelled out to myself “I’M BUYING THIS CAR!”

Anyway, I drove it home, my wife took it for a drive and she INSTANTLY claimed it as her own.

This particular wagon is exceptionally rare as equipped. Virtually nobody loaded one up like this without the glass roof and without the AMG Line. The car has been exceptionally good to us. Yeah, as I write this, we probably will just keep it. HOW could MB stop building a car like this???

 

I also think the E Wagon in the all terrain trim is still quite good looking. I would drive one of these for sure.

 

Well, I posted the most “plain vanilla” photos I could to accentuate the lines of the basic body design. If the base car doesn’t come here, we will not be potential customers for it.

 

My biggest gripe (besides the star brake lights) with the AT is the black plastic arches. I wish they would give an option to have those paint matched to the body color like Audi does with the Allroad. However, I still prefer the classic estate, and the build sheet on Stream's above looks fantastic. How much did you pay for it with how many miles @Streamliner ? Did you purchase it in 2021?

 

I don't think they look bad personally, but you could also have them painted if you really wanted too. I too would prefer a classic estate but with this being the only option I would still get the E Wagon.

The answer to the question "How could MB stop building a car like this?" is obviously nobody buys them.

 

We bought it in mid 2020. It had 9,200 miles on it and we paid $62K. It was traded in on a new X7.

 

It’s always that way with majority of BMWs…. I agree. It takes time The look of the new 5 is growing on me really quick (I think soon people will recognize it as one of the sharpest 5-series designs…)the 7 is still so-and-so, but I’d certainly own one just fine and the look isn’t a deal breaker. The car looks great except maybe for the front end.

 

I'm in agreement. I don't think the black cladding looks terrible but at least offer the paint matching in an "AMG Line Exterior" option like the GLE.

 

I think the wagon is just too niche a vehicle for that to make sense. If they're going to offer two bodystyling packages they may as well just also sell the non CC version here like they do in europe.

 

There was a reason I bought black over at BMW...

 

This is the spec i7 I would have gotten:

 

That looks good I like those wheels and the minimal chrome. Tanzanite Blue?

 

It was meant to be I never tire of seeing that interior, such a rare one!