M6: Autocar at it again...
Discussion
Sorry folks, I realise I'm a pretty lone voice on this one but Sutcliffe's colleagues seem intent on dumping on my preferred GT against anything remotely possessing of latin DNA.
The new GranTurismo S is apparently "more entertaining than an M6." It also offers "a drive that eclipses" said kraut viggen.
I really don't know what I'm doing wrong: I could've sworn those 8200 revs which loosened traction last night, then the riding out of the most progressive pendulum blast off since ye olde R400 via the evidently awesome 'M diff' represented aspects of involvement and entertainment somewhere within the experience?
I also find it curious that when the question of the M car's price is mentioned (brand values aside, which is a futile debate anyay) in respect of actual bang/buck relative to the big Maser, the comparisons are hugely in the Beemer's favour: weight, power to weight, power, torque (just,) acceleration, speed and a real world 'at the end of the day' scenario whereby the price differential will most likely be £35-40k in the M6's favour!
It's just ridiculous, disingenuous and plain ignorant.
The M6 whipping boy; blowing away everything this side of the very latest slimline Lambos and hyper cars and getting absolutely no plaudits!
Way to go, Autocar.
The new GranTurismo S is apparently "more entertaining than an M6." It also offers "a drive that eclipses" said kraut viggen.
I really don't know what I'm doing wrong: I could've sworn those 8200 revs which loosened traction last night, then the riding out of the most progressive pendulum blast off since ye olde R400 via the evidently awesome 'M diff' represented aspects of involvement and entertainment somewhere within the experience?
I also find it curious that when the question of the M car's price is mentioned (brand values aside, which is a futile debate anyay) in respect of actual bang/buck relative to the big Maser, the comparisons are hugely in the Beemer's favour: weight, power to weight, power, torque (just,) acceleration, speed and a real world 'at the end of the day' scenario whereby the price differential will most likely be £35-40k in the M6's favour!
It's just ridiculous, disingenuous and plain ignorant.
The M6 whipping boy; blowing away everything this side of the very latest slimline Lambos and hyper cars and getting absolutely no plaudits!
Way to go, Autocar.
It's the price you pay for having 2 cylinders more than a proper engine.
Oddly i'm the reverse of most I think. I look at the M5 and think the engine doesn't suit it in any way. The silly revs, 7 speeds (I'm not a fan of too many gears) and sound of it just look all out of place with the car.
The sight of a black M6 though is far more entertaining, this is from when it initially came out and I just thought, meh.
An M6 with the 63 Merc engine though, perfection.
Dave!
Oddly i'm the reverse of most I think. I look at the M5 and think the engine doesn't suit it in any way. The silly revs, 7 speeds (I'm not a fan of too many gears) and sound of it just look all out of place with the car.
The sight of a black M6 though is far more entertaining, this is from when it initially came out and I just thought, meh.
An M6 with the 63 Merc engine though, perfection.
Dave!
Since when has being able to afford one mean that your opinion is more valid? With respect it's that sort of arrogance and attitude that gives all of us BMW drivers such a bad image. Money doesn't = being right and although I might not agree with alot of what Autocar say about this car or others, the fact that they are driving/comparing cars on a regular basis means IMO that they are in a far better position to appraise the indivdual merits of vehicles in a relatively independent manner.
Edited by taffyracer on Thursday 22 May 09:02
taffyracer said:
Since when has being able to afford one mean that your opinion is more valid? With respect it's that sort of arrogance and attitude that gives all of us BMW drivers such a bad image. Money doesn't = being right and although I might not agree with alot of what Autocar say about this car or others, the fact that they are driving/comparing cars on a regular basis means IMO that they are in a far better position to appraise the indivdual merits of vehicles in a relatively independent manner.
Rather well said!Edited by taffyracer on Thursday 22 May 09:02
Oh, and I agree with the OP re M6/Masser thing too.
Well, put simply when I come to moving on from my M6 it certainly will not be a trade in against a Maser!
I agree with OP - the M6 seems to get a short shrift from the press for no real solid reasons. Maybe it can come across a little 'playstation' at times, but it certainly has the ability to involve the driver and make very swift progress.
Although I agree with the comment about being able to afford one has no bearing on opinions, magazines do relate most reviews to a short lived experience with the car. How many times have we seen cars given poor reviews and then opinions change by the same magazines when they have them as their 'long-termers'.
Having owned a Maserati in the past, and currently an M6 - I know which marque I would prefer to live with as a day to day proposition. For a 24 period the Maser may seem to have those lovely italian descriptions of 'soul' and 'passion' against a more 'clinical' beemer - but a once a year visit for a regular service with a local dealer is much more appealing that a regular trip across country trying to find a Maser dealer to resolve some gremlins.
I agree with OP - the M6 seems to get a short shrift from the press for no real solid reasons. Maybe it can come across a little 'playstation' at times, but it certainly has the ability to involve the driver and make very swift progress.
Although I agree with the comment about being able to afford one has no bearing on opinions, magazines do relate most reviews to a short lived experience with the car. How many times have we seen cars given poor reviews and then opinions change by the same magazines when they have them as their 'long-termers'.
Having owned a Maserati in the past, and currently an M6 - I know which marque I would prefer to live with as a day to day proposition. For a 24 period the Maser may seem to have those lovely italian descriptions of 'soul' and 'passion' against a more 'clinical' beemer - but a once a year visit for a regular service with a local dealer is much more appealing that a regular trip across country trying to find a Maser dealer to resolve some gremlins.
taffyracer said:
...although I might not agree with alot of what Autocar say about this car or others, the fact that they are driving/comparing cars on a regular basis means IMO that they are in a far better position to appraise the indivdual merits of vehicles in a relatively independent manner.
I think you're saying you agree with me that the M6 is the better car which of course it is, as anyone with the slightest clue what the hell they're on about will confidently attest and by several furlongs to boot.
However, whilst it would be extreme of anyone to suggest career journos don't have some role to play in assessing these things, my particular beef on this (other than passionate bias) arose from Autocar's total contradiction over the M6.
Sutters pronounced it more or less the mutt's nuts (against Gallardo and 997tt no less) following his long term period with the car and are we meant to seriously believe that Maseratis overblown wedge of brand, brand, brand is better than those 'accepted standard bearer' models?
No, it's inconsistency and lazy 'default scribbling' - I maintain that a couple of hours' with an M6 is no time whatsoever to ascertain a meaningful comprehension of the depths at hand but then again, like many of the 'chuck owners' who buy cars for image over substance, there is an overwhelming psychological compulsion to defer to expected pronouncements or brand conformity, as it were.
Again, I don't chop and change cars too regularly because afaic, it takes aeons to really divine the nuances and subtleties of decent performance vehicles so I'm naturally sceptical of 'wham bam' judgements to fill the column inches.
Then again, who knows the limits of the influence of Maranello?
Edited by derestrictor on Thursday 22 May 12:19
Howitzer said:
It's the price you pay for having 2 cylinders more than a proper engine.
Oddly i'm the reverse of most I think. I look at the M5 and think the engine doesn't suit it in any way. The silly revs, 7 speeds (I'm not a fan of too many gears) and sound of it just look all out of place with the car.
The sight of a black M6 though is far more entertaining, this is from when it initially came out and I just thought, meh.
An M6 with the 63 Merc engine though, perfection.
Dave!
If you had driven one, you would understand. If you have driven one and don't understand, then you are beyond help. The engine is a marvel. The seven gears suit it perfectly at Autobahn speed.Oddly i'm the reverse of most I think. I look at the M5 and think the engine doesn't suit it in any way. The silly revs, 7 speeds (I'm not a fan of too many gears) and sound of it just look all out of place with the car.
The sight of a black M6 though is far more entertaining, this is from when it initially came out and I just thought, meh.
An M6 with the 63 Merc engine though, perfection.
Dave!
derestrictor said:
taffyracer said:
...although I might not agree with alot of what Autocar say about this car or others, the fact that they are driving/comparing cars on a regular basis means IMO that they are in a far better position to appraise the indivdual merits of vehicles in a relatively independent manner.
I think you're saying you agree with me that the M6 is the better car which of course it is, as anyone with the slightest clue what the hell they're on about will confidently attest and by several furlongs to boot./quote]
Yes I am agreeing wiht you, I think the M6 is a wonderful car, don't believe most journos say but I simply didn't agree with the arrogant comment posted afterwards, being able to afford anything does not convey automatic correctness of judgement or opinion
they just come out with supposed scoops based on a rehash of general comments from car companies, wish-list improvements to the spec of an existing car and woeful photoshops of elements from a new model of a different class onto the existing model of the class they are "scooping". Gimps.
It's simple BMW is the marque that people just love to hate, whether it's on a Pistonheads forum, in the pub or in Autocar.
There is no pattern to it really; some people get the hump with that 320d that hogged the outside lane on the M4 this morning (the one day of the year their piece of italian junk decided to start, and THEY should be in the 'fast lane'), some people are just jealous and others (these people really get my back up!) come out with crap like "Well I think the M3 has lost it's soul it's nothing like the E30 M3, it ugly, too heavy, too big, blah blah blah....." DAMN RIGHT IT'S NOTHING LIKE AN E30! AND I FOR ONE AM BLOODY GLAD ABOUT THAT. BMW HAVE TO CATER FOR THE LATEST GENERATION OF M3 OWNERS NOT STICK IN THE MUD SHARK NOSE OBSESSED FOOLS
There is no pattern to it really; some people get the hump with that 320d that hogged the outside lane on the M4 this morning (the one day of the year their piece of italian junk decided to start, and THEY should be in the 'fast lane'), some people are just jealous and others (these people really get my back up!) come out with crap like "Well I think the M3 has lost it's soul it's nothing like the E30 M3, it ugly, too heavy, too big, blah blah blah....." DAMN RIGHT IT'S NOTHING LIKE AN E30! AND I FOR ONE AM BLOODY GLAD ABOUT THAT. BMW HAVE TO CATER FOR THE LATEST GENERATION OF M3 OWNERS NOT STICK IN THE MUD SHARK NOSE OBSESSED FOOLS
k all.The shark-nosed cars are not really to my taste, i'm probably the wrong age to consider them cars from the 'good old days' though. On the other hand i think the E type Jag is an absolute donkey to look at. To me a white E92 M3 is beautiful. It's also faster, handles better, safer, more technologically advanced, better engineered and greener (if that matters to anyone?) that any other M3 has ever been. The same goes for an M6, but in ruby black.
The thing is about modern BMWs ,is that they feature in the top section of any group test you'll find in a car mag. They continue to dominate the engine of the year awards too. They DO make some of the very best cars on sale today! so why does everyone still hate them?
Is there still a majority group of die hard Rover sympathisers out there? Or does everyone just hate the Germans, for being the class swots?
The thing is about modern BMWs ,is that they feature in the top section of any group test you'll find in a car mag. They continue to dominate the engine of the year awards too. They DO make some of the very best cars on sale today! so why does everyone still hate them?
Is there still a majority group of die hard Rover sympathisers out there? Or does everyone just hate the Germans, for being the class swots?
Howitzer said:
It's the price you pay for having 2 cylinders more than a proper engine.
Oddly i'm the reverse of most I think. I look at the M5 and think the engine doesn't suit it in any way. The silly revs, 7 speeds (I'm not a fan of too many gears) and sound of it just look all out of place with the car.
The sight of a black M6 though is far more entertaining, this is from when it initially came out and I just thought, meh.
An M6 with the 63 Merc engine though, perfection.
Dave!
t planet are you on? The M5 is a masterpiece of engineering.Oddly i'm the reverse of most I think. I look at the M5 and think the engine doesn't suit it in any way. The silly revs, 7 speeds (I'm not a fan of too many gears) and sound of it just look all out of place with the car.
The sight of a black M6 though is far more entertaining, this is from when it initially came out and I just thought, meh.
An M6 with the 63 Merc engine though, perfection.
Dave!
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