Amazon like other big tech (Google, Facebook) is scary powerful and manipulative. I don’t resent their success, but I am frightened about what it means for the community today, and where they might take it next.

What?! Are you not a fan of grill cover that takes up to 3/4 of your front end? /S

I think I just found the design for my jack o lantern's face this year...  but will it be too scary?

Yeah, it’s pretty far from the graceful front end that I think of when people mention BMW. This thing is just brutal.

All i see when i look at that golf

in my head i love the idea that this car will exist.

Seriously VW, with your history maybe avoid wheels that are that are one spoke away from a full on swastika

Agreed. That being said, the front end of the Golf has been getting lower and lower every redesign. I don’t understand it. Those headlamps are admirably small, but they look like they are sliding off the nose.

Seconded. The front end looks about 2 sizes bigger than it should be. Massive grille, massive headlamps. Lot’s of shapes that don’t relate to each other at all. But, to be fair, that’s been BMW for a while now.

It’s not about looking mean, it’s about looking rugged. It’s a little dumb but people’s perception is very important. If they want a truck it’s because they want to do work or adventure things. Things that require durability. So they want their vehicle to look like it’s capable of those things. (even if they’re not…

You want more telephoto lenses and fewer wide-angle lenses?

I don’t think anyone can throw stones at someone who can’t keep up with the crazy huge lineups of some companies. Mercedes is another guilty party in this.

Well shit. I guess you’re right. I’ll admit I’ve blocked most of BMW’s releases and lineup naming from my mind ever since the M3 became the M4 and they made a 4dr 8 series and called it a coupe.

I thought the same thing. That face is huge! Sadly my first thought was about how easy this can become another crossover with just an X badge and a little more clearance. 

I know I’m Biased towards the GTI, but FUCK ME is this thing ugly.

Great points all around but especially on Lexus. I recently rode in a friends’ new ES300 Hybrid and it had the requisite hybrid gizmos and whatnot along with a decent number of features. But they could be ignored. It was a very comfortable place ot spend a few hours tooling around (in the back seat).

I agree 100%, give me a brushed aluminum interior bit vs a plastic ‘chromed’ alternative that looks more premium to the rubes.

Unfortunately, there’s a market for that concept that’s willing to pay 50 grand for a new car, but it pretty much begins and ends with you and my mom. She bitches almost daily about all the gadgetry in her Acura. She wants a reliable luxury car, and the highest tech thing in it should be the power windows. She doesn’t…

I’d prefer this too, but unfortunately MB and other luxury makers are victims of their own success. Their good reputation has led to them being desirable, which led to image-conscious short term buyers/leasers. Since the car makers are incentivized to care only about the people who buy or lease them new, and their…

Ah, but that’s not perceived luxury... Spending more $$ in thicker engine mounts or whatnot is not something the customer will see in the showroom...