So, I finally got to test drive the GT. It's out for me.(or maybe not?)

[USPSALIMITED]

The thing is, for me, in-gear acceleration is much more important, and the M235i's always-on torque trumps the GT when it comes to real world power.

Hmm. With the GT if you drop your foot in a tall gear you are 280 ish ft-lb torque and climbing, if you downshift first or are already running at twisty road rpm you are 350 ish and climbing. With the 235 you are 300 ish rated but BMW tends to post low numbers so probably closer to 330 ish.
You do have to put the v8 rpm closer to a happy place to get the most out of that engine, but it is up to you whether this adds to the fun or detracts from it. "Real world power" to me is using the shifter as needed when I want the thing to fly low.
That said, romping with either engine is a lot of fun. 235 and I'm going to get that wonderful auto and probably leave it in sport + mode (or I guess you could make sure and drop the pedal all the way to the kick down switch if the mode is set to sleepy and you really want maximum acceleration), GT and I want the manual. 235 and manual means you still have to be aware of what gear you are in if you want to really go so I don't think there is a 'real world power' comparison to be made.

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[Husker]

Go to a BMW GTG...The M3 & M5 crowd tend to act snobbish, like they are special/better than the rest of the BMW other than M3/5 car crowd. I attended one, it was the last.

Go to a Mustang GTG, your treated like family. Doesn't matter if you drive a 6 banger or a BOSS 429.

The M235i was on my list (so was Camaro etc.)...But having owned 2 M3$ in the past, never again.

 

[Feeshta]

Hmm. With the GT if you drop your foot in a tall gear you are 280 ish ft-lb torque and climbing, if you downshift first or are already running at twisty road rpm you are 350 ish and climbing. With the 235 you are 300 ish rated but BMW tends to post low numbers so probably closer to 330 ish.
You do have to put the v8 rpm closer to a happy place to get the most out of that engine, but it is up to you whether this adds to the fun or detracts from it. "Real world power" to me is using the shifter as needed when I want the thing to fly low.
That said, romping with either engine is a lot of fun. 235 and I'm going to get that wonderful auto and probably leave it in sport + mode (or I guess you could make sure and drop the pedal all the way to the kick down switch if the mode is set to sleepy and you really want maximum acceleration), GT and I want the manual. 235 and manual means you still have to be aware of what gear you are in if you want to really go so I don't think there is a 'real world power' comparison to be made.

BMW's listed torque for the M235i is 330 Lb/ft, available from 1,450 RPM, and it's likely understated if you believe multiple sources. Going by the charts I've seen posted, the GT needs to be at roughly 3,200 RPMs before it reaches this number, which isn't bad for a naturally aspirated engine. Real world experience told a very different story though.

I personally never drive below about 2K RPMs out of habit after owning several cars that had no power down there, so power is quite literally never more than a stab of the foot away in the BMW. If I happened to go with the auto, which is unlikely, the thing shifts so fast I doubt it would be an issue. It's seriously the best auto tranny I have ever seen, by quite a margin.

Go to a BMW GTG...The M3 & M5 crowd tend to act snobbish, like they are special/better than the rest of the BMW other than M3/5 car crowd. I attended one, it was the last.

Go to a Mustang GTG, your treated like family. Doesn't matter if you drive a 6 banger or a BOSS 429.

The M235i was on my list (so was Camaro etc.)...But having owned 2 M3$ in the past, never again.

M3's are notorious for high bills, especially the E46 generation. Anything with an M badge on it costs a ton more.

As far as GTGs, I believe you. The truth is that I will never go to one though, so it makes zero impact for me. The forums are great places for both, as I've gotten great advice with my 540i, and that's the only interaction I am likely to have with other BMW owners.

From a personal standpoint, I'd love to be in the Ford camp. Certainly more than the BMW one. The fact is that I simply don't like the car though, and I'm not willing to drive a car I don't like simply because BMW owners can tend to be snobby.

 

[Brent302]

BMW's listed torque for the M235i is 330 Lb/ft, available from 1,450 RPM, and it's likely understated if you believe multiple sources. Going by the charts I've seen posted, the GT needs to be at roughly 3,200 RPMs before it reaches this number, which isn't bad for a naturally aspirated engine. Real world experience told a very different story though.

I personally never drive below about 2K RPMs out of habit after owning several cars that had no power down there, so power is quite literally never more than a stab of the foot away in the BMW. If I happened to go with the auto, which is unlikely, the thing shifts so fast I doubt it would be an issue. It's seriously the best auto tranny I have ever seen, by quite a margin.



M3's are notorious for high bills, especially the E46 generation. Anything with an M badge on it costs a ton more.

As far as GTGs, I believe you. The truth is that I will never go to one though, so it makes zero impact for me. The forums are great places for both, as I've gotten great advice with my 540i, and that's the only interaction I am likely to have with other BMW owners.

From a personal standpoint, I'd love to be in the Ford camp. Certainly more than the BMW one. The fact is that I simply don't like the car though, and I'm not willing to drive a car I don't like simply because BMW owners can tend to be snobby.

You never wanted the Mustang in the first place.

 

[wilkinda65]

I found the interior on the M235 to be a complete turn-off. In general the BMW interiors are bland and unpleasing to the my eyes. It was a fun little car from the performance standpoint. but for a car that I'd have to not only drive but sit in and enjoy.... it was a turn-off.

 

[Feeshta]

You never wanted the Mustang in the first place.

Yeah, I did. It won on paper easily. In real life was another story though.

 

[Red Dawg]

I can see the attraction for the M235i - however, according to the "Build your own" feature on the BMW website, comparable options to my GT Premium put the BMW price over $52k.

I could probably do some nice mods for another $10k

 

[Teezlr]

I found the interior on the M235 to be a complete turn-off. In general the BMW interiors are bland and unpleasing to the my eyes. It was a fun little car from the performance standpoint. but for a car that I'd have to not only drive but sit in and enjoy.... it was a turn-off.

Agreed

 

[Brent302]

Yeah, I did. It won on paper easily. In real life was another story though.

Outsider looking in...

Read your posts...

[emoji85] [emoji87] [emoji86]

[emoji55] [emoji55] [emoji55]

 

[Feeshta]

I found the interior on the M235 to be a complete turn-off. In general the BMW interiors are bland and unpleasing to the my eyes. It was a fun little car from the performance standpoint. but for a car that I'd have to not only drive but sit in and enjoy.... it was a turn-off.

It's not the best ever. My 540i is a nicer place to be, but I do prefer it to the Mustang, if only marginally. I love the M-sport steering wheel, while the Mustang's felt a little bit clunky with 10 bazillion buttons. I'm not a fan of all the buttons on the inside of the rim. The Mustang wheel has a nice feel though, compared to most. The biggest thing is the seats though. Those BMW sport seats are great.

I do wish the German manufacturers would get rid of the "tablet" look on the dash though. I prefer the integrated screen of the Mustang looks wise. Not a fan of touch screens in cars though.

 

[USPSALIMITED]

BMW's listed torque for the M235i is 330 Lb/ft, available from 1,450 RPM, and it's likely understated if you believe multiple sources. Going by the charts I've seen posted, the GT needs to be at roughly 3,200 RPMs before it reaches this number, which isn't bad for a naturally aspirated engine. Real world experience told a very different story though.

I personally never drive below about 2K RPMs out of habit after owning several cars that had no power down there, so power is quite literally never more than a stab of the foot away in the BMW. If I happened to go with the auto, which is unlikely, the thing shifts so fast I doubt it would be an issue. It's seriously the best auto tranny I have ever seen, by quite a margin.

Oops , wrong review 330+ it is mea culpa.

My car flat arse honks on if you nail it from the mid 3's but if you felt otherwise I can not debate that. Put a cat back on it before I asked it to work hard & it is a PP model though, perhaps that could be influencing my perceptions.

I forget how much the manual BMW loses for the 1/4 mile and etc. performance numbers posted, but it would make me nutty (more nutty) to buy a manual & give away performance when the auto is the same price. If the auto wasn't a blast that would be different. Just a personal preference thing though. Either would be a lot of fun.

 

[Feeshta]

Outsider looking in...

Read your posts...

[emoji85] [emoji87] [emoji86]

[emoji55] [emoji55] [emoji55]

I wanted the Mustang to be better to drive than what it is. I hoped it would be, but it's simply not. I know "better" is a subjective word, but for me the driving experience made it very clear. Both the BMW and the Subaru are better cars to drive than the Mustang. They are also more practical by a large margin, but that was my secondary concern.

That's unfortunate, as I hoped it would be the Mustang to hold that title. Hell, I honestly thought the Ecoboost would be enough to do that for a while. I was wrong. :shrug:

 

[Brent302]

I wanted the Mustang to be better to drive than what it is. I hoped it would be, but it's simply not. I know "better" is a subjective word, but for me the driving experience made it very clear. Both the BMW and the Subaru are better cars to drive than the Mustang. They are also more practical by a large margin, but that was my secondary concern.

That's unfortunate, as I hoped it would be the Mustang to hold that title. Hell, I honestly thought the Ecoboost would be enough to do that for a while. I was wrong. :shrug:

Honestly read your posts...[emoji55] [emoji55] [emoji55]

 

[Feeshta]

Honestly read your posts...[emoji55] [emoji55] [emoji55]

Don't have to, I wrote them. I remember what I wrote, and what I was thinking when I wrote it.

 

[alexx205]

To me, a pony or muscle car is a great starting point. They cater to the American enthusiast who tinkers and modifies their cars. They aren't meant to deliver the perfect experience because we all define that differently. Instead, they offer a great foundation upon which we can build the car we love to drive.

+1 to this! :amen:
But more people than not want to buy a car and drive it as is. So there could be a point made for the more expensive but (at least to some) better car for the desired usage...
And that is why there are different cars for different people ;)

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