While I do like this show .... but .... they rated the 120d (as it had the higher BHP) and found that the interior was ... shall we say lacking in finish.

Would like to hear if anyone who has seen them could rate the finish to other BMWs.

The whole thing sounded a little petty to me.

I've riden on one, and I liked the interior. Typical BMW, not less.

While owning one I may be a bit bias, I do think that Top Gear have been a bit harsh towards the E87. Most of the Motor mags here in Australia commont on their like for the M-Sport interior package, and only complain (typically) about iDrive.

Interior is typically BMW. M-Sport pack even more so.
You feel right at home once you sink into those leather sports seats I tell ya!

i wouldnt worry about it, jeremy clarkson hates on german cars alll the time.

They probably gave him a bum car knowing how he drives.

nah Jeremy Clarkson doesn't really like BMW.

He likes british and italian cars. He said it himself.

My 116i is the base model and it only has regular rims with mag-like rim covers, and fabric seats, but i still like the finish, it does still feel stylish and elegant inside and out. Leathers are a different story of course. But the 116i still IS a BMW, with new runflat tires, and on board computer that does all the checking for you. The only thing you have to worry about is the water for your front and rear washer wipers (and regular maintainance every 10t kms.). Most reviews complain about it being under-powered. If you agree with that, then you should get the 120i, 120d, or wait for the 130i. Wait for the 2 door version, fold down the rear seats and you will then have a 2-seater sports car with a big rear compartment.

..... Wait for the 2 door version, fold down the rear seats and you will then have a 2-seater sports car with a big rear compartment.

Now that's what I am talking about, I like your thinking :D

I would also strongly advise not to pay any attention to top gear reviews on BMW. They really dislike the brand by heart just as much as most of us love it.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
You will very rarely get a usable review on BMW in Top Gear. Nor on the Jaguar for that sake – Every thing they make is ever so lovely no matter how bad a car.<o:p></o:p>
So check out the car, try it and feel it your self.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
/Lars<o:p></o:p>

Rainman, why wait for the 2 door version?
Other than looking "slightly" better, it is more uncomfortable to get in the back and then current 4 door version already allows you to fold down the rear seats and put up a cargo net to turn the rear into an absolutely huge storage compartment.

dont listen to clarkson hey he got a Ford GT and on it second drive it broke down! now he is very biased to british built cars and ford, (ford owns Jaguar and Aston Martin) so everthing he says do the opposit and you will be fine

Well Ford GT isn't really all that american. If I had a bafillionz dollars i'd buy that car. But if I had a budget of 100,000 quid, I would just buy the F430 or the lot.

He is very biased to British built cars yes. Not so biased to american built cars. But they do seem to dislike BMW specifically. They like Porsche, they like Mercs.. mostly.

Clarkson hates the 5 series guts. I mean I know it's not the best looking car out there, but it's not even that bad that someone would puke their guts out. For honest reviews of BMWs, watch Fifth Gear.

http://www.bmwe34m5.com/faqs/

There's some top gear video here of JC raving about M cars and saying how he can't wait for the e39 M5, yes, it's a few years old.

N

I agree Bimmers dont look too good at the moment but as they get a little older they grow om you didnt like the new 5 series at first but now its looking better all the time i see one, bmw must have done something right? i mean how many manufacturs have copied a Bmw? Lexus? Mitsubishi? Hyundai? Mercedes? they alll have

BMW has the most loyal customers and drivers of any automaker. Most true BMW owners say they can't owning else becuase it doesn't compare to the BMW. Top Gear seems like he hates everything thats not ungodly fast, super expensive, and rare.. I like what they do, but at the same time I hate how they review other cars because they aren't giving them a fair chance.. Personally Jemery Clarkson should be fired and replaced with someone who doesn't care what he is driving and review it according to how it does, but the name plate on it..

Jeremy Clarkson has his own style. If you're too pissed at him, watch Tiff Needell on Fifth Gear. Now he's a very nice guy and he isn't really biased to anything. He gave the E60 M5 an honest review. Whereas Clarkson tried to butcher it buy saying that its Indicator stock is too sensitive :rolleyes and that the sat nav lady doesn't shut up (which it does:confused ).

Hey I'm not saying I dislike JK but you all seem to be right ... never heard a good BMW review from him, I remember a similar review of the X5.

Must check a 1er for myself for sure ... anyone got a free weekend ;)

JK's show however I do like, visually stunning, might need to mute his next BMW review though :D

I liked how top gear put the 535d against the 545i and raved about how the 545 won.

Its hard to have a fair journalist when they only get such a short period of time with the car, and they look at so many cars a week maybe they forget what each one was like. And I agree they only seem to care about some exotic cars that go really fast and thats how they market the show to the audiences. This is why I rarely look at auto reviews for the info value but mainly for entertainment. I looked up a video on the 1 series on google and it seemed like they kind of p00-p00d it a bit, but i think the 1 series is probably going turn out pretty good. I think all the japaneese have been trying to steal bmw's core market for years, and now bmw is going to hit back!

Jeremy Clarkson has his own style. If you're too pissed at him, watch Tiff Needell on Fifth Gear. Now he's a very nice guy and he isn't really biased to anything. He gave the E60 M5 an honest review. Whereas Clarkson tried to butcher it buy saying that its Indicator stock is too sensitive :rolleyes and that the sat nav lady doesn't shut up (which it does:confused ).

Other than the stupid little problems like the sat nav and indicator stalk, Clarkson loved the M5. They also raved about the M6 in the comparo between the AMV8 and 997.

Rainman, why wait for the 2 door version?
Other than looking "slightly" better, it is more uncomfortable to get in the back and then current 4 door version already allows you to fold down the rear seats and put up a cargo net to turn the rear into an absolutely huge storage compartment.
Well i suggested that since a lot of guys here seem to be into sports cars so the two door version (actually 3 with the hatch) would turn into one by "getting rid" of the backseat. :)

2 door 2 seater, 130i is the closest you get to a more affordable sports car :)