test drive of 20i SDrive M sport

Zed Baron · Post by **Zed Baron** » Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:49 pm

That beautiful rear end and they go and stick an old SDrive badge on the back? After all that development it looks like they raided the parts bin for badges! Come on BMW you could of spruced it up a bit... guess most of them will be deleted anyway

Mad Professor · Post by **Mad Professor** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 4:37 pm

So now managed to test drive the M40i as well
Same chassis and box as M20i apparently -just a different engine
Having driven the 20i a week ago it is still fresh in my memory
So they are both really lovely desirable convertables
My drive in the M40i yesterday reminded me what a great all round car this G29 is
First off the more i look at this car the better it is -i really love it from all angles
In fact i went to bed dreaming about the Z
Its so well planted and feels a lot stiffer than my MR -not driven an E89 for comparsion
Inspires a huge amount if conifdence in fast cornering -hardly any roll
Then there's that fabulous M40i engine -wow its simply outstanding
Feels quicker than my MR and makes a lovely noise with subtle and bangs
I got to know the 8 speed box better on this test drive and its just brilliant and very clever in many ways
I really dont think i would miss my manual box given how good this is
Now dont get me wrong i'd be properly chuffed to own a 20i ....
But- once youve driven the 40i i think it would always irk that you hadnt got its big brother
Interestingly the sales manager a total M nerd asked me what i was driving and said
" you would be bonkers to ever sell your MR -its only going to appreciate in value as its the last of the true classic M roadsters "

Interstingly I drove 2016 981 Cayman S 3.4 manual the same afternoon before I got into the M40i
So bearing in mind its older with less up to date technology -i have to say it totally blew me away in a way that the M40i didn't [eek]
The overall poise and precision of the suspension set up is so fine -it just feels so nimble and pointable
Ispires a huge amount of confidence
Engine sounds lovely but not as quick as the M40i IMHO -not the same shove in the back
Cabin feels shabby cf M40i -maybe the newer 718 cabin is better and up to scratch -i havent driven one
The M40i cabin just feels very special IMHO
Cayman is just a great car to drive albeit a tin top -be interesting to compare the Boxster which i would imagine is less able
And to my eye Cayman looks stunning [this one was guards red ] -even nicer than the 911

NewZdriver · Post by **NewZdriver** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 4:52 pm

Mad Professor wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2019 4:37 pm So now managed to test drive the M40i as well
Same chassis and box as M20i apparently -just a different engine
Having driven the 20i a week ago it is still fresh in my memory
So they are both really lovely desirable convertables
My drive in the M40i yesterday reminded me what a great all round car this G29 is
First off the more i look at this car the better it is -i really love it from all angles
In fact i went to bed dreaming about the Z
Its so well planted and feels a lot stiffer than my MR -not driven an E89 for comparsion
Inspires a huge amount if conifdence in fast cornering -hardly any roll
Then there's that fabulous M40i engine -wow its simply outstanding
Feels quicker than my MR and makes a lovely noise with subtle and bangs
I got to know the 8 speed box better on this test drive and its just brilliant and very clever in many ways
I really dont think i would miss my manual box given how good this is
Now dont get me wrong i'd be properly chuffed to own a 20i ....
But- once youve driven the 40i i think it would always irk that you hadnt got its big brother
Interestingly the sales manager a total M nerd asked me what i was driving and said
" you would be bonkers to ever sell your MR -its only going to appreciate in value as its the last of the true classic M roadsters "

Interstingly I drove 2012 981 Cayman S 3.4 manual the same afternoon before I got into the M40i
So bearing in mind its older with less up to date technology -i have to say it totally blew me away in a way that the M40i didn't [eek]
The overall poise and precision of the suspension set up is so fine -it just feels so nimble and pointable
Ispires a huge amount of confidence
Engine sounds lovely but not as quick as the M40i IMHO -not the same shove in the back
Cabin feels shabby cf M40i -maybe the newer 718 cabin is better and up to scratch -i havent driven one
The M40i cabin just feels very special IMHO
Cayman is just a great car to drive albeit a tin top -be interesting to compare the Boxster which i would imagine is less able
And to my eye Cayman looks stunning [this one was guards red ] -even nicer than the 911

Great info!!! Having driven an M40i and now the proud owner of a 20i , the latter is probably a nice car and is certainly quicker than my equivalent e89 although that straight six really is blistering!!!!

NewZdriver · Post by **NewZdriver** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 4:53 pm

Nicer I mean!!! Lol

Mad Professor · Post by **Mad Professor** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 5:21 pm

Well i have to say owning a new 20i is not too shabby -its a truly great car and you're going to have a lot of fun -not to mention the rarity value on the road -enjoy

Jim S · Post by **Jim S** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 8:42 pm

Mad Professor wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2019 4:37 pm So now managed to test drive the M40i as well
Same chassis and box as M20i apparently -just a different engine
Having driven the 20i a week ago it is still fresh in my memory
So they are both really lovely desirable convertables
My drive in the M40i yesterday reminded me what a great all round car this G29 is
First off the more i look at this car the better it is -i really love it from all angles
In fact i went to bed dreaming about the Z
Its so well planted and feels a lot stiffer than my MR -not driven an E89 for comparsion
Inspires a huge amount if conifdence in fast cornering -hardly any roll
Then there's that fabulous M40i engine -wow its simply outstanding
Feels quicker than my MR and makes a lovely noise with subtle and bangs
I got to know the 8 speed box better on this test drive and its just brilliant and very clever in many ways
I really dont think i would miss my manual box given how good this is
Now dont get me wrong i'd be properly chuffed to own a 20i ....
But- once youve driven the 40i i think it would always irk that you hadnt got its big brother
Interestingly the sales manager a total M nerd asked me what i was driving and said
" you would be bonkers to ever sell your MR -its only going to appreciate in value as its the last of the true classic M roadsters "

Interstingly I drove 2016 981 Cayman S 3.4 manual the same afternoon before I got into the M40i
So bearing in mind its older with less up to date technology -i have to say it totally blew me away in a way that the M40i didn't [eek]
The overall poise and precision of the suspension set up is so fine -it just feels so nimble and pointable
Ispires a huge amount of confidence
Engine sounds lovely but not as quick as the M40i IMHO -not the same shove in the back
Cabin feels shabby cf M40i -maybe the newer 718 cabin is better and up to scratch -i havent driven one
The M40i cabin just feels very special IMHO
Cayman is just a great car to drive albeit a tin top -be interesting to compare the Boxster which i would imagine is less able
And to my eye Cayman looks stunning [this one was guards red ] -even nicer than the 911

Very interesting and honest review. The question now has to be " which one would you buy with £53k"?

Mad Professor · Post by **Mad Professor** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 9:15 pm

For 53K -if it was a new car on balance i would prob go for an m40i -overall its just a complete package
Or alternatively i'd go for a 2nd hand caterham r400 [25k] as well as an early gen 2 Cayman s [28k] -now then which one will i take out today -hmm let me think .....

Jim S · Post by **Jim S** » Sun Mar 31, 2019 9:25 pm

Mad Professor wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2019 9:15 pm For 53K -if it was a new car on balance i would prob go for an m40i -overall its just a complete package
Or alternatively i'd go for a 2nd hand caterham r400 [25k] as well as an early gen 2 Cayman s [28k] -now then which one will i take out today -hmm let me think .....

I think you should go for both the Caterham and the Cayman 2nd hand, as you seem to have great love for those cars. and you would save a fortune in depreciation.

Mad Professor · Post by **Mad Professor** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:58 pm

Exactly my thoughts -trouble is in reality I dont have 53k to spend

Papa_Zee · Post by **Papa_Zee** » Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:04 pm

Mad Professor wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2019 4:37 pm Interestingly the sales manager a total M nerd asked me what i was driving and said
" you would be bonkers to ever sell your MR -its only going to appreciate in value as its the last of the true classic M roadsters "

Wow.... That is indeed saying something...

Z4-forum.com

Z4-forum.com