G05
BMW X5
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05-11-2026LAST POST
11-22-2021
avantegardestyle wrote
I dont like these new cars with too much angles, ridges, fake vents etc that does really nothing and will not age well
All the M cards up to the E9x were elegant cars. the only exception being the E60 M5, which I actually like aesthetically even with the weird headlights

the Last two M3's are just terrible looking
I think I’m in minority camp but I think e60 m5 is the best looking generation (next would be e34). Just a shame the SMG sucks big time and the swap is not as easy as the e46, else I’d own one myself. But finding low mileage 6MT with black interior is so tough.
11-24-2021
I saw a 440i with the m performance pack today. I had to do a double take. It has an m on the rear of the car. I'm fine with the cars that actually have an m in the model name, we can debate whether they're m cars. But the m performance pack with an m badge is not right.
11-24-2021
Of course a M Sport is not even close to being a real M car.

Just had to add another useless affirmation to see how many pages we can stretch this topic to!!
11-25-2021
One point is that the 1M and OG M2 have the N54 and N55 respectively but they dont have "true" S type engines. Is it just the badge and price tag? Even the new M240xi has a diff now and the M3 powerdome. I dont like up badging but bmw continues to provide more and more //M division exclusive parts to m-lite versions.
11-25-2021
jhan315 wrote
One point is that the 1M and OG M2 have the N54 and N55 respectively but they dont have "true" S type engines. Is it just the badge and price tag? Even the new M240xi has a diff now and the M3 powerdome. I dont like up badging but bmw continues to provide more and more //M division exclusive parts to m-lite versions.
That diff can be optioned on a 230i/330i as well.

An m240i/m340i are dynamically very much the same as a 230i/330i (they don't handle any better). An M3 on the other hand is a totally different handling experience.
11-25-2021
jhan315 wrote
One point is that the 1M and OG M2 have the N54 and N55 respectively but they dont have "true" S type engines. Is it just the badge and price tag? Even the new M240xi has a diff now and the M3 powerdome. I dont like up badging but bmw continues to provide more and more //M division exclusive parts to m-lite versions.
Let us be honest here. The 1M and M2 are big upgrades from the 135i and M240i. Not all real M cars have s type engines.
11-27-2021
DanG wrote
...Not all real M cars have s type engines.
What ///M vehicle does not have an "S" engine, or did you mean M-sport?
11-27-2021
M_Bimmer wrote
What ///M vehicle does not have an "S" engine, or did you mean M-sport?
1M and 2016-2018 M2. :)
11-29-2021
An ///M is a completely different animal to an M=Sport
04-12-2026
I agree with Helmsman. M Sport is a nice package but doesn't make it an M car
04-12-2026
We’ve owned several M Sport editions. Absolutely none of them was an M car. The M Sport provides the sports steering wheel, and sport wheels and tires, which I think is cool. We have no intent to run it on a track. We have the Dodge Hellcat for that.

Now that we don’t have the “what’s in our garage” in our Profile, I should provide context.
04-14-2026
Janjohn wrote
We’ve owned several M Sport editions. Absolutely none of them was an M car. The M Sport provides the sports steering wheel, and sport wheels and tires, which I think is cool. We have no intent to run it on a track. We have the Dodge Hellcat for that.

Now that we don’t have the “what’s in our garage” in our Profile, I should provide context.
Interesting response... sry I digress ;) :offtopic:
Hellcat is specifically engineered for straight-line speed, generally considered world-class drag strip performer but only a mediocre track car.
My limited experience with previous gen Chargers/Challengers:
:thumbsup: Dominant Power [ie Redeye/Jailbreak trims]
:thumbsup: Launch Control
:thumbdown Excessive Weight
:thumbdown Handling - Struggles with understeer and "brake fade" during sessions
04-15-2026
skillets wrote
COULDNT AGREE MORE! It frustrates me to see these said cars, let alone their owners who think they actually own a M car. I owned a 2017 x5m and my neighbors brother showed up one day bragging about his X5M. His X5 was actually just an M sport. He argued with me on and on. Little did he know I actually owned a real x5m and it was sitting in the garage next door. He was humbled very quickly!
Hilarious! That guy took it to another level of stupidity when he said "x5m".

It annoys me to no end when people call their car "2021 x5 40i Msport", etc. For years people were adding "M sport" to their x3 name when it was purely cosmetic. Now I guess there is some functionality with M suspension, M sports brakes but, its not the name of your car! It's just a package!

Might as well say "I have a 2025 x5 40i Msport Premium Climate Comfort Driving Assistance Professional Parking Assistance Front Massaging Seats"

Speaking of stupidity, there was an 2015 ish X3 thread once where someone said "I wouldn't be surprised if the M engineers go over and tweak the design of the X3 m sport models"
04-15-2026
smokinjoe64 wrote
Interesting response... sry I digress ;) :offtopic:
Hellcat is specifically engineered for straight-line speed, generally considered world-class drag strip performer but only a mediocre track car.
My limited experience with previous gen Chargers/Challengers:
:thumbsup: Dominant Power [ie Redeye/Jailbreak trims]
:thumbsup: Launch Control
:thumbdown Excessive Weight
:thumbdown Handling - Struggles with understeer and "brake fade" during session
Sorry I digressed. The Hellcat has a supercharger and is built for the drag strip. The point I was trying to share is that when someone buys an MSport SUV, they don’t buy it as a track car. It has too much ground clearance, too much weight, and is way too large. This is also true of the Porsche Cayenne or any other SUV. On the other hand, when we step on the throttle, we get a little taste of the M experience. :thumbsup:
04-15-2026
Janjohn wrote
Sorry I digressed. The Hellcat has a supercharger and is built for the drag strip. The point I was trying to share is that when someone buys an MSport SUV, they don’t buy it as a track car. It has too much ground clearance, too much weight, and is way too large. This is also true of the Porsche Cayenne or any other SUV. On the other hand, when we step on the throttle, we get a little taste of the M experience. :thumbsup:
Gotcha...clarification makes sense :)
04-21-2026
I don't think it was ever an issue distinguishing between M and M-pack/M-Sport. The former were/are "real M cars", the latter were/are factory additions that added a bit of sportiness to non-M cars. Anyone saying otherwise is just plain wrong (i.e. I don't go around saying I have an X3M)

The REAL problem started with the various M35/M40/M50/M60 models, for which BMW and their owners can make a strong case about these being "almost M cars". In the case of these particular models, it is indeed quite difficult to distinguish between the "real M" and the "almost M" models, and some journalists have gone as far as to say that the "almost M" model may be a better car overall than the "real M" model (and yes I'm talking about the X5M and X5 M60)
04-21-2026
Holy topic revive!
04-21-2026
Having to scroll down to the Ms on certain webpages model lists for M240i is stupid. :lol:
04-21-2026
It’s all so tiresome
04-21-2026
Although this is a 5 year resurrected thread...
freakystyly wrote
Having to scroll down to the Ms on certain webpages model lists for M240i is stupid. :lol:
Yep - I posted this in a few other "what is ///M" threads. BMW says they are M cars, although many don't want/consider them to be.

https://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/bmw-m/models.html
https://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/3-series/3-series-sedan/bmw-3-series-sedan.html