[Marty in NY]

Just ran across this. .. https://www.bmw.com/en/events/ces/2cars.html

[SmartSaves]

Ha ha .. nice video. iDrive is a legend in its own right.

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by SmartSaves

Ha ha .. nice video. iDrive is a legend in its own right.

Yeah, BMW has always been a leader in technology. I recall when iDrive first hit the market, there were so many complaints, now look at all the iDrive copies out there. Problem is that when you're the leader, people see all the issues, just like when the first year of G05's rolled out of the plant. If new 2021 owners think they have issues, they should have seen what the early adopters had to deal with

[chrisny]

I wish I could focus on the main point - cool tech aspects of this video - instead of the fact that those are 2 of the ugliest BMW vehicles ever.

It's ironic I guess, the new tech meant to enhance the user experience, both functionally and visually, was put into the ugliest outer package of both of their times.

[chrisny]

Originally Posted by Marty in NY

Yeah, BMW has always been a leader in technology. I recall when iDrive first hit the market, there were so many complaints, now look at all the iDrive copies out there. Problem is that when you're the leader, people see all the issues, just like when the first year of G05's rolled out of the plant. If new 2021 owners think they have issues, they should have seen what the early adopters had to deal with

I still love the simplicity and usefulness of the iDrive in the E70 X5. If I recall it was as improved from the one in the bangle butt 7 series and it was both praised (by those that got the point and didn't have trouble memorizing 4 simple things (up = radio, down = nav etc...) and criticized at the same time.

Others that followed got more praise for what I thought actually missed the point. Audi comes to mind. Such a busy interface with a million buttons still all over the dash and around the shifter. Yet theirs was seen as one of the best.

BMW has since brought back more buttons than I care for, but in large part because there are even more functions (ex. drive modes). Still the most intuitive from what I've seen of late.

[SmartSaves]

Originally Posted by chrisny

I wish I could focus on the main point - cool tech aspects of this video - instead of the fact that those are 2 of the ugliest BMW designs ever.

It's ironic I guess, the new tech meant to enhance the user experience, both functionally and visually, was put into the ugliest outer package of both of their times.

C pillar design of iX is an unnecessary departure from the iconic Hofmeister kink. Wheel arches, side lines, and rear non-painted plastics are not my taste either. Hopefully, they'll get it right in the next iteration when I'll get ready to replace my 2021 😀

[760Lifan]

Nice...that's where my journey with BMW in the US began. We already owned BMWs in Germany but that one was the first US-model (although it was the face-lifted one). Just look at my user-name - LOL!

[Needsdecaf]

I can't believe someone in BMW marketing actually signed off on this video.

Let's have two of our products argue and insult one another, including the older one calling the newer one "marketing bullshit".

Seriously?

[SmartSaves]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

I can't believe someone in BMW marketing actually signed off on this video.

Let's have two of our products argue and insult one another, including the older one calling the newer one "marketing bullshit".

Seriously?

It is better than insulting competitors IMO.

[Mile muncher]

Always found it interesting how “i”Drive and iPod, iMac, iPhone, etc all use a lower case “i” followed by a word starting with a capital letter with no space in between. I’ve often wondered whether BMW copied Apple in this case. iDrive is software, after all.

[SmartSaves]

Originally Posted by Mile muncher

Always found it interesting how "i"Drive and iPod, iMac, iPhone, etc all use a lower case "i" followed by a word starting with a capital letter with no space in between. I've often wondered whether BMW copied Apple in this case. iDrive is software, after all.

I think it's the other way around. BMW demoed iDrive in 1999 before iPod was available. Letter i stands for intuitive in BMW speak.

[CaboM4]

Originally Posted by chrisny

I wish I could focus on the main point - cool tech aspects of this video - instead of the fact that those are 2 of the ugliest BMW vehicles ever.

It's ironic I guess, the new tech meant to enhance the user experience, both functionally and visually, was put into the ugliest outer package of both of their times.

close ... but the i3 of course takes the fugly crown for the i platform

[CaboM4]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

I can't believe someone in BMW marketing actually signed off on this video.

Let's have two of our products argue and insult one another, including the older one calling the newer one "marketing bullshit".

Seriously?

It made me chuckle!

[-Vanguard-]

This is one of the worst things ive ever seen in the internet.

[Stoshu]

i3 is better looking than the Chevy Bolt or the Nissan Leaf. Who told car manufacturers that Electric cars have to be ugly? GM had a pretty decent looking Volt which they canned and went all in on the box on wheels Bolt!

[chrisny]

Originally Posted by CaboM4

close ... but the i3 of course takes the fugly crown for the i platform

Ahh, selective memory. I forgot about that one.

[chrisny]

Originally Posted by SmartSaves

I think it's the other way around. BMW demoed iDrive in 1999 before iPod was available. Letter i stands for intuitive in BMW speak.

I believe the iDrive was developed with Apple. I always assumed that's why they used the i, but I never looked into it....

[chrisny]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

I can't believe someone in BMW marketing actually signed off on this video.

Let's have two of our products argue and insult one another, including the older one calling the newer one "marketing bullshit".

Seriously?

From a marketing perspective I agree. But it was somewhat funny, but only in an unexpected schtick kinda way.

[IFlyX5]

https://techcrunch.com/2021/01/11/bm...inment-system/

[thereef510]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

I can't believe someone in BMW marketing actually signed off on this video.

Let's have two of our products argue and insult one another, including the older one calling the newer one "marketing bullshit".

Seriously?

I subscribe to the BMW channel and their howto videos are very well produced. This was the tackiest, cheesiest thing I've seen. I got very excited to see what direction idrive was headed in but a minute into this video I had to click it off. So cringe.

[NightCrawler_]

Originally Posted by chrisny

I still love the simplicity and usefulness of the iDrive in the E70 X5. If I recall it was as improved from the one in the bangle butt 7 series and it was both praised (by those that got the point and didn't have trouble memorizing 4 simple things (up = radio, down = nav etc...) and criticized at the same time.

Others that followed got more praise for what I thought actually missed the point. Audi comes to mind. Such a busy interface with a million buttons still all over the dash and around the shifter. Yet theirs was seen as one of the best.

BMW has since brought back more buttons than I care for, but in large part because there are even more functions (ex. drive modes). Still the most intuitive from what I've seen of late.

I came from Audi and really enjoyed their MMI. I always expected I would get another Audi when the time came. Then they released their latest models, with what I considered to be a terrible interior design. I disliked the Art Deco piano black beam that shoots across the dash, but the worst for me was the number of screens. The lower screen ate up so much space, and was primarily only used for climate controls. I set my temp to 70, leave it on auto, and almost never touch the climate controls. I’ve found the current Idrive to be by far the best system I’ve ever used. There are enough buttons for things I regularly use such as the camera button for parking. Imagine if that was instead tucked into the IDrive menu and you had to hunt for it each time? The simple (when compared to its competiitors) interior was one of the largest reasons I made the jump to BMW and I’m glad I did. So far I’m extremely pleased.

[wtwo3]

BMW marketing seems to have been taken over by children. First the ridiculous G80/82 videos:

and now this. I'm not sure who they're trying to appeal to.

Nothing about this video was funny, it was absolutely bizarre and idiotic and cringeworthy.

BMW should partner up with Pennzoil to make videos that actually invoke positive emotion and not embarrassment