ISUK,
Which editions of Autocar were your letters in? I have subscribed to Autocar for years but don't necessarily agree with their views. My 12 year old son subscribes to Top Gear and have just seen report on RR sport. I think it looks fantastic in white but maybe that's due to blue sky and orange desert in Dubai. I would love to see an E60 sport in white but guess it would be a residual disaster in UK.
If you go for 535d I personally would go for Le Mans blue for M5 look and champagne interior.Have you posted pics of your 911 or E90 yet?
Mark

 

Mark,

My letters were in a couple of years ago I think. I used to buy the magazine every week but became a bit disillusioned with it. I just don't like the journalists who write for it nowadays and don't have time for their views. They recently stated that the new 3 lacks rear headroom. I'm 6'1" and have loads of room in the rear. They also said that because the rear seat squab had rounded corners it robbed usable space. The corners are radiused but only by a few centimetres which makes absolutely no difference to comfort for rear seat occupants. They really do write a load of b*ll*cks IMHO. Maybe I'm out of step with the "younger" generation (I'm only about 6 or 7 years older than most of their writers) but they seem more interested in GT4 for the Playstation and track performance than they do in objective assessment of real world driving capabilities.

I haven't taken pics of either car as yet. If it's a good day tomorrow I will sort some out. I like the Le mans blue with cream beige on the X5 4.8iS which is what made me think of it on the 535d. I'm just not sure about blue on a 5 though. I think it works on the X5 as it has visual relief in the form of the black plastic wheel arches, bumper sections and aluminium running board. On the E60 it will just be a solid mass of blue.

On another note we collected the other E90 320d in Sparkling Graphite with Tera leather, Burr Walnut trim and privacy glass today. It looks fantastic. I wish they offered the E60 in this colour combination as I think it would look stunning on that car.

 

ISUK,

BTW what about the wood trim for 535D? How do you like the new light poplar?

 

Igor,

I like the look of the new light poplar option. I was thinking it may look good with the Caramel leather. However, I am so impressed with my E90 320d (see my post in the other BMW section) that I'm thinking of waiting to see the new 335d Sport which is due to be launched in September. I just can't make my mind up which way to go just now

 

[quote name='ISUK' date='Apr 9 2005, 11:06 AM']
Igor,

I like the look of the new light poplar option. I was thinking it may look good with the Caramel leather.
^^^^^^^^^^
Exactly my thought.

Otherwise what do you think of excusive amethiste leather? If you like the color and do not need active seat ventilation I think FJPM in Paris got it together with leather central
armrest.

 

Have to say that I'm not keen on amethyst. It's not a distinctive colour to my eyes and looks a little washed out. I'd prefer to go Caramel, polar, or champagne.