I like fast cars. I like sporty cars. I like cars that are fun to drive, but I don’t need every single car to be that way. Sometimes I want a car to be a big couch that’s just fast. Companies like here BMW And Mercedes Benz have lost their way a little in my opinion. I recently spent time with that BMW X1 M35i and the Mercedes AMG GLC43. A few years ago, both cars would have been regular, comfortable cruisers that happened to have a larger engine than the base model. However, now they are hard. They are rough. That’s them too sporty for their own good.
It’s a trend I’m seeing across many vehicle ranges from manufacturers that have a bespoke performance department. Base models are the only Mercedes and BMWs without M or littered with AMG emblems with punishing suspension tuning. It’s a real problem and I need to talk about it.
Full disclosure: Both BMW and Mercedes-Benz were kind enough to lend me these cars with a full tank so I could drive them whatever I wanted for a week.
Years ago, M and AMG badges were only reserved for the top sporty variant in one model line, but now anything even an inch above the base gets the treatment. I could handle a few badges and more aggressive styling. What bothers me is the fact that the suspension on these midsize cars is broken. It doesn’t take an AMG or M crossover without a full-fat engine to handle such a rough ride, even on smooth asphalt. There is no need for the engine tuning to be so aggressive either.
The problem is not that widespread here Mercedes Benz. Most of the time the automaker will offer two or three AMG versions of a given model along with one or two non-AMG models, so I guess there’s a little more wiggle room there, but BMW has gone completely out of control with their M bullshit. I looked at BMW’s entire product range – which consists of 947 different vehicles and variants – and every single one (except for this PHEV X5, 5 series And 7 series) all equipment, but the base model is branded M.
I’m not just talking about real M stuff like that M2, M3, X5 Metc., either. I’m talking about cars like this M340i. That should be it a normal, comfortable 3 Series It simply has a larger, more powerful engine. It doesn’t have to have rock-hard suspension or loud engine tuning. Where did I feel comfortable? German cruise missiles go? Not everything has to be a sports car with an aggressive design, zero suspension travel and rock-hard bucket seats.
BMW, I promise you would sell just as many if you softened this car and made it a regular 340i. I know it’s true because it has been that way in the past. Remember that E90 335i? Sure, it had a big 300 horsepower twin-turbo inline-six engine, which was wild for the time, but it still had a comfortable suspension and a non-aggressive design. I would like to come back to that. We need to make these cars great again, folks. That’s what we have to do.
I don’t think Mercedes-Benz is getting out of hand either. There is no reason for the GLC43 to be an AMG car. This simply doesn’t have to be the case. Keep the peppy little bit electrically charged 2.0 liter inline four engineSmooth out the hard edges of the exterior and lighten up the suspension and you get a much better car in my opinion. You could call it GLC450, a nomenclature that already existed. Sure, there’s a market for people who want a loud GLC AMG, but that’s what the GLC63 is for.
OK, good. Let’s say you’re a freak who wants the powerful engine and firm suspension of the GLC43. I’ll let it live. I’m just saying Mercedes Benz needs to build a refrigerated version of the car so it can run alongside. For me, cars are all about choice, and the ability to combine a big engine with a more relaxing driving experience is something worth having.
Sure, both the GLC43 and X1 M35i are good cars to drive. They can handle a corner just as well as any compact crossover out there, and their two-liter turbocharged engines pack plenty of power—416 and 312 horsepower, respectively—but none of that matters when it’s putting strain on your back with a jackhammer through your skull because the ride is so rough? I just don’t believe that. Secure, It’s great that the AMG’s engine is handcraftedbut we can still do that on non-AMG cars, right? Let’s also forget that putting these badges and sportier suspension settings on these cars makes them pretty darn expensive. The AMG I drove was $77,757 and the BMW was $58,595, both including destination. That’s a lot of money.
I know why this happened. Stupid car journalists like me complained that normal cars can’t corner very well when they don’t need to. The automakers saw what we were saying and decided to give us what “we” wanted. Well, friends, it’s time to go back. Nobody cares how fast a GLC43 or an X1 M35i can lap a racetrack. People care about how the car feels in the city and when overtaking on the highway. That’s the shit that really matters. They don’t care if the exhaust has one rippling melody or aggressive styling. You want the car to be comfortable enough to drive every day. It’s time to start a soft car revolution, people. I will be your leader. follow me a world full of more free time.
