Unless people have been living under a Martian rock for the past few decades or so, anyone familiar with the curious ways of the automotive industry knows a little about the Audi-BMW-Mercedes wars.
For example, just recently, the Bavarians decided to hit the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S SUV and GLE 63 S Coupe where it hurts – in the mild-hybrid V8 heart with the 2024 BMW X5 M and X6 M Competition SAV and SAC that feature a more powerful 617-hp MHEV powertrain and are also more expensive. Some might say that’s kind of a draw, but who are we to contest their supremacy?
Audi, on the other hand, continues to fly under everyone’s radar with its subtle and seemingly uninteresting designs (some might even say they are so boring it hurts), and the last time we heard anything new about them, it was when the Ingolstadt-based automaker updated the Q4 e-tron in the United States and teardown veteran Sandy Munro was disappointed by the more expensive and rebadged Volkswagen ID.4 crossover EV! As for Mercedes-Benz, they are so old that they can get away with about anything, of course.
Being the first among its premium automaker peers, one could say that Mercedes-Benz has also accumulated the most knowledge. But once you see their latest collaboration with puffer jacket expert Moncler, you probably will not believe anyone trying to ascertain the fact that the Stuttgart-based luxury carmaker is also the wisest of the bunch. Oh well, tradition, any sense of fashion, even common sense has gone down the drain as of late everywhere around the world – so why does the automotive industry have to be an exception?
Wait, do not answer that, I was just being rhetorical because now I want to (mostly) refocus your attention solely on BMW – and we all know the Bavarians, recently, have a way of doing most of their designs that trigger fight or flight reactions from most diehard fans running amok crying their outrage. Interestingly, the refreshed 2024 BMW X5 and X6, plus the newly introduced X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition are not that controversial. Some would even say the new, identical front ends of the high-performance SAV (sports activity vehicle) and SAC (sports activity coupe) are a step in the wrong, Audi-like commonness direction!
Photo: germanysfinest43 / Instagram
And there is no need to take our word for granted as this is the opinion of the host of the car news and renderings outlet “Germany’s Finest,” (aka germanysfinest43 on social media), who is going through a Bavarian phase in between Stuttgart-based CGI ideas and we’re all down for it. So, after new Mercedes-AMG E 63 S E Performance visions or updated 992-series Porsche 911 dreams, now it is time to give families a few CGI reasons to rejoice at the sight of a couple of hypothetical BMWs.
First, the 2024 BMW M3 high-performance moniker is not fit for the most recent, real-world M3 CS compact executive business like the Munich-based automaker would love it to be. Instead, the first-ever G91 BMW M3 Touring, which from the get-go combines the sporty feeling of the series with the practicality of a station wagon and M xDrive all-wheel drive, has now morphed into the cooler ‘Dakar Edition.’ The inspiration is pretty obvious – as in Porsche 911 Dakar and Lambo Huracan Sterrato vibes – but the off-road enhancements are now beyond the OEM call of duty.
Secondly, if you feel like a higher ground clearance, skid plates, bolt-on black plastic fender flares, lots of additional LEDs, and a big roof rack (plus, is that a red tow hook we CGI-see there?) is a bit too much, maybe the next-gen 2024 BMW M5 will feel a bit larger and more traditional. Only that this one is also a hypothetical G91 Touring station wagon – and my new family dream ride, to be honest. Plus, that fake cold start to “get a taste of the V8 hybrid exhaust sound” is also priceless, frankly!
Last, but not least, if one does not want or need a five-door BMW and just four seats plus a grand touring atmosphere will suffice, we also have a recent digital project stemming from the imagination of the pixel master tucked behind the superrenderscars moniker on social media. On this occasion, the CGI expert decided that the next-gen BMW M8 needs to follow suit with its flagship sports car status and adhere to the new split-headlight styling imposed by the recent BMW X7 LCI and new iterations of the BMW 7 Series, including the first-ever, fully electric i7.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News