[jon328i]

i like the X3!

[BiscottiGelato]

Originally Posted by SomeRandomer123

Excuse me? I'm not calling anybody "names" as I want, merely expressing my opinion on the London 2012 Olympic Games. I'm glad Vancouver still manage to utilise their stadium but I think an outlay of £9.3bn for some grunting athletes to push themselves in a new UK stadium is absolutely mental, criminal even, when we have so many other serious problems that need addressing such as poverty and homelessness - on which we spend >£20bn already per year. As mentioned by another poster, businesses are going to be hindered through even simple things like traffic on the road! London and the south will be in absolute meltdown. Then the oxbow lake special of pollution and "sustainable ecoism" - smog city!! I could go on!

As I said before. Vancouver had the same critics and opponents before the games took place. Stuff such as spending to be considered lavish, ineffective and money better spent else where. We also had business being completely distrupted (distruption is 50-60 blocks long!) at one of the main Vancouver corridors due to 3+ years of new Skytrain construction prior to the games. Distrupting traffic and parking to these businesses for the entire duration. Downtown Vancouver along with the Ski to Sky highway (the only highway to Whistler) was blocked off to permit holders only during the games!!!

These voices largely went away after the games. Tourism and marketing for the city generated great positive feedback. Bar/pub businesses was largely well compensated for as people flooded downtown despite closure to private vehicles. Public transit usage was up ever since due to the traffic closure and the passenger volume experienced during the games. Even Whistler turned out with profit despite main highway access being largely closed off to anyone but Olympic officials, athletes, anyone who've paid $2k a night for Whistler accomodations or $1k for a ticket to watch some event.

Obviously it's because the rare successful execution (budget, time, logistics, and maybe Gold medal-wise) and the great atmosphere that ended up prevailing by the end of the game. But you never know whether it a general success or failure until it's all over.

[Theride]

That yellow paint looks incredible on that 3 series.

[e85sbm]

Originally Posted by BiscottiGelato

Call us names all you want. We said the exact same things before going into the 2010 Winter Olympics that took place in Vancouver. It ended up to be great, and the consensus after the games is that it was money worth spending. The infrastructure built for the games (new Skytrain line, Vancovuer <-> Whistler highway upgrade, Olympic speed skating oval converted multi purpose facility) have all been well used afterwards.

From wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Winter_Olympics

Yes, Canada have hosted epic failed Olympics before (Calgary, Montreal). So it can be good and it can be bad. It's all on the execution.

Funny that you mention Calgary Olympics was a flop.

It was actually rated as one of the best Olympics in years and the facilities are now seeing a decline in usage due to the much newer infrastructure built less than 700 miles away in Vancouver.


Sorry for the tangent!!!!

Back on topic........... Congrats to BMW for stepping up and being such an integral part of an amazing global event such as the Olympics. They should reap some benefits from the added publicity and visibility on their great product (both BMW and MINI)

[Stupenal]

interestingly enough, saw the 1 series ActiveE (complete with body decals) in Manhattan Beach, CA the other night.

[SomeRandomer123]

Originally Posted by BiscottiGelato

As I said before. Vancouver had the same critics and opponents before the games took place. Stuff such as spending to be considered lavish, ineffective and money better spent else where. We also had business being completely distrupted (distruption is 50-60 blocks long!) at one of the main Vancouver corridors due to 3+ years of new Skytrain construction prior to the games. Distrupting traffic and parking to these businesses for the entire duration. Downtown Vancouver along with the Ski to Sky highway (the only highway to Whistler) was blocked off to permit holders only during the games!!!

These voices largely went away after the games. Tourism and marketing for the city generated great positive feedback. Bar/pub businesses was largely well compensated for as people flooded downtown despite closure to private vehicles. Public transit usage was up ever since due to the traffic closure and the passenger volume experienced during the games. Even Whistler turned out with profit despite main highway access being largely closed off to anyone but Olympic officials, athletes, anyone who've paid $2k a night for Whistler accomodations or $1k for a ticket to watch some event.

Obviously it's because the rare successful execution (budget, time, logistics, and maybe Gold medal-wise) and the great atmosphere that ended up prevailing by the end of the game. But you never know whether it a general success or failure until it's all over.

Well, fingers crossed then!

[BiscottiGelato]

Originally Posted by e85sbm

Funny that you mention Calgary Olympics was a flop.

It was actually rated as one of the best Olympics in years and the facilities are now seeing a decline in usage due to the much newer infrastructure built less than 700 miles away in Vancouver.


Sorry for the tangent!!!!

Back on topic........... Congrats to BMW for stepping up and being such an integral part of an amazing global event such as the Olympics. They should reap some benefits from the added publicity and visibility on their great product (both BMW and MINI)

My bad. I was a toddler in 1988. I read the wiki on it. Seems to be a pretty good Olympic from a financial and operational perspective. 0 Gold medal tho... ouch.

I am sure London would've learned a lot from the totally extravagant Beijing Olympics (who managed to clean the air up before the game... nuts), the reasonably budgeted one in Vancouver with IOC commenting as some of the best atmosphered Olympic game ever (who managed to fill snow back up Cypress mountain despite low snow pack and above 0 temperature). It doesn't have to be a Montreal every time.

[BiscottiGelato]

Originally Posted by SomeRandomer123

Well, fingers crossed then!

Hope you'd end up enjoying the games.

[PJPHughes]

If only we could get the 320d in the US....Efficient Dynamics version or regular....are US BMW drivers really not interested in a 54mpg (US) car? Sign me up today.

[shvydkist]

Originally Posted by Stronie's BMW

Hey North America / World. Notice the MPGs and use of Diesel Vehicles.

BRING THEM HERE !!!

Yeah I was wondering if these are IMP MPG though. I had a look on the co.uk website and it looks like that's the case, with the 320d ED translating to 57.3 US MPG. ...still a 7 MPG gain on the useless and most likely more polluting Prius.

The funny thing is, according to the co.uk website it's more popular to display COMBINED MPG which is what the 68.9 IMP MPG is. Highway on this car registers a whopping 78.5 IMP MPG translating to 65.3 US MPG.

Now I'm sure the car is sort of slow compared to our 335s, M3s and 550s but as most others have said, sign me the F* up! Think of it this way, if you did less than a thousand miles a month (mostly highway), you'd fill up once a moon cycle.

I guess, for me, today it's bummerpost.com.

[MisterSkiMask]

Originally Posted by PJPHughes

If only we could get the 320d in the US....Efficient Dynamics version or regular....are US BMW drivers really not interested in a 54mpg (US) car? Sign me up today.

seriously, that would be a great commuter! Bring it!!!

[GOLFFRR]

pretty cool. I love the mini

[tastelikechicken]

lol BMW Bike

[SomeRandomer123]

Originally Posted by BiscottiGelato

Hope you'd end up enjoying the games.

I do too, I hope I'm proven wrong!

[MDaniel]

2722 vehicles!!!!
I think thats to much cars! After the event, who are going to buy those cars? I don't know but, BMW will have trouble getting rid of all cars. I hope not!