What..someone put wood trim in a sports car..NO WAY!?

[GT3]

OK, OK, before you flame away, please know this thread is all in good spirits! :biggrin: I just want to hear people's opinions on this.

IMHO, one small issue I have with BMW is that they still offer wood trim in their sports cars. Wood is fine in a "luxury" 3, 5 or 7 series, but when it comes to the 1's, Z's and the M's - the more "hardcore" performance orientated models - I just don't get it.

IMHO, no modern sports car should have anything WOOD anywhere near it. Nope, none, nadda, nuttin', not even tooth picks in the glove box. I believe a sports car should be trimmed in aluminum, carbon fiber, billet, titanium, etc. Wood trim was fine in the old MGB's, Jag's and Aston's of old. But today you would not find wood in a new Ferrari, Lambo, or Porsche. Hell, even Jaguar - one of the old stalwarts of wood interiors - has removed it from their new XK sports cars.

With all that said, I have noticed many people on here are getting/ordering their new 1's with wood trims...

So, let's here all those opinions out there, do you agree or disagree, where do you stand? :smile:

[InsaneSkippy]

I agree with the idea of not having wooden trim in a sports car. However, I really like the wood trims offered for the 1 series. I'm not going to have it on my car, but I don't doubt it will look good.

[Tom K.]

Well, when the aluminum doesn't look great or isn't available (128i cabrio) and you don't care for the standard black trim, then wood is the answer. To put it another way, in spite of GT3's aesthetic pronouncements, that's why they make chocolate ice cream.
Tom

[jeremyc74]

I ordered the aluminium trim on mine, because I didn't think the wood fit the car's personality. I have to say though, some of the pics of the wood trimmed cars look damn good, and it might just work in this case.

[vivid]

I sort of agree with that but out of the four options only one it a true brown wood look.... We have gloss black, aluminum and gray poplar (not really standard brown wood wood trim)

[GT3]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

Well, when the aluminum doesn't look great

Tom,

Yeah I've heard varying reports of the quality, or there lack of, regarding the Glacier Aluminum trim. I myself, have not yet seen it in the flesh?

If it is as bad as some people are saying then I plan to replace it with a real aluminum kit or carbon fiber.

I love chocolate ice cream. :wink:

[hitthemark41]

I'd agree with that statement...but again...it all goes back to which interiors people are choosing. Obviously light burl wouldnt work as well in an all black interior...but to each their own! If it WASN'T available, some would be on here complaining "where's the wood trim option??" haha.... with that said, I went High Gloss Black (thought about the gray poplar, but I think the black works better with the shadowline trim and the overall personality of the car) :thumbup:

[Oregon]

Had I known the so-called gloss black trim actually sparkles I might have opted for the dark poplar(whatever it's called). Yep, the gloss black has little purple sparklies in it. Hmmm...

[happywalmartcustomer]

I don't think of the 1 series as a sports car so I'm fine with it. I will get the grey poplar with lemon when then I get around to ordering.

[Nice1]

I would've gotten aluminum but IMHO, BMW messed up by not offering brushed aluminum. The glacier was definitely not to my liking. The high gloss would probably be OK but I have yet to see it in person. That said, gray poplar to me was the nicest looking trim. If there was wood in a lot of places, I might have chosen a different trim. In the 1er, trim use is not overboard.

Ferrari and Porsche still offer wood trim and I have seen quite a few of them. The last I checked, the selection of trims for the XK is still predominantly wood.

[beeme]

I agree with the OP on this one. Even if you don't love glacier or high gloss that's no excuse to throw wood in a small sports coupe. Nothing against the wood, its just that for me it does not look right on the 1er. But again thats my opinion.

[GT3]

Originally Posted by Nice1

I would've gotten aluminum but IMHO, BMW messed up by not offering brushed aluminum. The glacier was definitely not to my liking.

Nice1, I agree. Brushed aluminum would have been perfect, and is probably what I will replace my Glacier aluminum trim with if I am not happy with it.

Ferrari and Porsche still offer wood trim and I have seen quite a few of them.

Yes they do but the percentage of cars with wood interiors is extremely small overall. As a Porsche owner I think I am a member at nearly every major Porsche forum, and 6speedonline, and I rarely see new Porsche's or Ferrari's with wood trim anymore. Porsche prefer to use leather and brushed aluminum, and Ferrari seems to favor as much Carbon Fiber as they can stuff inside them.

The last I checked, the selection of trims for the XK is still predominantly wood.

Then I stand corrected on that.

[GT3]

Originally Posted by happywalmartcustomer

I don't think of the 1 series as a sports car so I'm fine with it.

happy, take cover!:biggrin:

Classic car, what 993?

[N54 powered]

Originally Posted by Surname

Had I known the so-called gloss black trim actually sparkles I might have opted for the dark poplar(whatever it's called). Yep, the gloss black has little purple sparklies in it. Hmmm...

Wait... what? Are you serious? Do you have any pictures that show that? Damn, i was going to go with the gloss black but not if it sparkles. I wish they offered carbon fiber... or even the cabon fiber leather from the M3

[WhiteOne]

Alpine white...Savannah beige...Burl walnut
Would look very safisticated.(spelling?)
Alpine white...Black...Aluminum...
Would look very racy. JMHO

[Oregon]

Originally Posted by N54 powered

Wait... what? Are you serious? Do you have any pictures that show that? Damn, i was going to go with the gloss black but not if it sparkles. I wish they offered carbon fiber... or even the cabon fiber leather from the M3

Oh yes, it sparkles, make no mistake. The metallic flaky-bits are tiny, but, they are there, glaring, obvious, purple, in many different lighting circumstances. I was truly of the impression gloss black suggested piano black. :iono:As it turns out, BMW has another idea, apparently sparkly bits are better for you...Perhaps they intended for owners to strategically place little Feng-Shui pebbles about the car as well? BMW could have been a bit more forth-coming about many aspects of the car prior to selling the thing to us, but, they were not.

[buckwheat986]

nothing wrong with wood on the inside...it doesn't hurt performance one bit...

and it gives the interior a little class for when you want to impress the ladies...

to each his own

[AMR]

When they make a nice, quality and "warm" alternative to wood, I will order it. In the meantime, I continue to order wood on my cars, including M cars. Aluminum looks cheap and cold, I don't get the point with carbon fiber, and don't get me started on "carbon" leather.

[N54 powered]

Originally Posted by Surname

Oh yes, it sparkles, make no mistake. The metallic flaky-bits are tiny, but, they are there, glaring, obvious, purple, in many different lighting circumstances. I was truly of the impression gloss black suggested piano black. :iono:As it turns out, BMW has another idea, apparently sparkly bits are better for you...Perhaps they intended for owners to strategically place little Feng-Shui pebbles about the car as well? BMW could have been a bit more forth-coming about many aspects of the car prior to selling the thing to us, but, they were not.

haha nice write up!

Well that sucks... i guess i'm stuck with gray poplar then :iono:

Originally Posted by AMR

When they make a nice, quality and "warm" alternative to wood, I will order it. In the meantime, I continue to order wood on my cars, including M cars. Aluminum looks cheap and cold, I don't get the point with carbon fiber, and don't get me started on "carbon" leather.

Some people just like the look of carbon fiber... Hence the cf roof on the new M3(i know lower cog and all that jazz but its more bling than purpose) though i will agree with what your implying about carbon leather. When i first saw it on the M3 i thought it was tacky as hell. It has grown on me though, go figure.

[Oregon]

Grey poplar is a good way to go. Heck, it's almost black.:wink:

[corneredbeast]

You can see my interior choice below. Here's how I arrived:

Savanna Beige +
Walnut = √
Poplar = OK with Taupe but not the browner Savanna, IMHO
Glossy Sparkle = Better suited on, say, a SGM or BSM car
Aluminum = Wonder how much Bass Pro got for the consult?

Of course, I'm not a Real Driver™ - I did opt for the step instead of the stick. :biggrin:

[N54 powered]

Originally Posted by corneredbeast

Of course, I'm not a Real Driver™ - I did opt for the step instead of the stick. :biggrin:

Atleast you know your place! :wink: