RE: Driven: BMW M550d xDrive

RE: Driven: BMW M550d xDrive

Author
Discussion

ArosaMike

4,192 posts

210 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
As I said on the original topic, to me it just seems like a 535d with more power and an M Sport bodykit. Undoubtably very capable, but distinctly not an M car. I'm not really sure why they've marketed it so heavily under the M brand. It's clearly not an out and out performance saloon....it's a very, very capable every day mile muncher.

Still, it continues the march of technology, and I'm sure to many it will be a very capable day to day family car. If it was my money though, I'd just accept the 10mpg worse fuel consumption and buy the real M car instead!

Not convinced we're missing out on this one!

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
E38Ross said:
But then you're saying why make an m5 when a 520d is just as good on the motorway

I'm sure you've never gone above 70 rolleyes
You completely misinterpret what I said. The 520d probably is as good on the motorway as the M5 (better in some ways), but the M5 is a much more capable car in other environments. This article implies that the 550d is not.

Of course I've driven above 70, but not above 100 and lets face it, the standard 5-series is hardly lacking in aerodynamic stability at 100mph.

PascalBuyens

Original Poster:

2,868 posts

281 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
Garlick said:
You did read this part didn't you?

BMW M550d xDrive
Engine: 2,993cc 6-cyl diesel, tri-turbo
Transmission: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 381@4,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 546@2,000rpm
0-62mph: 4.7 sec
Top speed: 155mph (limited)
Weight: 1,970kg (EU)
MPG: 44.8mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 165g/km
Price: N/A

Quite possibly the best real world useable car you can can't buy today
Yep, did read.

M + d = a disgrace to the M-brand, IMHO, as well as the addition of the xDrive. A proper M-car is RWD, and comes with a manual gearbox equipped. Call me old school but that's me...

As for being the "best real world usable"... My "old" E60 525d maintenance costs for 18 months and 130k miles ran in the high 20k Euros... I dare to think what it will cost if something goes wrong on that engine.

BTW: I live in Belgium, so if I wanted, I could buy one. But I'll gladly pass because of the blandness...

Edited by PascalBuyens on Tuesday 28th February 12:24

Devil2575

13,400 posts

187 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
PascalBuyens said:
IMHO, as well as the addition of the xDrive. A proper M-car is RWD, and comes with a manual gearbox equipped. Call me old school but that's me...
As BMW make them, surely they decide what makes a proper M car? wink

margerison

729 posts

249 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
Guvernator said:
The twin turbo diesels are unreliable enough as it is
Are they?

Darkk

193 posts

188 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
margerison said:
Guvernator said:
The twin turbo diesels are unreliable enough as it is
Are they?
I'm quite surprised with this one.

I've seen quite a few, some heavily remapped, and as reliable as they come!

0a

23,879 posts

193 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
PascalBuyens said:
My "old" E60 525d maintenance costs for 18 months and 130k miles ran in the high 20k Euros...
130k miles in 18 months!!! Ouch!

Dave Hedgehog

14,541 posts

203 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
pointless car in my mind

Wills2

22,669 posts

174 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
I really love the thought of this car, the perfect all weather motorway mile muncher.

I really don't understand why people get vexed on the issue of the "M" badge (although I would remove it if I had one) it's presence rightly or wrongly on the car doesn't change the fact that it is a very capable car, from what I've read.

I have a 911 and a 520d (f10) one for the motorway and one for the weekend, but I hate the 520d's lack of go even on the motorway so much that I'm looking for a one car solution, this if it came to the UK would be it.

Would I prefer the M5 for my one car solution? Of course but the cost of fueling it over 30k per annum would be a show stopper. (I must be getting old) frown

sleep envy

62,260 posts

248 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
PascalBuyens said:
BTW: I live in Belgium, so if I wanted, I could buy one. But I'll gladly pass because of the blandness...

Edited by PascalBuyens on Tuesday 28th February 12:24
have you driven one yet?

Ranger 6

7,042 posts

248 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
toppstuff said:
Dear BMW

Before you brief your engineers to go and design stuff, management should get their minds around the idea that RHD markets like 4WD for the same reason the German market does.
Audi are making you look like idiots. They can engineer both RHD and LHD 4WD platforms and make money from them. So should you.

It is'nt good enough. Sort it out.

Yours Faithfully,

TS

This - and not just triple turbo 5 series, we want a RHD 330xd Touring NOW

roadie

593 posts

261 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
I don't get why it's getting so much attention and reviews in the UK when you won't be able to buy it?

Guvernator

13,104 posts

164 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
Darkk said:
margerison said:
Guvernator said:
The twin turbo diesels are unreliable enough as it is
Are they?
I'm quite surprised with this one.

I've seen quite a few, some heavily remapped, and as reliable as they come!
I suggest you type in BMW turbo diesel failure into Google! I don't have personal experience myself and I know the internet can sometimes be full of scare stories but I have heard and read enough evidence to suggest it might be quite a big issue. I'd suggest adding more complication to an already fairly complicated setup might not help.

Then again I went and bought a 335i twin turbo which also has it's fair share of reliability horror stories so I must be a glutton for punishment. biggrin

PS. If as according to PH, a remapped 335d can beat any and all contenders, I wonder what this baby could do with a remap? I suspect stopping the planet from turning might be involved biggrin

enneffo

24 posts

145 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
Shame there's no pictures in the 'tech info' frown. Written by marketing I'd say - 'forceful and sustained thrust' and turbocharger 'announcing their arrival' doesn't sound like engineer-speak to me...

Wills2

22,669 posts

174 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
enneffo said:
Shame there's no pictures in the 'tech info' frown. Written by marketing I'd say - 'forceful and sustained thrust' and turbocharger 'announcing their arrival' doesn't sound like engineer-speak to me...
Were you expecting a series of equations?

Big Six

37 posts

146 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
There can never be a RHD version because the first CAT is right where the steering shaft would be.

http://youtu.be/S5WSlL_qTS8

Gorbyrev

1,160 posts

153 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
Hmm - "Monkey's Breakfast Sausage" - there's the title of a features column!

loomx

327 posts

224 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
StottyZr said:
I see a pattern here, the 335d was almost as quick as the E46 M3.

So the next generation of diesels should be F10 M5 quick scratchchin
The next, next would be like the F10, the next would be E60... Still they can make a diesel sound like the E60 then I am there! preferably not with the audio system!

RichTBiscuit

430 posts

150 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
So it appears to have very similar fuel consumption (in the real world)to a 550i or only 10mpg more than a M5....

Err - there's no question is there? if it's your own money you'd have a 550i or an M5, surely.

If you do big miles or it's a company car, only then does the 550d makes sense to me.

whitevancam

34 posts

195 months

Tuesday 28th February 2012
quotequote all
I think this is great but......

Ignoring that it won't come to the UK rumours are that it will be more than £60k.

My money would go on a 20k miles RS6 V10 avant with a remap, 200mph, four wheel drive huge boot and fairly discrete.

This would be around £40k and the £20-30k spare cash would go a long way towards the 15mpg difference, even my basic maths not taking into account that the new car wouldd do some serious depreciating in the first year says you would have to do over 80,000 miles before the diesel would start to pay.