RE: Spotted: BMW 550i manual
Discussion
Hellbound said:
Exactly. It's just a 'feeling' owners have. It's fantasy. Nobody really cares if you're driving an S5 or RS5 or A5 TDI. In the real world nobody gives a crap, beyond a passing thought. But maybe it's that split second passing thought that bothers you? It taps into some deep rooted insecurity perhaps?
I guess it's some sort of child like delight in feeling like you're undercover. Until of course you put your foot down and the lard ass in the Golf you'd been teasing for 10 miles is slightly surprised by your pace as you waft further up the road.
I know I know, someone's going to come along and say I'm an idiot because they don't want their customers/clients/colleagues noticing their car, etc etc.
I do like the E60 5 series. And this is a moderately quick car. But it doesn't have the M suspension geometry or any of the other specialness. It's quick but without the drama.
Have we been reduced to that? Quick executive cars that are borderline sensible? Not very Pistonheads-y.
Anyway. I'm waffling on because it's my morning off. Ignore the brain farts!
Serious question - How much power can you get out of a 550i? I'm thinking remap, exhaust etc etc?
My old E55 AMG was the ultimate Q car. Even with the quad exhausts, people wouldn't expect it to be anything more than a bit quick. When I got it, the badges had been removed, which made it look just like a normal E Class sports.I guess it's some sort of child like delight in feeling like you're undercover. Until of course you put your foot down and the lard ass in the Golf you'd been teasing for 10 miles is slightly surprised by your pace as you waft further up the road.
I know I know, someone's going to come along and say I'm an idiot because they don't want their customers/clients/colleagues noticing their car, etc etc.
I do like the E60 5 series. And this is a moderately quick car. But it doesn't have the M suspension geometry or any of the other specialness. It's quick but without the drama.
Have we been reduced to that? Quick executive cars that are borderline sensible? Not very Pistonheads-y.
Anyway. I'm waffling on because it's my morning off. Ignore the brain farts!
Serious question - How much power can you get out of a 550i? I'm thinking remap, exhaust etc etc?
I surprised the s
t out of a C4S and 360 - now that was fun!Hellbound said:
Exactly. It's just a 'feeling' owners have. It's fantasy. Nobody really cares if you're driving an S5 or RS5 or A5 TDI. In the real world nobody gives a crap, beyond a passing thought. But maybe it's that split second passing thought that bothers you? It taps into some deep rooted insecurity perhaps?
I guess it's some sort of child like delight in feeling like you're undercover. Until of course you put your foot down and the lard ass in the Golf you'd been teasing for 10 miles is slightly surprised by your pace as you waft further up the road.
I know I know, someone's going to come along and say I'm an idiot because they don't want their customers/clients/colleagues noticing their car, etc etc.
I do like the E60 5 series. And this is a moderately quick car. But it doesn't have the M suspension geometry or any of the other specialness. It's quick but without the drama.
Have we been reduced to that? Quick executive cars that are borderline sensible? Not very Pistonheads-y.
Anyway. I'm waffling on because it's my morning off. Ignore the brain farts!
Serious question - How much power can you get out of a 550i? I'm thinking remap, exhaust etc etc?
I've been speaking to Simon at E-Maps, they claim a re-map will take the bhp from 362 to 387 and the torque will go from 490nm to 520nm. Haven't looked into what a new exhaust would provide yet.I guess it's some sort of child like delight in feeling like you're undercover. Until of course you put your foot down and the lard ass in the Golf you'd been teasing for 10 miles is slightly surprised by your pace as you waft further up the road.
I know I know, someone's going to come along and say I'm an idiot because they don't want their customers/clients/colleagues noticing their car, etc etc.
I do like the E60 5 series. And this is a moderately quick car. But it doesn't have the M suspension geometry or any of the other specialness. It's quick but without the drama.
Have we been reduced to that? Quick executive cars that are borderline sensible? Not very Pistonheads-y.
Anyway. I'm waffling on because it's my morning off. Ignore the brain farts!
Serious question - How much power can you get out of a 550i? I'm thinking remap, exhaust etc etc?
Kawasicki said:
PH lurker said:
Kawasicki said:
The main benefit of a Q-car is the ability to blend in, especially useful when enjoying country roads.
But how often do you feel the need to be more inconspicuous than say, an MX-5, M5, or Cayman etc.? I like the thought of a comfortable but fast car and I am a fan of understated cars yet I can't see many times when it would be much better to go for a spin in a 550 than an M5 etc.
Okay, just had a quick look at the Alpina section...
If it wasn't your daily driver, remembering the manual box isn't the last word in sportiness, which would you go for?
Or...
Engine power (BHP): 500 (Supercharged V8)
Torque (lbs/ft): 700 (!!)
Top speed (MPH): 196
Acceleration: 0 to 62 in 4.7 seconds.
If it wasn't your daily driver, remembering the manual box isn't the last word in sportiness, which would you go for?
Or...
Engine power (BHP): 500 (Supercharged V8)
Torque (lbs/ft): 700 (!!)
Top speed (MPH): 196
Acceleration: 0 to 62 in 4.7 seconds.
anything fast said:
GranCab said:
PH lurker said:
Way better Q car.http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/msn/CARS_popup.js...
both nice cars, love the black and gold combo on the T/A but comparisons with a BMW 550 is like chalk and cheese
When it comes to Q-cars I do think they have a place. I used to have a range of cars to choose from and always went for the plainest version (with the highest performance) I could.
On the one occasion I had to take the flashest and most pointless car into London, needless to say I got pulled by two cops who asked if I was aware it was foggy, in some vain attempt to make it seem that they weren't just checking out the driver of this foul visual monstrosity, assuming I had a bag of something in the boot no doubt. They looked a bit shocked when it came back as registered to a press fleet!!
Couldn't wait to get back into my plain and old fashioned trundle mobile and drive quickly again.
In the same vain - with the latest Mini we went with a flasher paint job, and the change in attitude from other drivers has been most noticeable from the plain black car it replaced.
On the one occasion I had to take the flashest and most pointless car into London, needless to say I got pulled by two cops who asked if I was aware it was foggy, in some vain attempt to make it seem that they weren't just checking out the driver of this foul visual monstrosity, assuming I had a bag of something in the boot no doubt. They looked a bit shocked when it came back as registered to a press fleet!!
Couldn't wait to get back into my plain and old fashioned trundle mobile and drive quickly again.
In the same vain - with the latest Mini we went with a flasher paint job, and the change in attitude from other drivers has been most noticeable from the plain black car it replaced.
VeeTEC said:
anything fast said:
GranCab said:
PH lurker said:
Way better Q car.http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/msn/CARS_popup.js...
both nice cars, love the black and gold combo on the T/A but comparisons with a BMW 550 is like chalk and cheese
Just liked CampDavid mentrioned earlier, post up a pic of a 300C and he'll defend it all day long!
I'd have this* (colour-excepted) over an E60 M5 for two very good reasons:-
1) The manual gearbox.
But more importantly
2) The ride quality. If you've got a big 4-door car, then the chances are you've either got kids or regularly ferry adults around. Either way, why would you want a car with as little apparent suspension as the modern M-cars (and Audi S/RS, Merc AMG etc...)? Sure you'll sacrifice a little "ultimate handling" by fitting softer springs and dampers, but in that sort of car how often are you going to go to the 'ring, or to a trackday?!?
...and if the owner of this one will knock £4k off the asking price, I'll come and see him at the weekend! Currently looking for a 4-door family car with some pace...
1) The manual gearbox.
But more importantly
2) The ride quality. If you've got a big 4-door car, then the chances are you've either got kids or regularly ferry adults around. Either way, why would you want a car with as little apparent suspension as the modern M-cars (and Audi S/RS, Merc AMG etc...)? Sure you'll sacrifice a little "ultimate handling" by fitting softer springs and dampers, but in that sort of car how often are you going to go to the 'ring, or to a trackday?!?
...and if the owner of this one will knock £4k off the asking price, I'll come and see him at the weekend! Currently looking for a 4-door family car with some pace...
CampDavid said:
Matt Bird said:
Bencolem said:
I have an SE spec V8 manual as well - but mine's an E61 touring! Albeit a couple of year's older and with 50,000 rather than 40,000 miles, I got offered £6,500 as a p/ex against a 911 recently. So a). £20k is rather ambitious and b). I'd buy my car for £6,500 in a flash so needless to say I've still got it.
Manual isn't the greatest box ever (quite a long throw) but at the end of the day you are at least in complete control and its by no means obstructive. You'd be surprised how much you need to rev these things to get them really moving - an auto would be permaently lolloping around in the highest gear possible so would genuinely disguise the performance.
Oh and mine is de-badged of course.
Ouch! Does make the Individual one look very pricey. Any pics?Manual isn't the greatest box ever (quite a long throw) but at the end of the day you are at least in complete control and its by no means obstructive. You'd be surprised how much you need to rev these things to get them really moving - an auto would be permaently lolloping around in the highest gear possible so would genuinely disguise the performance.
Oh and mine is de-badged of course.
This one is a really nicely spec'd car but it will depreciate at a hell of a rate
I may be wrong...
havoc said:
I'd have this* (colour-excepted) over an E60 M5 for two very good reasons:-
1) The manual gearbox.
But more importantly
2) The ride quality. If you've got a big 4-door car, then the chances are you've either got kids or regularly ferry adults around. Either way, why would you want a car with as little apparent suspension as the modern M-cars (and Audi S/RS, Merc AMG etc...)? Sure you'll sacrifice a little "ultimate handling" by fitting softer springs and dampers, but in that sort of car how often are you going to go to the 'ring, or to a trackday?!?
...and if the owner of this one will knock £4k off the asking price, I'll come and see him at the weekend! Currently looking for a 4-door family car with some pace...
Honestly, I'd call him. £16k is a low offer but the realistic market for this is low, you may be able to work something out. For me, the appeal of this is utterly seperate to the M5, they're completely different cars.1) The manual gearbox.
But more importantly
2) The ride quality. If you've got a big 4-door car, then the chances are you've either got kids or regularly ferry adults around. Either way, why would you want a car with as little apparent suspension as the modern M-cars (and Audi S/RS, Merc AMG etc...)? Sure you'll sacrifice a little "ultimate handling" by fitting softer springs and dampers, but in that sort of car how often are you going to go to the 'ring, or to a trackday?!?
...and if the owner of this one will knock £4k off the asking price, I'll come and see him at the weekend! Currently looking for a 4-door family car with some pace...
I am not really modern a BMW fan, but I'd have this.
Offbeat, rare, understated, luxurious. The whole point is it isn't an MCar, it is bloody fast by most people's standards and would suit the right owner down to the ground.
I like the colour and the interior. As said above, it'll be worth 5k in not very long.
Offbeat, rare, understated, luxurious. The whole point is it isn't an MCar, it is bloody fast by most people's standards and would suit the right owner down to the ground.
I like the colour and the interior. As said above, it'll be worth 5k in not very long.
Of course this is just my opinion, but, I can't understand why you'd get a manual box on a car like this. It would still waft past sportier looking cars with an auto box. Getting your butler to quickly shift through the gears to overtake a Boxster would look faintly ridiculous, however, getting him to just step on it ('it' being the hyper-space button) with an auto would be more humiliating for the Porsche owner. All down to the effortlessness and comfort of the overtake in a Q car IMO.
Having said that, I would go for the XFS alternative given in the article if I had the choice between those two. But if I could choose anything for 20k, it'd be an '03ish aluminium bodied XJR and the change!
Having said that, I would go for the XFS alternative given in the article if I had the choice between those two. But if I could choose anything for 20k, it'd be an '03ish aluminium bodied XJR and the change!
P4ROT said:
Amazing- I bet it wasn't easy even persuading them to allow a manual spec....
Interestingly, SC08ZHP was a cancelled customer order after the BMW dealer (Harry Fairbairn) specced it thinking the 550i was auto only. Therefore no automatic gearbox option was ticked, and it arrived as a manual.The customer didn't want a manual one, cancelled the order, and a lot of money was lost reducing this to a price they could find a buyer for it at.
pSyCoSiS said:
I think this a naturally aspirated 4.8 litre V8 with 367 bhp? Not twin turbo?
I may be wrong...
You're right, same engine as in my 650I may be wrong...
Smooth as silk with the auto box, they're a good match to be honest. IIRC when Clarkson reviewed the 650 convertible he mentioned the manual box wasn't up to much, and I imagine this 5 series would be the same. Not that I take everything Clarkson says as gospel
Overpriced this 5 series too
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