RE: BMW M550i: Driven

[aaron_2000]

kambites said:

Whilst I agree that the review isn't really fair and that it's silly celebrate a lack of choice in the UK, it has to be said that BMW were asking for this sort of review when they started putting M badges on normal BMWs with big engines.

They've been doing that for decades? E28 M535i springs to mind, the model between the 535i and the M5 at the time.

[Kenny Powers]

Strikes me as slightly odd to neatly explain the purpose of a car, and then complain about it fitting that purpose perfectly.

[Sten.]

Agent XXX on holiday? Disappointed. Without his unbiased and beautifully written review I find it difficult to form an opinion on BMWs.

[Ares]

mainaman said:

Ares said:

I've driven a 530d and a M550i. The M550i is more than just an engine upgrade.

Well,i am sure they have done some tweaks,but apparently it is a lot closer to a 520i than a M5.M for marketing,indeed,should have been called 550i.

Did you find it much more special than the 530d(M sport?)?What does it do that the latter doesnt,appart from the straight line speed(and the diesel is not exactly slow).

Edited by mainaman on Friday 29th September 04:47

You can use 'apparently' all you like, until you drive it, you are basing assumptions on others people reports of their own bias and opinion.... but there is no surprise that the 550 is closer to the 530 than the M5.... It's not an 'M', isn't trying to be an 'M' any more than the Audi S is trying to be an RS.

Negasting the fact that for many, the extra pace is a clincher, the M550i rides better, has better steering feel, better grip/turn-in, better traction (AWD), has a better/more optimised gearbox, better road poise, better kit/materials. You feel more as if you sit in it that on it. It is a more focussed option for an everyday car.

[Kawasicki]

mainaman said:

Well,i am sure they have done some tweaks,but apparently it is a lot closer to a 520i than a M5.

Where is that apparent?

[kambites]

aaron_2000 said:

kambites said:

Whilst I agree that the review isn't really fair and that it's silly celebrate a lack of choice in the UK, it has to be said that BMW were asking for this sort of review when they started putting M badges on normal BMWs with big engines.

They've been doing that for decades? E28 M535i springs to mind, the model between the 535i and the M5 at the time.

I'm not a BMW expert so I might be wrong, but I was under the impression that the M535i wasn't just a bog standard 5-series with a bit more power. I thought it had significant chassis/suspension/interior modifications as well?

Whereas this appears(?) to be just a normal 5-series which happens to have a big engine. Which doesn't make it a bad car, of course. Far from it.

Edited by kambites on Friday 29th September 09:33

[Kawasicki]

kambites said:

aaron_2000 said:

kambites said:

Whilst I agree that the review isn't really fair and that it's silly celebrate a lack of choice in the UK, it has to be said that BMW were asking for this sort of review when they started putting M badges on normal BMWs with big engines.

They've been doing that for decades? E28 M535i springs to mind, the model between the 535i and the M5 at the time.

I'm not a BMW expert so I might be wrong, but I was under the impression that the M535i wasn't just a bog standard 5-series with a bit more power. I thought it had significant chassis/suspension/interior modifications as well?

Whereas this appears(?) to be just a normal 5-series which happens to have a big engine. Which doesn't make it a bad car, of course. Far from it.

Edited by kambites on Friday 29th September 09:33

The m535i didn't even have more power than a 535i

LSD, body kit, different springs and dampers, sport seats and steering wheel....that was pretty much it.

It is fun to drive, like a weaker M5 with more body roll.

[mainaman]

Kawasicki said:

Where is that apparent?

In the post before yours,where it was compared with the 530d,as well in the review itself.

An everyday road car with some fettling,which is closer to a M Sport than a full on M car?

This doesnt make it a dud,but is it a great driver's car?The comments suggests it doesnt need to be.I know that the Giulia QF is from the class below,but i cant imagine a true petrolhed from Europe choosing the M550i over the Alfa or a M3 CP.

[The Surveyor]

Roma101 said:

The Surveyor said:

Not really bothered about the M550i, but it is refreshing to read an article which isn't just pointless praise. Nice to see a journalists having the courage of their conviction to say they don't like it.

Their subjectivity goes too far in this article though.

too subjective ?

My point was that we are all too used to journalists sucking up the PR waffle from the manufacturers and regurgitating it as their own praise, often to avoid upsetting the manufacturer to ensure they get invited to the next launch. Nice to read something which at lease sounds honest for a change.

[DanG355]

It says a lot about the direction BMW has gone in that I don't "feel" the last few generations.
When the E46 M3 and E39 M5 were new I loved them and still do. Sports versions of the earlier models like E36's, E30's, E34's all still have a great appeal.
Although modern cars in general are much different to those, I still have huge want for a Cayman GT4 or 911 GT3 so modern cars can still do it for me.

BMW could resurrect the 2002 name in a basic, 2 litre turbo manual coupe/2 door saloon with about 250-300 BHP, weighing circa 1300KG and make a limited number to keep the desirability factor up. Keep it basic like a Club Sport to keep costs down and sell it for circa £30k as a pure drivers car. If only...

[kambites]

Kawasicki said:

LSD, body kit, different springs and dampers, sport seats and steering wheel....that was pretty much it.

I suppose that for me is what makes it more worthy of the badge. For me M-cars have always been more about suspension setup than engine power.

[ZX10R NIN]

Kawasicki said:

The m535i didn't even have more power than a 535i

LSD, body kit, different springs and dampers, sport seats and steering wheel....that was pretty much it.

It is fun to drive, like a weaker M5 with more body roll.

That's quite a bit & could if done correctly transform (just look at Alpina) a car's behaviour & how you feel behind the wheel when driving it.

[Ares]

Kawasicki said:

mainaman said:

Well,i am sure they have done some tweaks,but apparently it is a lot closer to a 520i than a M5.

Where is that apparent?

In his Trump-esque biased world.

[Ares]

mainaman said:

Kawasicki said:

Where is that apparent?

In the post before yours,where it was compared with the 530d,as well in the review itself.

An everyday road car with some fettling,which is closer to a M Sport than a full on M car?

This doesnt make it a dud,but is it a great driver's car?The comments suggests it doesnt need to be.I know that the Giulia QF is from the class below,but i cant imagine a true petrolhed from Europe choosing the M550i over the Alfa or a M3 CP.

Thats my post, and it isn't apparent. It is closer to a 530d M-Sport that an M5, IMO, having driven both. But it isn't closer to a 520i.

And the M550i isn't targeting the same market as an Alfa QV or M3?

[Kawasicki]

E28
520i Slow, Gigantic roll
535i Moderately fast, Gigantic roll
M535i Moderately fast, very high roll, sports interior
M5 fast, moderate roll, sports luxury interior

What has changed with the latest 5 series range? Not much that I can see.

[hondansx]

BMW have lost it as far as i'm concerned. The new M5 already looks dull as ditchwater. Now they're releasing an even more dull verson? No thanks.

[Ares]

hondansx said:

BMW have lost it as far as i'm concerned. The new M5 already looks dull as ditchwater. Now they're releasing an even more dull verson? No thanks.

Anyone that thinks an M5 will be dull, and an M550i will be 'even duller' is either not an enthusiastic driver, foolish, or a mere troll.

PH* whinges about the downsizing of engines, then BMW launch a 450bhp V8 and PH whinges that it isn't M5 enough.



(*and mostly the PHers that could never be in a position to buy a £90k M5, just critiquing it from their £2,500 stboxes.)

[aaron_2000]

DanG355 said:

BMW could resurrect the 2002 name in a basic, 2 litre turbo manual coupe/2 door saloon with about 250-300 BHP, weighing circa 1300KG and make a limited number to keep the desirability factor up. Keep it basic like a Club Sport to keep costs down and sell it for circa £30k as a pure drivers car. If only...

Sounds good, the issue is a limited number stripped BMW will do one thing. Appreciate to silly numbers in a short amount of time.

[NDNDNDND]

aaron_2000 said:

DanG355 said:

BMW could resurrect the 2002 name in a basic, 2 litre turbo manual coupe/2 door saloon with about 250-300 BHP, weighing circa 1300KG and make a limited number to keep the desirability factor up. Keep it basic like a Club Sport to keep costs down and sell it for circa £30k as a pure drivers car. If only...

Sounds good, the issue is a limited number stripped BMW will do one thing. Appreciate to silly numbers in a short amount of time.

To be fair, that does seem to be the only business model that manufacturers will consider when it comes to a financially risky, fun car. It's a safer bet to keep churning out comfy Msport barges for the proles to buy on lease.

I guess when we're all using driverless, electric, autonomous cars hailed on demand, prestige and fun won't mean a damn anyway. May as well milk the M-badge for all it's worth while they still can.

[hondansx]

Ares said:

hondansx said:

BMW have lost it as far as i'm concerned. The new M5 already looks dull as ditchwater. Now they're releasing an even more dull verson? No thanks.

Anyone that thinks an M5 will be dull, and an M550i will be 'even duller' is either not an enthusiastic driver, foolish, or a mere troll.

PH* whinges about the downsizing of engines, then BMW launch a 450bhp V8 and PH whinges that it isn't M5 enough.


(*and mostly the PHers that could never be in a position to buy a £90k M5, just critiquing it from their £2,500 stboxes.)

I got a private viewing of the new M5 at Zolder a month or so ago; had to hand in my phone in everything due it being so secretive. And for what? It looked like a 520d. I thought the previous gen M5 was muted, but this one is just as bad, if not worse. And it's not like I like wild cars (the GTS, for example, is atrocious), but any enthusiast wants to look back at their car and think "Phwoar."

In the last decade the 3 Series has taken over from the Mondeo and Vectra, whilst the fugly 1 Series competes with lowly hatchbacks. It just makes me wonder how much longer BMW can lean on their reputation of building driver's cars.

I would argue PH whinges more about the fact that manufacturers are ignoring the fact that we want driver's cars, not just 0-60 times. The 550i is a perfect illustration of this; a great car on paper ideal for pub chat, but not a driver's car. Given that is meant to be BMW's USP, that has to be a disappointing.