Handbrake on a used X5

[Helmuth]

Guys,

with all that knowledge above which I really appreciate: does anybody have an experience how that brake works? In the past (ok - it was a Renault R5) I was used to pull that brake to do a 180° turn. Now I had to learn that this cannot be done with the X5 but reading all that I now have the feeling that this is a real parking brake only (and not even that).

Is that really true?

Helmuth