2007 X5 Ride and Drive at PC in SC

[SignHere]

Well, I just got back from 2 days at the Performance Delivery Center in South Carolina where BMW sponsored a ride and drive with the new X5 and most of the competition.

When BMW does one of these events everything is well thought out, designed to train without boring, fully hands-on, and fun to boot!

We start out in a large tent with a new X5 under wraps and huge video screens all around. We are broken up into 4 groups and rotate through the 4 modules. First a brief classroom session and then into the cars.

We had 5 courses laid out for us.

The first designed for a comparison between the X5 3.0si and the X5 4.8i and regular and active steering in both.

The second was a road course on which we tested both vehicles with both steering configurations again but on real roads around the center.

The third was a 6 cylinder comparison against vehicles such as the Volvo, Lexus and Mercedes.

The fourth was an 8 cylinder comparison against the Mercedes, Audi, and something else (I was really tired by then!)

The fifth was an incredible 'off-road' course where we ran the X5 through DEEP water, up STEEP hills and teetered the vehicle on two wheels of opposite corners. (This was wild! They lengthened the wheelbase 4.5 inches but increased torsional rigidity 15%!!!) They made us drive with 2 side wheels on a 35% grade and I could have sworn we were going to tip over!!!

My first impression is that BMW hit the nail on the head. This vehicle dirves MUCH better than the original X5, has the right amount of power in both powertrains and is remarkable in terms of sophistication and technology.

The second impression is that you can't tell how sloppily the competition drives unless you do an A-B comparison like this.

I will post more when I get more time, but hopefully this will encourage all of the other CA's to post their feedback as well.