Well, it sound like you did get "the ultimate driving machine" by your own evaluation. But it appears you were looking for "the ultimate luxury vehicle," which BMW is not, at least not in my opinion. To my mind, the only good reason to buy a BMW is if you place an overriding importance on handling and driving feel -- BMW frankly is not as good as much of the competition in other areas. Heck, my Mother's 2008 Ford Taurus has better i-pod integration, sound system, a better self-dimming rear view mirror, and even has small touches, like illuminated window switches and a temperature gauge, that the X5 lacks.