In Toscana (Italy) 60% men and 40% women but the most popular X3 type is 3.0 d .

The X3 outhandles the X5 any day of the week, it's as simple as that. There's no comparison. The X3 is a sports sedan with the added utility of an SUV. The X5 is an SUV that's trying to perform like a sports sedan, They approach the performance SUV market from two different directions.

Sounds like you haven't driven them both. I went to the dealer with the intention of buying an X5, but was so impressed with the X3 that we bought it instead. Now I have two neighbors who are going to pick up X3's when the lease is up on their X5's.

The larger seating space and bigger cargo space in the X3 were other big selling features (you had it backwards, the X3 has 10% more cargo space than the X5), although the next generation X5 should bump it up a notch because it's counterproductive from a marketing perspective to have what is perceived to be a smaller vehicle actually have greater functional space. The X3 also has more leg room in both the front and rear, as well as 1" more head space in the rear.

Sure you can get the X5 with a huge engine and it will outsprint an X3 in a straight line, but who needs it? Leave the street racing to the kids. 99% of the time the acceleration of the X3 more than sufficient, and with prices starting at $98K here for the 4.8is and performance of the 4.4 being too close to the 3.0 X3 to justify the huge jump in price, buying a big X5 is a waste of money from both a capital and an operating cost perspective. Around here it's simply a prestige vehicle that ends up being used mostly by moms for transporting the kids to soccer or their private school. I see way more men driving the X3.

I agree with you totally B&DCalgary :thumbup:

To answer the real question in this thread I've seen 4 men and 1 woman driving X3's in my area so far. I make 5 men. I don't see too many X3's around here yet but they seem to be catching on. Of the X5's I've seen around town most are driven by women with school stickers on the back window.

LMAO!! What exactly is a trophy wife?

Haaa haaa.... you're kidding right? It must be a North American thing.

It's usually a wealthy, older businessman, who gets divorced after making his fortune and having children with his first wife and then marriages a gorgeous piece of eye candy who's sole purpose is to look good on his arm and go shopping (usually in some form of very expensive, German convertible). I know, I know.... I'm just jealous.... of the car :D

It also applies to male athletes and celebrities, but in those cases the trophy wife is usually the first wife (and the second, third, etc.)

Donald Trump is a good example of an American who has had a series of trophy wives since his first wife Ivana.

But in my opinion, the couple that are the true epitome of trophy wife and sugar daddy are right here in Canada; Michael Cowpland and his wife Marlen. He's the former owner and President of the Corel software company (now in the wireless technology business), married to his second wife (Brigitte Bardot lookalike) Marlen. They share a "little" 20,000 sq. ft. starter home in Ottawa. She's notorious for once wearing a dress worth over $1 million to a gala, as well as backless dresses that plunge so far down she exposes what is known on this side of the pond as "plumber's butt". She carries around a little miniature dog (who's fur she dyed pink) in a designer carry bag.

SUGAR DADDY MICHAEL
http://mars.walagata.com/w/bpcalgary/cowpland_mike.jpg


TROPHY WIFE MARLEN
http://mars.walagata.com/w/bpcalgary...andmarlen4.jpg

Right on! Here in Canada where we also got the 320i...those are damn popular cars, with a 90% female participation rate it seems. Eh now we get the 323i, 325i and 330i.

hahaha... my wife wants the x3, she thinks its smaller a beter for a woman to drive..

I see mostly 325i models around here, and most drivers are women. My friend's mom drove a 2003 330xi 5-speed that was fully loaded, and she drove that thing the way it was meant to be driven! Now she has an X5 3.0i.

Id be willing to put the 4.6is up against the X3 on a switch back any day of the week. The X5 is build on a monoque body just like a sedan and X3 which is why it handles so well. Dont get me wrong...I am driving an X3 while my 4.6 is getting detailed for delivery and the X3 performs very nice. It has great acceleration and handles quite nicely, but there is no comparison. Plus..the X3 is just too small. Now...I do thing the X3 3.0 would take the X5 3.0 on just about every performance test...but that is because it weighs 900 lbs less.

Also..the X5 is has more cargo space than the X3...I can get my RC plane which is pretty large in the back of the X5 with the seats down...I cant get it in the X3...and the seats in the X5 are a good bit larger than the X3...plus much more elbow room..

Ditto. If you have an X3, live in the bay area and see a Ti X5 with German plates bearing down on you... beware.

ps I did drive the X3 for 3 days while my X was being serviced... enough said.