2007 X5 Ride and Drive at PC in SC
 

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.

:cool: :cool: :cool:

:drool: :drool: :drool:

:kewlpics: needed!

Yeah, the Performance Center has really been transformed to be like a BIG Marketing tool for the Dealer training sessions... Too bad the Performance Center didn't have an E70 for their use so for us ///M Driving School participants we can only take pics...

http://www.tayam.net/images/2006/DSC05021.JPG

http://www.tayam.net/images/2006/DSC05015.JPG

Can you elaborate? Now I'm itching to see one in person and take it for a spin.

:welcome: :wavey:

BMW is currently training Client Advisors from Dealerships and they have setup this new offroad & road course; moreover, they have brought in the competitor vehicles like the Audi Q7, Lexus RX300, MB ML & others in the same class to show how the new E70 is way superior?

What's your impression on the new stick? More Room on the center Console now?
I hope the the Volvo wasnt' even close. I considered buying that before the Cadillac?

Thanks for the post.

My question is 2 parts...

1) what was your impression of the regular vs. active steering?

2) does the performance of the 4.8i come close to the performance/handling etc of the outgoing 4.8is? Just trying to get a serious feel for the 4.8is replacement.

Thanks again.

Curtis

You say it "drives Much better"...can you elaborate on that please...

Was it Sport suspension or regular??

I too am interested on your impression of the active steering. Right now I have a 4.8i on order without the option but can still put in a change. I have heard mixed impressions from those that it in the 5 series. Some say to takes away from the "feel" of the road while others say it enhances thes vehicle handling.

More pics here(click on pics in link for hi-res).
From Ride & Drive held at Arlington Park Race Track in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

http://www.edbmw.com/photos/albums/u...l_DSC01163.JPG
http://www.edbmw.com/photos/albums/u...l_DSC01137.JPG
http://www.edbmw.com/photos/albums/u...l_DSC01180.JPG

Man...there's a lot of lovin' goin' on there! At least there were no tree huggers.

I had a great time there. Too bad I didn't have time to take more pictures, but I hope you enjoy that ones I have uploaded. I also posted a little article about the event, you can read it on my blog: www.edBMW.com/blog

Thanks

Irv

I liked the idea of the shifter once I got familiar with it. When I first got in it was clumsy, but I like the electric 'Park' button and the Electromagnetic Parking Brake.
When I said it drives MUCH better that is in comparison to the current X5. It simply benefits from 4.5 inches longer wheelbase and the new suspension components. The 4th generation run flats are a non-issue, this vehicle runs great in both sport and non-sport package vehicles.

I am an active active steering hater and I gotta tell you...I may be a convert in the E70. It is well done and not the least bit heavy handed. After a dozen slaloms you really come to (Dare I say?) 'like' it.

More ramblings
 

Cool technologies were iDrive programmable buttons to do just about everything!

Want to have a radio preset on the dash? Program your station and hold the button in for 5 seconds.

Want to have your wife's cell phone programmed to progamable button #2? Just select her number on the iDrive screen and press and hold button #2 for 5 seconds.

Want to program a specific loaction you go to frequently so all you have to do is hit a programmable button and have your guidance system start automatically? You can do this just by selecting the destination on Nav and pressing button #3 for 5 seconds.

Forget what these buttons do? just lightly run your finger along the row and at the bottom of any iDrive screen you will see what they do. Hover over one and it gets larger and easier to see!!!

Plus you still get the 2 programmable buttons on the steering wheel! They moved the heated steering wheel button in between these two programmable buttons as well.

How about direct access climate control buttons? No more fumbling with iDrive to get the cold air off your face, just a press of the dedicated button for either driver or passenger and its done.

Little things like the clamshell golve box locks with the vehicle automatically! And it's deep enough to actually hold the owners manual! (Woo-Hoo!!!)

Using the optional convenience plan for BMW Assist allows you to push a button and say "How do I get to BFE, and what's the phone number?!?" and this info can be 'pushed' to your Nav screen!!!

Head-Up Display is more advanced and selections of what info can be seen is larger and can be positioned to better viewing.

It has cornering lamps that sense steering wheel input and light a second bulb to provide a BRIGHT cornering lamp even if sitting still!

Remote Door Unlock as with all BMWs with BMW Assist after 9-06. BUT, this is one cool feature!

Sorry, just was explaining all this to a customer when I thought of you guys! ;-)

Thanks for the input, Signhere.

Oh! And they finally added an easy way to input digits while on a handsfree bluetooth phone call. Previously if you were calling to check a bank balance or anything else that needed numerical keypad entry you had to go to the handset. Now you can do it on the iDrive screen.

That facility exists on the current E53 with MID (i.e. no Nav). I use it all the time to input user Ids and passwords for work voicemail.

Correct, but this is the first time this feature has been available to iDrive users.

So how does this work on the E70's iDrive that is different from the E60's? On my E60 you can scroll through numbers with the iDrive knob and push the knob to dial a number (so you can in fact use iDrive to dial numbers or PIN's without having to use the phone's keypad). Is it different on the E70?

How does the sport suspension compare with the regular susp option? Were the X's with sports susp also set up with staggered tires too ..275 fronts & 315 rears on 19 or 20 inches?

Thanks,

Its not...I'm an idiot. I was thinking of my Acura. :rolleyes: