Stand alone adaptive drive!!! ???
 

I love BMWs enough to ponder things such as this...seriously:

On the E70 X5 prior to the LCI refresh, the sport package on the V8 and on the 6 included ARS, active roll stabilization (instead of a thick metal bar preventing body roll in corners like most cars including non sport E70 X5s, there is a hydraulic motor that cranks out enough torque to keep the car straight up in a bend essentially). As a car guy, this technology (which has been standard on the 7 since 2003, standard on all 6s and X6s and optional on E60 5s and E70 X5s with sport pack) is the SOLE reason why heavier modern BMWs are still described as light and nimble.

Now, fast forward to the LCI X5s, where they have spilt the sport pack in 3!!
Option 1 - Msport. Very cool, very expensive and for those who'd get it, invaluable; 2) Sport package costing 1/2 what the previous sport pack did but offering essentially appearance-only changes; then there is 3) the stand alone adaptive drive option at $3,000+ which, unlike the sport pack, offers the ARS described above (the M sport pack includes this).

So here's the question posed by my thread....Since its a given that most US buyers will not opt for the adaptive drive, do you think the image of the X5 will suffer? There's nothing wrong with the standard suspension, but it makes the car feel heavier (which it is) and less responsive. Car magazines may often get X5 5.0 sports without adaptive drive to test, and dealerships will put potential buyers on test drives in a "sport" car then risk them driving a Cayenne etc... Think of this: BMW has never equipped an X drive 3 or 5 with sport suspension...why? My guess is they wish to indicate to the buyer that this is not the optimal max performance version of the car...So is the message with the LCI X5s: Buy the M sport if you're at all an aggressive, sport minded driver??

Interesting, no??

DRP

I actually thought about that the other day - most LCI E70s on the road, while having better engines overall, will not have adaptive drive. I don't think its image will suffer but it's something 2nd-hand buyers may not realize. I honestly don't know if I'd opt to pay $3500 for something like that after everything else went up in price too. I built one the way I would buy it today and it's almost $10k more than it was a couple short years ago.

I ticked the 3500 option but that is because I like the ability to drive the car aggressive is need be. Most people are going to want the Sport package for the wheels and the few sport options and not be super concerned about have the ability to drive the car to the maximum. Believe me I have friends who buy bmw's without the sport package because they feel the car is plenty sporty enough. If a person is that concerned about the adaptive drive they will pay the extra money. The adaptive drive is much better but the std sport package is not that bad.

$3500 is a ridiculous amount of money for something that should come standard on the Sport package (ARS), they are simply fleecing customers for some of these options.

Has anyone driven the X5 back to back with/without the Active Suspension, everything else being equal? I do note the usefulness of it with my M Sport package. One interesting note is the Sport Activity Package shows "sport suspension delete" as standard and the active suspension optional on that.
Does that mean the SAP would be softer than normal without it??

I too was curious to the back to back as well as what exactly the deletion of the sport suspension really means?

If the main advantage of the adaptive drive is less lean during aggressive maneuvers then they should have a side by side video comparing an X5 with and without it.

If it showed one without it going into a high speed lane change maneuver and two wheels came off the ground and then the one with AD in the same situation showing a flat X5 w/o any body lean/roll then I may have included it in my order..

For that matter they should also show the advantage of the active steering with a back to back video showcasing the primary highlight in real world scenarios - such as the steering wheel being easier to turn in a parking lot.. We shouldn’t have these questions. BMW should simply demonstrate the advantages of these options in order to sell it! I understand that by highlighting the benefits of the these options then they could potentially exploit a “weakness” or reason not to buy, or "so if I don't get this option then my car isn't as safe or fun to drive??". Sometimes you never know what you’re missing..

With that said my 2011 X5 50i handles flawlessly and I don’t think I’m missing anything. I don’t feel the need to detach myself from the road via an additional piece of electronics in my X5!


Just my $0.02

Nice that you have such a simplistic, objective and meaningless criteria. BMW should take note.

For the rest of the buying public, they buy silly stuff like Nappa leather whatnots, and HUD displays and Comfort Access, all of which have zero 'proven benefits'...

So lets not bash what you didn't chose to justify your choices, OK?:thumbup:

Just like they justify different motors? Different wheels? rear seat climate?


Like I said, no need to bash an option to justify your decision.

A

ARD, what rock did you crawl out from? You're quite a negative little person aren't you?

Much more thought went into my custom ordered X5 than your thoughtless, adolescent, negative reply to my post.

If your reading comprehension skills were equal to your negativity then you'd have the brain power to see that I wasn't bashing anything nor justifying my choices in options.. Sheesh...

After 12 BMW's I think I've earned the right to speak my mind..

There is a video...
 

BMW does have such a video. It shows two cars going through a slalom course, one after the other, at the same time, the one with adaptive drive in front.

Here is the video: YouTube - The new BMW X5 2007 Adaptive Drive English Language. You can see for yourself what the demonstration described above proves.

It is not an additional piece of electronics. That is what I would call the HUD or the sideview cameras. Adaptive drive integrates and optimizes various systems that are standard in the car, in other words gives them a brain. (The new X3 will take this to a new level for SAV's with performance profiles that integrate and optimize suspension, acceleration, and steering.)

If BMW had its way, I am sure that all X5's would come with Adaptive drive. It is only optional because at the current price point of the X5, BMW couldn't justify the additional premium. They'd rather ape the competition and make rain-sensing wipers and auto-leveling, Xenon headlights standard.

Unlike a cargo cover, the average X5 buyer won't notice that Adaptive drive is missing. But, in actuality, and more than any cargo cover ever could, Adaptive drive gives the X5 a kind of premium driving experience that is after all what BMW is all about.

Great video, thanks for posting!