Just drove the X6 50i!

[shenard]

All I can say is

It was definitely all I was expecting and more! I was a little nervous about all of the articles that said the 50i did not feel much faster than the 35i and go with the 35i because it is more nimble. While it did feel a little bit heavier, it certainly felt ALOT faster and sound of the exhaust is perfect!!!

Has a nice rumble when you start it up but not any louder than and M5 or M6 as I thought someone may have mentioned. When driving down highway the inside of the cabin is very quiet and the exhaust tone is not too pronounced but you can hear it slightly and definitely can hear it if you punch it from the start. (sorry did not have a chance to get any sound clips). What was the most addicting was how smooth the vehicle was and it inspired you to want to drive faster because the more you pushed in the pedal the more you were rewarded by the great sound of the exhaust!!

I normally have a heavy foot and the only downside is that it is not going to sip gas! I could easily see it getting 10-13mpg in city if you drive with a heavy foot. In the 20 miles or so that we drove the car I averaged 12.5 but was really driving it to see what it could do.

Handling was a little better than I expected but I did not really get to push it to anywhere near the limits. Just a few twisties and switchbacks going about 85-90. It drove really well and did not feel to harsh for me as I remember test driving the 2005 X5 before we bought my wife's Lexus RX330 and the X6 was much smoother. It is definitely a big vehicle and it is not going to feel as nimble as a 335 through the turns but it certainly does not feel like a typical SUV and feels much closer to a sports car. Definitely felt faster than a 550i and faster than 335 (although it probably isn't). This is probably because of amount of torque.

I don't think anyone that has one on order will dissapointed as long as they don't mind frequent trips to gas station. I have attached some pics of the Black on Black 50i I drove.

[Dubbedoutbimmer]

sexy

[branko]

Very nice review, thank you very much for sharing !
I am sure you will make a lot of people happy...

[Palbay]

Nice writeup.I'm glad your drive backs up your decision on the 50i.Did you notice any turbo lag in the TTV8.....which has been talked about so much? I'm jealous! Is this 50i a dealer order that has showed up or a tester for customers? Thanks. PalBay

[Deda]

That is a beast that you meet at street and say WOW,WHAT A MACHINE!

[shenard]

Originally Posted by Palbay

Nice writeup.I'm glad your drive backs up your decision on the 50i.Did you notice any turbo lag in the TTV8.....which has been talked about so much? I'm jealous! Is this 50i a dealer order that has showed up or a tester for customers? Thanks. PalBay

Maybe a little but it wasn't that bad at all. There were a couple of times when I I was going about 40-45 and I only pushed accelerator down about halfway and it paused for a very brief second, but it almost seemed more as if the tranny was trying to figure out which gear to go into. Another time I was going about 50 and floored it and it took off without any delay.

It was a dealer order that showed up that arrived a week earlier than dealer was orignally expecting. If it was a different color combo then I would have probably ditched my car on order from a different dealer and picked up this one.

[shenard]

Originally Posted by Deda

That is a beast that you meet at street and say WOW,WHAT A MACHINE!

That is exactly the way I felt when I was done driving it. It gave me the same feeling I got the first time I drove an M5. Certainly and awesome engine.

[dmlgc]

shenard,
"While it did feel a little bit heavier". I'm curious in what way ?

[xDrive50i]

Thanks shenard for the write up and pictures...

I assume this was a black sapphire metallic ?

That's what I ordered with perforated black interior. How was the heads-up display ?
I noticed you took a picture of that as well

[shenard]

Originally Posted by dmlgc

shenard,
"While it did feel a little bit heavier". I'm curious in what way ?

Felt like there may be a tad bit more weight up front. It was a little noticeable when I was driving fast through the curved roads, but don't get me wrong, the torque and power was a lot more and more than made up the difference, for me at least.

I did not drive the 35i back to back but have driven it several times in past and it just seemed like it was a little easier to toss around the big curves and probably is because it weighs several hundred lbs less.

[dmlgc]

Originally Posted by shenard

Felt like there may be a tad bit more weight up front. It was a little noticeable when I was driving fast through the curved roads, but don't get me wrong, the torque and power was a lot more and more than made up the difference, for me at least.

I did not drive the 35i back to back but have driven it several times in past and it just seemed like it was a little easier to toss around the big curves and probably is because it weighs several hundred lbs less.

shenard,
ya I think the 35i is like 250lbs or so less. I was just curious since I tend drive hard at times but usually on straight flat roads like Socal to Arizona/Nevada. When mine shows up I try some curves to check it out.
Thanks

[chuck92103]

Originally Posted by dmlgc

shenard,
ya I think the 35i is like 250lbs or so less. I was just curious since I tend drive hard at times but usually on straight flat roads like Socal to Arizona/Nevada. When mine shows up I try some curves to check it out.
Thanks

4800 vs 5200 lbs between the two motors. You will definately notice 400 pounds on the front end, but the performance in other areas should more than offset it.

I find it amazing that an 650/M6 vert is 4300-4400 lbs.

I guess it is all relative.

[Palbay]

Originally Posted by dmlgc

shenard,
ya I think the 35i is like 250lbs or so less. I was just curious since I tend drive hard at times but usually on straight flat roads like Socal to Arizona/Nevada. When mine shows up I try some curves to check it out.
Thanks

-375lbs for the 35i vs 50i-4,894lbs 35i...5,269lbs 50i.Thanks.PalBay

[xDrive50i]

Well, all those figures assume the base model without any additional options that can add quite a bit to the total weight of the car!

[chuck92103]

Originally Posted by xDrive50i

Well, all those figures assume the base model without any additional options that can add quite a bit to the total weight of the car!

That is true. But if we assume the same options are installed on both than it is all relative.

[XBMW6]

Shenard...thanks for sharing your review. I'm the one who said that the X6 exhuast sounded little louder than M5/M6 ... To be honest I'm not sure cause I wasn't comparing the cars side by side, just what I recall from previous test car. But I'm positive that it sounds as loud as M cars. Anyway, so it looks like you enjoyed the car? Like I said when I tried it, it was perfectly toned, however, I wasn't fortunate to give it a spin.

[shenard]

Originally Posted by xDrive50i

Thanks shenard for the write up and pictures...

I assume this was a black sapphire metallic ?

That's what I ordered with perforated black interior. How was the heads-up display ?
I noticed you took a picture of that as well

Yes. It was Black Sapphire which was much nicer than Jet Black. Heads Up display was very nice and probably a lot nicer at night. Someone wrote in a previous forum that they were concerned that the HUD would reflect an image on the windshield when the sun hits it and while it does do this it was not as bad and annoying as I thought it would be and you can get used to it pretty quick.

The black perforated seats were a lot more comfortable than I expected and for some reason even seemed more comfortable than the regular nevada seats. Perhaps it was because they were perforated. I still ordered the Nappa seats because they are softer and look nicer in my opinion.

[shenard]

Originally Posted by XBMW6

Shenard...thanks for sharing your review. I'm the one who said that the X6 exhuast sounded little louder than M5/M6 ... To be honest I'm not sure cause I wasn't comparing the cars side by side, just what I recall from previous test car. But I'm positive that it sounds as loud as M cars. Anyway, so it looks like you enjoyed the car? Like I said when I tried it, it was perfectly toned, however, I wasn't fortunate to give it a spin.

Definitely sounds like an "M" car. From the when you first start it and even throughout the powerband. It was addicting to drive as I just wanted to keep pressing the pedal further and further so I could hear the exhaust.

[xDrive50i]

Originally Posted by shenard

Definitely sounds like an "M" car. From the when you first start it and even throughout the powerband. It was addicting to drive as I just wanted to keep pressing the pedal further and further so I could hear the exhaust.

Don't push it through the floor

[xDrive50i]

Originally Posted by shenard

Yes. It was Black Sapphire which was much nicer than Jet Black. Heads Up display was very nice and probably a lot nicer at night. Someone wrote in a previous forum that they were concerned that the HUD would reflect an image on the windshield when the sun hits it and while it does do this it was not as bad and annoying as I thought it would be and you can get used to it pretty quick.

The black perforated seats were a lot more comfortable than I expected and for some reason even seemed more comfortable than the regular nevada seats. Perhaps it was because they were perforated. I still ordered the Nappa seats because they are softer and look nicer in my opinion.

Thanks for your feedback. I picked the perforated seats over anything else because I can't stand hot seats

[shenard]

Originally Posted by xDrive50i

Thanks for your feedback. I picked the perforated seats over anything else because I can't stand hot seats

In my opinion, they really don't work that well. I have them on my Lexus as well and on 95-100 degree temp days you really can't feel enough of a difference coming from them to be practical and worth the $1100.

One cool thing about them is that you can control them through the Idrive and set what part of the seat they work on and how hard the fan blows.

[xDrive50i]

Originally Posted by shenard

In my opinion, they really don't work that well. I have them on my Lexus as well and on 95-100 degree temp days you really can't feel enough of a difference coming from them to be practical and worth the $1100.

One cool thing about them is that you can control them through the Idrive and set what part of the seat they work on and how hard the fan blows.

I think it really depends on the manufacturer too though. For example, if I compare the heated seats in 3 different cars I drove over the past few years in REALLY cold weather conditions, I have to say that I find the once in the BMW's are by far the best. So I am hoping that the ventilated seats are a step above what I found on other brands. If not, I guess I won't be ordering them on my next car