Jeff N.
08-30-2004, 05:17 PM
Snuck out of work for an hour an a half and did the Drive for the cure. Drove 3 cars - 530 SMG with active suspension, 3.0 Z4 steptronic, 330i stick with ZHP (sport) package. Skipped the 7 series and there was a big line for the 6 series drop top so I passed on that.
530 SMG with the active sport package
Wow. Really really interesting car. Nice zippy power but not excessive power. The SMG system works great in manual mode but it's sort of jerky in automode when upshifting from 1st and 2nd. It's something you might learn and drive around..or not. It works nicely in full manual mode. Fun. Not sure I'd buy one over a 6 speed manual but it's a pretty cool demonstration of where SMG technology is going. What WAS really cool was the active suspension. Read up on this stuff if you haven't already seen it. Car was amazingly flat thru high speed sweepers - zero body roll. Felt like a go-cart. The active steering adjusts the steering ratio based on road speed. Faster ratio at low speed, slower at high speed. Around town, I don't think I turned the steering wheel more than 1/2 turn to make a 90 degree turn. Feedback felt pretty good as well contrary to reviews I have read. I'd really like to drive one of these on a track and wring it out.
You can tell BMW is working hard to change the "dash paradigm" in the car. The dash is really clean - none of the button farms that you're familiar seeing in late model audi's and mercede's and last gen BMW's. It LOOKS really nice. Now...how does it work? I couldn't really tell...you'd need to live with it for a bit to learn it.
Sooo...what do I think about the new 5-er? I think it's a pretty bold paradigm shift and thus, as we've noted, both risky and controversial. I'd love to try one for a week or so to render a better opinion. All in all.. I liked it.
Z4 3.0 steptronic
Sucked. Didn't like it at all. $45k for this? Maybe a 6 speed would help it; the steptronic blows in this car. It is quick, I'll give it that.
330i 6 speed ZHP
More traditional bimmer for sure. Engine sure is zippy, no power problems here, really nice torque. Thought the suspension was rubbery given the sporting nature of the car. Would be a nice daily driver but I think I'd take the *gasp* 530 SMG over this car just because it's vastly more interesting (sorry Micah!!)
Getting back in a 90 535i
Well, hard to compare those new engines to our old M30s. The M30 is nice but not quite up to a new bimmer. I do really like our seats..imagine that! Also, the tweeked suspension in my car is really really nice and holds up well to the new cars. So give me the driveline of the 330 or the 530 and I'll keep the rest of my car. :)
Nice of BMW to do this...it's fun to be able to try all the cars.
Cheers!
Jeff
530 SMG with the active sport package
Wow. Really really interesting car. Nice zippy power but not excessive power. The SMG system works great in manual mode but it's sort of jerky in automode when upshifting from 1st and 2nd. It's something you might learn and drive around..or not. It works nicely in full manual mode. Fun. Not sure I'd buy one over a 6 speed manual but it's a pretty cool demonstration of where SMG technology is going. What WAS really cool was the active suspension. Read up on this stuff if you haven't already seen it. Car was amazingly flat thru high speed sweepers - zero body roll. Felt like a go-cart. The active steering adjusts the steering ratio based on road speed. Faster ratio at low speed, slower at high speed. Around town, I don't think I turned the steering wheel more than 1/2 turn to make a 90 degree turn. Feedback felt pretty good as well contrary to reviews I have read. I'd really like to drive one of these on a track and wring it out.
You can tell BMW is working hard to change the "dash paradigm" in the car. The dash is really clean - none of the button farms that you're familiar seeing in late model audi's and mercede's and last gen BMW's. It LOOKS really nice. Now...how does it work? I couldn't really tell...you'd need to live with it for a bit to learn it.
Sooo...what do I think about the new 5-er? I think it's a pretty bold paradigm shift and thus, as we've noted, both risky and controversial. I'd love to try one for a week or so to render a better opinion. All in all.. I liked it.
Z4 3.0 steptronic
Sucked. Didn't like it at all. $45k for this? Maybe a 6 speed would help it; the steptronic blows in this car. It is quick, I'll give it that.
330i 6 speed ZHP
More traditional bimmer for sure. Engine sure is zippy, no power problems here, really nice torque. Thought the suspension was rubbery given the sporting nature of the car. Would be a nice daily driver but I think I'd take the *gasp* 530 SMG over this car just because it's vastly more interesting (sorry Micah!!)
Getting back in a 90 535i
Well, hard to compare those new engines to our old M30s. The M30 is nice but not quite up to a new bimmer. I do really like our seats..imagine that! Also, the tweeked suspension in my car is really really nice and holds up well to the new cars. So give me the driveline of the 330 or the 530 and I'll keep the rest of my car. :)
Nice of BMW to do this...it's fun to be able to try all the cars.
Cheers!
Jeff