[clbmw]

There's a lot of contempt for non-M cars going on. Now whilst I get that M sport badges suspension and wheels on 115bhp hatchback is just marketing, I seriously doubt there is any more than 5% of the time where the difference between an M550i and an M5 will be exploitable on a road in most countries. It's an automatic ban in the U.K. over 100mph. And point to point, now the M550i is AWD with rear wheel steering, it might even be faster on B roads than RWD predecessors. But no sign of it in the U.K. sadly so will likely never find out.

So if you can't really use a car to its potential, who then is falling for marketing?

[infamousq]

Originally Posted by doccyber

This car makes the M5 irrelevant.But I'm happy. That's why I picked my M235. The M performance models give the customers a 95% M car at 2/3 of the price.

That is a bold statement. Have you ever driven an 550 then an M5? If so you would notice the difference.

[TheBingoBalls]

Originally Posted by infamousq

That is a bold statement. Have you ever driven an 550 then an M5? If so you would notice the difference.

While I agree with you in that the M5 is still going to be a different car than the M550i, I think (or I hope) that he meant that in a good way - the M550i will likely be what most would need and want without going full fledge BMW M.

[PawnStar]

For US roads, 550xi is a marketing/ego buy. On a practical level, 530xi is just as capable in day to day use and yet much more frugal in operation. But nothing wrong with marketing/ego buys, folks have a variety of fantasies in their heads.

[omaralt]

i'm not at all upset about this car, if anything i may consider it in a few years! my issue is that all this hype is BMW marketing. the F10 550 was released with the regular car with little/no fanfare. BMW simply delayed this car a bit, added a bunch of M badges and called it the M550 and now people are going nuts. but essentially it's the same car..

[paulbazo]

Originally Posted by omaralt

i'm not at all upset about this car, if anything i may consider it in a few years! my issue is that all this hype is BMW marketing. the F10 550 was released with the regular car with little/no fanfare. BMW simply delayed this car a bit, added a bunch of M badges and called it the M550 and now people are going nuts. but essentially it's the same car..

well, I had a 2011 550i Msport, and let me tell you that that it was a step down from the E60. Now , the G30 550i has a good suspension, m performance exhaust, etc. when comparing it in price with the 540, for a little more I get better suspension and exhaust, I also compared it to the E43, they can label it whatever they want, I am not buying it because it has M badges (the F10 also had MN badges on the door sills) .

[BGT3]

Originally Posted by PawnStar

For US roads, 550xi is a marketing/ego buy. On a practical level, 530xi is just as capable in day to day use and yet much more frugal in operation. But nothing wrong with marketing/ego buys, folks have a variety of fantasies in their heads.

If frugal, practical, day to day use is your priority there are much better choices for you.
No one gets high HP cars to be practical or frugal. We get them because they're fun.

[Acturater]

Originally Posted by omaralt

i'm not at all upset about this car, if anything i may consider it in a few years! my issue is that all this hype is BMW marketing. the F10 550 was released with the regular car with little/no fanfare. BMW simply delayed this car a bit, added a bunch of M badges and called it the M550 and now people are going nuts. but essentially it's the same car..

Agreed the M550 is consumer perception and marketing driven. Much of it is probably be due to Audi's success with the middle-high performance segment with their S models, especially the S4 and S5. Although over the past few years we've noticed all German brands expanding their lineup, what with the BMW 4-series and MB CLA class etc.

I also don't mind one bit. If the M3 was just a 3XXi and had no substantially different looks or looks that were largely available factory upgrades, would it have as much cache? Or what if the C63 was just a C500? In my humble opinion it's the same game by a different name.

[morellomax]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y

[remmib]

Originally Posted by omaralt

i'm not at all upset about this car, if anything i may consider it in a few years! my issue is that all this hype is BMW marketing. the F10 550 was released with the regular car with little/no fanfare. BMW simply delayed this car a bit, added a bunch of M badges and called it the M550 and now people are going nuts. but essentially it's the same car..

No, it's not just M badges.

The M550i is the only G30 that gets a lowered adatpive suspension that can be combined with Integral active steering.

[_Mbition]

Originally Posted by nyc328ci

Are you a sales rep?

I am, same store

[PawnStar]

Originally Posted by BGT3

If frugal, practical, day to day use is your priority there are much better choices for you.
No one gets high HP cars to be practical or frugal. We get them because they're fun.

Are you implying that 530xi is not fun to drive? Or one must drive a gas guzzling V8 to have fun behind the wheel? Or that a combination of frugality and practicality precludes one from having 'fun'? That's crazy talk 😉

And 'High HP' is relative. 99.9% of the drivers on this planet would not be able to drive the 4cyl 530xi to its full engineered potential in street driving enviro, let alone exploit its limits on the track.

Not to mention that not long ago some 'high performance' models had less than 250 hp. I don't recall too many complaints about the cars being 'low HP' or not fun.

[ukr]

The quickest way to a pothole before m5 arrives

[kriegs]

Originally Posted by stvding

There are markets for this type of M-performance car instead of Full M car. Like Mercedes 43 AMG. Always some half ass buyers can't quite afford real M car but still want all the M badges they can get and some performance. BMW is just following the trend. This is business, no manufacturer is stupid enough to "avoid" making money. Another example is X4/6 GLC/GLE coupe, etc SAV Coupe. Looks fxxking ridiculous to me. Personally think these drivers are idiots. But if u are in auto manufacturers' shoes, u will have no second thought but get into that market right away. Because money.

Originally Posted by stvding

There are markets for this type of M-performance car instead of Full M car. Like Mercedes 43 AMG. Always some half ass buyers can't quite afford real M car but still want all the M badges they can get and some performance. BMW is just following the trend. This is business, no manufacturer is stupid enough to "avoid" making money. Another example is X4/6 GLC/GLE coupe, etc SAV Coupe. Looks fxxking ridiculous to me. Personally think these drivers are idiots. But if u are in auto manufacturers' shoes, u will have no second thought but get into that market right away. Because money.

I drive a 2015 M3 because it suits my purpose as a daily driver and as my children become teenagers, I need something bigger. The 540 did not meet my threshold though very competent and waiting for the new M5 is not a possibility and would be way more than what I need, so the M550 ticks a lot of the boxes of what I need and want and I am looking to do European delivery for the first time. Getting pumped about ordering. I do agree that the x4/GLC look ridiculous

[doccyber]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

While I agree with you in that the M5 is still going to be a different car than the M550i, I think (or I hope) that he meant that in a good way - the M550i will likely be what most would need and want without going full fledge BMW M.

Yes. What he says :
The M5 is too much of a car to be driven on public roads. The M550 is at the limit of what everyday driver should be driving.

[KoenG]

For everybody over here that believes that a "real" M is a hardcore purist drivers sublime and the rest is not, best consider a GT3 RS or 588 instead then.

for instance, X5/6M are genuine M products and also just heavy porkers with massive power. So M is not that orthodox that it sticks the real M badge on razor sharp weapons exclusively.

What you typically get for your money is a limited slip diff, some enhanced brakes, some suspension tuning that prefers precision over composure. Enough to distinct it from the pack.

With an M550i, the xDrive with torque vectoring stretches far to obsolete the limited slip diff anyway. When I'am not mistaken the M5 will also inherit the xDrive and ditch current setup.

The M550i has to be a very meaningful alternative to the real M, certainly when you drive your bimmer on public roads. On a track, the M550i falls short, but the M5 will probably also do, like the current one does.

[BGT3]

Originally Posted by PawnStar

Are you implying that 530xi is not fun to drive? Or one must drive a gas guzzling V8 to have fun behind the wheel? Or that a combination of frugality and practicality precludes one from having 'fun'? That's crazy talk 😉

And 'High HP' is relative. 99.9% of the drivers on this planet would not be able to drive the 4cyl 530xi to its full engineered potential in street driving enviro, let alone exploit its limits on the track.

Not to mention that not long ago some 'high performance' models had less than 250 hp. I don't recall too many complaints about the cars being 'low HP' or not fun.

Everything is relative. When 250HP was allot then cars with half that were not considered fast anymore. That's just how things work, time marches on.
I don't think the issue is whether or not you can drive a car to it's full engineered potential, it's having a car that has a larger performance envelope to explore to the best of your abilities whether that's just accelerating hard or running a back country roads with lots of switchbacks. I guarantee it will be allot more fun in a car with a larger envelope.

[stvding]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

Do you know how many asian teens with with overseas money I see everyday that buy M Performance cars/fully loaded 40i models in cash? Let me tell you, money is definitely not an issue and they choose these cars instead of full M cars because it fits them better for everyday use. Someone who has the money isn't necessarily going to buy the most expensive model.

I can tell you most of these asian teen who buy loaded 40i cash, regret it in about one yr. I know many of them. I am one of them

[KoenG]

Originally Posted by stvding

I can tell you most of these asian teen who buy loaded 40i cash, regret it in about one yr. I know many of them. I am one of them

That's just basal human behaviour... when your mind knows there is a "better", you're no longer satisfied with the "good" you have. Even when it's already plenty and probably (certainly?) richely abundant. I guess that's the topstar curse?

The new benchmark is probably the Chiron to many now. Ooohhh... many years to blabla ahead.

[TheBingoBalls]

Originally Posted by stvding

I can tell you most of these asian teen who buy loaded 40i cash, regret it in about one yr. I know many of them. I am one of them

You're right, some do regret it but I know many who don't. The M550i is no M but once you make the jump to the M5, you're mostly making the jump for the chassis tweaks. I mean someone could say they need more HP and torque but for the majority, the 456HP and 479TQ is more than enough.

I see the same with the M240i and M2. Depending on what you option on the M240i, the difference between that and the M2 isn't that large yet I still see many choose a fully loaded M240i over a M2 which is available on the lot.

While we would like to think that those who have the financial means would always buy the most expensive trim/model, there are others who are more rational and practical and aren't going to buy just because they can. Heck, a doctor who makes $200k annually, purchased a 320i. Not a 330i or a 530i but a 320i.

[stvding]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

You're right, some do regret it but I know many who don't. The M550i is no M but once you make the jump to the M5, you're mostly making the jump for the chassis tweaks. I mean someone could say they need more HP and torque but for the majority, the 456HP and 479TQ is more than enough.

I see the same with the M240i and M2. Depending on what you option on the M240i, the difference between that and the M2 isn't that large yet I still see many choose a fully loaded M240i over a M2 which is available on the lot.

While we would like to think that those who have the financial means would always buy the most expensive trim/model, there are others who are more rational and practical and aren't going to buy just because they can. Heck, a doctor who makes $200k annually, purchased a 320i. Not a 330i or a 530i but a 320i.

8 speed ZF and MDCT are so different. Of course this is car geek talking. Not everyone has money is car geek. So many asian girls buy M4 wrap it pink, never put in all sport plus, never rev up over 4000 rpm.

[stvding]

Originally Posted by stvding

8 speed ZF and MDCT are so different. Of course this is car geek talking. Not everyone has money is car geek. So many asian girls buy M4 wrap it pink, never put in all sport plus, never rev up over 4000 rpm.

Originally Posted by KoenG

That's just basal human behaviour... when your mind knows there is a "better", you're no longer satisfied with the "good" you have. Even when it's already plenty and probably (certainly?) richely abundant. I guess that's the topstar curse?

The new benchmark is probably the Chiron to many now. Ooohhh... many years to blabla ahead.

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

You're right, some do regret it but I know many who don't. The M550i is no M but once you make the jump to the M5, you're mostly making the jump for the chassis tweaks. I mean someone could say they need more HP and torque but for the majority, the 456HP and 479TQ is more than enough.

I see the same with the M240i and M2. Depending on what you option on the M240i, the difference between that and the M2 isn't that large yet I still see many choose a fully loaded M240i over a M2 which is available on the lot.

While we would like to think that those who have the financial means would always buy the most expensive trim/model, there are others who are more rational and practical and aren't going to buy just because they can. Heck, a doctor who makes $200k annually, purchased a 320i. Not a 330i or a 530i but a 320i.

Originally Posted by stvding

8 speed ZF and MDCT are so different. Of course this is car geek talking. Not everyone has money is car geek. So many asian girls buy M4 wrap it pink, never put in all sport plus, never rev up over 4000 rpm.

If one is into cars, he will always be hungry for more power. I drove 323i 180hp felt like shit the. Switched to 435i 300hp, felt good for a few months. Feels under-power again. After been to track last yr, feel non M is way under, both in power and transmission.