slightlyfamous: Review of the BMW X5 M

Review of the BMW X5 M

The BMW X5 M is a wolf in sheep clothing.

The exterior of the car pretty much looks like the BMW X5 and you can't really tell the difference except for the huge air-intake vents on the front of this forced induction engine and the quad exhaust at the rear.

But its no X5 when you are behind the wheel, the 2.4 tonnes moves effortlessly from 0 to 100km in less than 5 seconds. The 555 bhp, V8 engine is very responsive in both the normal drive mode as well as the M mode. The M mode or MDM (M Dynamic Mode) which is just amazing making your journey smooth on different terrains, and you can feel the power it brings.

The looks of the car is not a reflection of the performance and there is power under the hood when you need it. Currently one of the fastest SUVs in Singapore.

The interior cabin is pretty much the same and the awful wood panels are now replaced with carbon fibre looking panels. The seats are very comfortable and enough side buttons to adjust the front seats to make you as comfortable as possible.

The iDrive has been upgraded too and has a lot of new features. The hard-drive-based navigation system includes satellite imagery and dynamic routing around traffic congestion, while reserving 15 gigabytes of space for music storage. A top-down view is included in the parking system. Bluetooth function for your mobile phone to take calls on your surround sound speakers is great and the iPod interface is also awesome.

The boot is the same size as the X5, but does not come with the additional two folder-able seats in the boot (but its a good thing), but instead has a spare tire. Run flat tires would have been good, but not practical because of the issues associated with it.

The Park Assist features are really cool and come with all view cams around the car, so when you park, you know if you're in the lot and parked properly.

Let's not talk about fuel efficiency, there is none.

What I like:

- The Power

- The understated exterior

- iDrive

What I hate:

- Lack of Fuel Efficiency.

Key Facts:

Engine
Engine capacity	4,395 cc
Engine type	V8 Twin-turbocharged
Compression ratio	9.3
Bore x Stroke	(89.0 x 88.3) mm
Power	555 bhp
Torque	680 Nm

Performance
Acceleration	4.7s (0-100kmh)
Top speed	250kmh
Fuel consumption	7.1 km\L

Misc technical data
Transmission	6-speed (A) M sport
Drive type	AWD

Measurements
Body type	SUV
Dimensions (L x W x H)	(4851 x 1994 x 1764)mm
Wheelbase	2,933mm
Min turning radius	unknown
Kerb weight	2,380kg
Fuel tank capacity	85L