Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Pin
Drive an X5M and then you'll have your answer.
Definitely not an M car by past, present, or future standards.
This isn't a bad thing though. Many prefer having fairly strong performance without sacrificing the ride quality.
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I've driven both. I didn't think the M competition was worth the money for 90+ horsepower, different seats, and slightly better handling (my M50i pretty much has every option) nor did it blow me away vs M50i. I did like the seats, wheels, exhaust and subtle styling differences. Also my argument isn't that an M50i is an M car, I just think it is a gray area. I think all arguments probably lean towards it not being an M car, but that also has a lot to do with how the badging is deemed by bmw, and IMO how over the last few years BMW has water down the M brand, making so many options available to the masses. I also think if the M50i was just called like a base model x5M and had the exact everything it does currently, most would think it was then a true M car. Only thing I disagree with is that there isn't a debate at all to begin, that it's 100% clearly not an M car. Again, check their website and how it's grouped with an X5M competition. Agree to disagree.