[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by jokerswld34

I've put about 6,000 miles on my X5MC and let me tell you, I often enjoy the top end performance of this vehicle. what this vehicle is capable of in terms of handling and sheer speed amazes me daily. it is a big SUV but once you understand how to drive it, and not be afraid of it, it is one of the best driving experiences I've had. I've even added a Racechip which has taken it to another level.

that said, it is much more performance focused. if you're not the type to push the limits regularly, then the M50I would be more than adequate. still a great performer, but missing that extra. again, it's not one car is "better" than the other but rather one is more focused than the other.

there are tradeoffs between the two, which is convenience and comfort. for example the air ride.of the M50 is certainly more compliant than the M and the adjustablility (raise and lower) is a bonus. also, the seat bolsters are much more pronounced so getting in and out of the seat is a bit more of a process. otherwise the interiors are probably very similar in fit and finish.

IMO the ride quality of the X5MC is surprisingly good, considering the wheel and tire dimensions, and I live in MA. but again, I knew what I was getting into, what ride tolerances I could bare, and how I wanted to drive this thing. it is significantly better than an x3m that's for sure. Ive not had one complaint on ride quality from any passengers or my children.

in the end, I have no regrets for choosing the M and will likely continue with M cars going forward. they suit my needs perfectly. but for others, the M50I is a much better fit

I understand all that. I'm just suspect that you're actually pushing it to the limits. There's no roads in the US where you can safely drive a car up to 150mph. That's where the extra performance kicks in. If you're just saying that on some back road you can drop a gear and get to 120 in 2 seconds and that tingles your nether regions... Well that's not unique to the X5Mc. I honestly believe that you cannot even push the limits or come close unless you're on a track.

When I took delivery of my M50i at the PCD I got to drive a 50i around the track. I recently just took a Porsche track day down in ATL so I took what I learned there and applied to the 50i. I still didn't tip it's performance threshold. Car was rock solid. I went into a lot of turns going at least 105 hard break down to maybe 30... Full throttle through the turn and out the straight. The straight wasn't very long so I'm sure the X5M probably could top out faster but when are you driving like that in real life?

I live in North GA so I routinely take mine out on those back mountain roads.... It's a blast but you can't get much faster than 60mph. So what does all that extra HP get me? It gets you higher top end speed but the car is limited to 155 anyway.. My M50i can get there too.

[MystroX5]

Originally Posted by FloridaM5

See you define fast by 0-60 times. I do not. But I respect you and your opinion.

I understand the difference in quick vs fast but in everyday implementation how to even use a fraction of a 500+hp vehicle on the streets is very limited.

Coming from club racing 911’s and 30 years of 911 ownership, I wouldn’t mess with one of these SUV’s at a stop light for a few reasons. Admittedly, no one is seriously race tracking these SUV’s but in every day life there is some situations that could embarrass the unsuspecting performance car. I will give the scenario where playing around against one of these SUV’s at a stop light is a bad idea simply because they launch so easy and fast every time and god help you a SUV beats the 911 in the space of a city block. As a 911 owner I am playing back this unfortunate event and what’s more concerning is I think the SUV had his kids in the back watching the movie “Frozen” on the RES..


Yea, the 911 can do 190mph but no one is going to see it or use its long legs in the states so these top speed capabilities are largely academic. It’s these little quick blast from 0 to under 100mph is where it’s at or at least what you probably can safely get away with on public streets.

The take away is: the novelty of such a large luxury vehicle going as fast as they do and in such opulence is what’s the appeal. Anyone can build a fast small agile car. Making a small Manhattan apartment haul ass is a work of art. That is why the luxury SUV segment is growing so fast.
(disclaimer, I don’t condone street racing)

[FloridaM5]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

I understand the difference in quick vs fast but in everyday implementation how to even use a fraction of a 500+hp vehicle on the streets is very limited.

Coming from club racing 911’s and 30 years of 911 ownership, I wouldn’t mess with one of these SUV’s at a stop light for a few reasons. Admittedly, no one is seriously race tracking these SUV’s but in every day life there is some situations that could embarrass the unsuspecting performance car. I will give the scenario where playing around against one of these SUV’s at a stop light is a bad idea simply because they launch so easy and fast every time and god help you a SUV beats the 911 in the space of a city block.
Yea, the 911 can do 190mph but no one is going to see it or use its long legs in the states so these top speed capabilities are largely academic. It’s these little quick blast from 0 to under 100mph is where it’s at or at least what you probably can safely get away with on public streets.

The take away is: the novelty of such a large luxury vehicle going as fast as they do and in such opulence is what’s the appeal. Anyone can build a fast small agile car. Making a small Manhattan apartment haul ass is a work of art. I think that is why the luxury SUV segment is growing so fast.
([SIZE="1"]disclaimer, I don’t condone street racing[/SIZE])

That all makes sense to me.I get it. For me if the car doesn't trap north of 130 miles an hour yeah I don't really consider that fast...doesn't feel fast at least.

I also don't condone street racing, but I love drag strip events!

Either way, the big motor x5s are pretty great for cruising.

[MystroX5]

Originally Posted by FloridaM5

That all makes sense to me.I get it. For me if the car doesn't trap north of 130 miles an hour yeah I don't really consider that fast...doesn't feel fast at least.

I also don't condone street racing, but I love drag strip events!

Either way, the big motor x5s are pretty great for cruising.

Me too as I am a sports car guy but own lots of different types of vehicles for different purposes. I tend to daily drive a Power Wagon more than the others. There is a certain extra giddiness that comes over me when driving a big luxo performance SUV because it still shocks me how something this big can go this fast and handle surprisingly like a sports sedan. It’s a fun novelty of ownership and you feel like you are truly driving a sleeper.

[Thewolfbmw]

I enjoy reading everyone's perspectives and opinions. I enjoy it more when people don't get bent out of shape by another opinions too.

You have to pause for a second and appreciate not only BMW but other brands. What they are building and offering for each person's need.

523hp / 553 lbs vs 625hp / 553 lbs
0 to 60 in either 3.7 vs 4.1.......all in a 5500 pound vehicle. Amazing!!

I am sure in the right hands, the M50 can beat the X5M in a lap around the track. Maybe beat it to the next light in town, if it gets the right launch.

At the end of the day, it's ingenious marketing!

I agree with the idea of going and driving them both. Same road, same day. If you are as crazy as I am,, be sure to even check the tire pressures, so you get a true sense of the ride..

Good luck with your choice and can't wait to see what you get.

[FSB]

Originally Posted by Thewolfbmw

I enjoy reading everyone's perspectives and opinions. I enjoy it more when people don't get bent out of shape by another opinions too.

You have to pause for a second and appreciate not only BMW but other brands. What they are building and offering for each person's need.

523hp / 553 lbs vs 625hp / 553 lbs
0 to 60 in either 3.7 vs 4.1.......all in a 5500 pound vehicle. Amazing!!

I am sure in the right hands, the M50 can beat the X5M in a lap around the track. Maybe beat it to the next light in town, if it gets the right launch.

At the end of the day, it's ingenious marketing!

I agree with the idea of going and driving them both. Same road, same day. If you are as crazy as I am,, be sure to even check the tire pressures, so you get a true sense of the ride..

Good luck with your choice and can't wait to see what you get.

As already was said both cars have great performance! More then enough for regular SUV. Buying such a car is about getting pleasure, so my choice - X5M. It gives more fun and it's more ultimate. The main competitor was X7M50D, this is also a ultimate car of its kind, when you need cruiser for long trips, which I go to less often than I would like

[Pex5]

I haven't driven the new X5M, but in the past the M versions have always had superior ----superior suspension setups compared to the standard cars, Msport cars etc..

I found on the last 2 generations of X5, that the M suspensions are at the same time more compliant and stiffer. Its a win-win which is why they get the $$$. Its not just about a bump in power which frankly a software upgrade can achieve.

I believe that Ms are designed and tested by real enthusiasts. Whereas the standard cars, as good as they are, have to appeal to a broader spectrum of potential buyers.

My 2 cents-
DRP

[speedyman]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

Oh please. where do you drive in public that mid 3 second 0-60mph isn’t fast?? Let alone doing this in a midsize suv. These were 2 seater super car specs 10 years ago.

Exactly!

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

Wife says go drive both this weekend but she doesn't think the difference in price is justified for what she claims is "just different seats and bumpers".

WARNING: babbling ahead ...

Having cross shopped them in the last month, I agree with your wife, but then it comes down to what you want from an SUV.

I've never been an SUV fan and always had M4s (and M3s before that) for one specific reason: I love sport driving a road course (vs a track) and that's what gets most of the miles on my M cars. An SUV of any badge will comparatively suck in that case and, really, a mid-engine car is the best so the M4 is already a step down.

Back to the SUVs, needing one now for some novel reasons, my first inclination was the X5MC but found out, for me, it's a total waste with an unusable amount of power/handling except for 4 seconds of giggles here and there, but I've gotten those for a decade with M4s way better and in way more situations (and I'm sure you have too) - so I gotta be honest and say the X5MC is a let-down just comparatively; seems like a bit of a frankencar with no real purpose. That brought me to the 50i which realistically isn't hardly any different unless you're trying to pretend your SUV isn't an SUV (I'm not a use-this-hammer-as-a-screwdriver guy), which brought me to the 45e simply because I like the new tech (never owned or considered an e-vehicle, but the 45e seems different somehow).

Anyway, I'll either get the 45e or the 50i with the X5m definitely not being worth it for me (and frankly I'm not sure the 50i is worth 20k more than the 40i but it's the only other choice ... a 45i or 40iM would be my X5 jam).

[schaeffs888]

Originally Posted by bav29

100% agree. I went the other way though with the M50i with 2 axle air. I've had 2 years of race hard suspension which is great fun but only accounts for 10% of my driving - the rest is all around town with the wife, gone for the luxury feel this time..

On the looks point, IMO, the X5MC is a true head turner, the M50i looks like any other X5...

It really does come down to what you want from the car - they do both offer something slightly different despite what the numbers tell you. I think there is room for both in BMWs range and am really glad that they are both being offered by them.

[zhangyi17]

If I were to do it again, I'll still go with m50i. It is more discrete. My neighbors will see it and think, oh, another X5. X5M with its shouting engine and aggressive look, people recognize it right away (at least I do). But this is just my opinion. Maybe someone does want his/her neighbors know that he/she got a full fledged ///M car.

[647TTA]

I have not driven the X5M, but I would not want a stiffer suspension than the M50i for a road car. It is great on well maintained roads, but our M50i is noticeably less comfortable on some of the poorly maintained secondary roads around where I live. In its "comfort" setting, it is noticeably stiffer than my 2019 Corvette Z06 in the equivalent setting.

[Frenetic]

I think it all comes down to finances and how much value you put on that M badge.

I don't know if the average driver could tell much of a difference in day-to-day driving, but for the people buying these types of car, that probably doesn't matter much anyways as it's all about prestige and the badge. Regardless, it is certainly faster. The M50i tilts more towards comfort and is probably an easier daily driver.

[Paladin1]

Great that BMW offers such a broad range of choices for those that want or need it. I drive a 40i, because it suits my needs perfectly - it's a two and a half-ton high profile truck that I use for comfortably hauling things and people. With plenty of pickup and speed for any American highway I can legally and safely use it as intended. On any US Interstate I've driven, 80 mph in a 40i is not substantially different than driving in a Hurrican, except the 40i is much more comfortable. I drove an M5 several years in Germany, where I could actually use it. And last summer an R8 across the German and Italian alps - a hoot indeed. Each tool for its purpose.

[elitex]

Originally Posted by Paladin1

Great that BMW offers such a broad range of choices for those that want or need it. I drive a 40i, because it suits my needs perfectly - it's a two and a half-ton high profile truck that I use for comfortably hauling things and people. With plenty of pickup and speed for any American highway I can legally and safely use it as intended. On any US Interstate I've driven, 80 mph in a 40i is not substantially different than driving in a Hurrican, except the 40i is much more comfortable. I drove an M5 several years in Germany, where I could actually use it. And last summer an R8 across the German and Italian alps - a hoot indeed. Each tool for its purpose.

You're right about different tools for different uses. However, there's something special (Crazy) about an SUV moving this fast and handling the curves the way it does.

I like crazy, so does my wife

[HouseMD]

I'm really happy with my M50i. I hardly get going when I have to back off the accelerator. I can't imagine what I would do with the extra horsepower...

I love the way the M50i effortlessly accelerates.

I couldn't see spending the extra money for power I don't think I would really use. I was also worried about the ride being too stiff in the X5M. The M50i is stiff enough on some of the bad roads.

[sand99]

I'm finally ready to upgrade my 2014 F15 X5 35i to a G05 M50i or X5M, so I'm in the same boat. Test drove the M50i and it's really good in a straight line.

IMO, what separates the real ///M cars from their lesser versions is how they handle (0 body roll whatsoever) and how they brake.

Of course, they're also faster in a straight line than the regular models, but it isn't a night and day difference in acceleration like it is for handling and braking. Considering that I still have my F80 M3 Comp, I'm leaning towards getting the M50i, but I'm still not sure. I love how aggressive the X5M looks....

Has BMW finally got their V8 to run reliably? I know that was an issue back in '14 when I got my F15.

[Luminor513]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

Reality check if anyone thinks the performance of the X5 M50i is not world class for a mid-size SUV. A under 4 second 0-60mph SUV is a freak show. The fact that its reliable with a factory warranty and you can travel across country in total comfort is spectacular.

Its way too easy to get sucked into the 1% tunnel vision of these enthusiast forums.
It becomes fairies dancing on the head of a pin.

Lol and completely agree!! Sub 4 sec SUV is freaking ridiculous. The M50i is already ludicrous for an SUV, the X5M is just taking it a step further, although not sure vast majority of X5M buyers will ever actually experience that difference.

[spyfish007]

Originally Posted by sand99

IMO, what separates the real ///M cars from their lesser versions is how they handle (0 body roll whatsoever) and how they brake.
.

Have you tried DHP in the M50i?

[iconoclast]

For those who commented on the harshness of the suspension in the F95 X5M... How much worse is it than the F85? F85 was not horrible and even with the Dinan spring kit and bump stops it didn't feel all that bad or as bad as the X3M to me.

[jokerswld34]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

For those who commented on the harshness of the suspension in the F95 X5M... How much worse is it than the F85? F85 was not horrible and even with the Dinan spring kit and bump stops it didn't feel all that bad or as bad as the X3M to me.

F95 suspension rides better than F85

[iconoclast]

Thank you. I actually use the vehicle for passengers and mild offroad use and do not want it to agitate rear passengers or the puppy. I have to assume the M50i is not as harsh but wanted to see if anyone had issues with rear passengers being uncomfortable or complaining on either vehicle.