I attended the drive event last Saturday.
I'm on my third BMW, which is an xDrive F10 535 with DHP, following a RWD E60 545 Sport and an E53 X5. I also owned a 1987 Audi 4000S and a 2004 Audi allroad, and a Porsche Boxster S along with several other cars that were not worth listing. Also, my wife has a Volvo XC70. I have a Ford Explorer in the third space, for people hauling and dirty duty. All this, just so you know where I'm coming from.
I drove:
Here are my observations, in no particular order:
xDrive Sucks the BMW Out of a BMW
There, I said it. After driving and loving my RWD E60 for years and having precisely zero issues in the winter on a set of snow tires, I made the move to xDrive on my current F10. I've regretted it since, and this experience confirms my regret.
BMW charges you $2500 for xDrive and gives the car a soft suspension that does not feel at all like a sports sedan. Then you have to pay another $1K-$3K to add DHP in order to bring the drive experience close to par. Then they raise it up 10mm, adding insult to injury by making the car look less athletic.
I drove the RWD 428i Gran Coupe first, so I drove it right after I climbed out of my own car. I hadn't even gotten out of the parking lot in the 428 before I realized that the RWD/704 suspension combo is where it's at for a BMW sedan. I don't plan to buy one any other way, again. The car felt totally pointed, connected to the road, athletic, and capable.
I understand the case for all wheel drive, and it makes sense to me that people want it. This post is not about whether AWD is better than RWD - at all. I also understand that the 704 suspension might be a little too high strung for some buyers. Frankly, if all wheel drive is a priority for you, I recommend driving other brands extensively before you commit to an AWD BMW, because others package it better.
I don't know why BMW can't throw a 704 suspension at an xDrive M-Sport car. Wouldn't that make sense?
The F36 Gran Coupe Is Seriously Appealing
Fantastic car - I loved the hatchback, and the N20 is a sweet little engine that sounds excellent under throttle the way they have it tuned in the Gran Coupe. It might not be _quite_ as fast as I want, but it is close, and the car felt lighter and more nimble than either the 435 or the S5. For people who must have 4 doors, the F36 might be the best car in BMW's lineup. Sitting right next to my 2013 535, this car made the F10 look like it had a couple pounds to lose.
The F3X Interior Didn't Bother Me As Much As I Remember
In the past the interior treatment on the F3X cars has turned me off; it didn't bother me as much today. The 428GC had Venetian with Burl Walnut trim, and the 435 was Black with Hex Aluminum. I don't care for the aluminum - it looks like it would be in a less expensive car to my eyes, though I understand how some people may feel that a 4 series is too sporty for wood. Personally I would choose one of the black wood options, to maintain a nice grain finish but a less luxurious look.
The weak point of the F3X interior is the broad expanse of black plastic that surrounds the shift lever. This is what it is because BMW offers a manual transmission in the F3X cars, and the 6MT shifter needs room to move. The "extra" room is covered in black plastic on the 8AT cars because those levers need nearly no room to move; there should be some trim there instead. The F10 has dramatically better treatment in that area. I also wish the F3X steering wheel came down a little further; I felt like I was reaching up to it. I wonder if they lowered the seating position in the 4 series compared to the 3 series, without changing the angle of the steering column.
The xDrive 435 Coupe Was 4gettable
On this car, the suspension was loose and the 20" wheels were as loud as hell. It was a poor combination. Plus, it was the last car I drove and the traffic was beginning to get bad and wasn't able to leg it out much. But I have same engine in my car and I know what it's capable of.
I liked the seats - way more bolster support than the F10 has, although I do have the standard F10 seats.
I did like the M Performance Exhaust - it sounds a little spicy but doesn't scream "fart can" or "look at me, I modified my car." I would probably do this on a 435 coupe, were I to buy one.
The S5 is still nice, even at the end of its lifecycle
The S5 presented itself very well. It felt quite a bit heavier and a little faster than either of the BMWs. I felt like the switchgear quality inside was slightly inferior to the BMWs, and the outward visibility is clearly better on the BMWs. But the S5 was tight, sounded nice, had a little more grunt off the line, and probably looks a little more menacing than the 435. This is a nice car, and look out when Audi redesigns it for 2016 to lose a little weight.
I enjoyed the event. I'm only 12 months into my F10 lease, so it will be a while before I can make a change. If I were buying today, though, it would be a RWD 435 M-Sport with a 6MT, the MPPK, the MPE, and the carbon fiber M shifter. I would probably have to take a 4GC around the block one more time though, because that is a really cool car. If they made it with a 6MT, it might get the nod over the coupe.
I'm on my third BMW, which is an xDrive F10 535 with DHP, following a RWD E60 545 Sport and an E53 X5. I also owned a 1987 Audi 4000S and a 2004 Audi allroad, and a Porsche Boxster S along with several other cars that were not worth listing. Also, my wife has a Volvo XC70. I have a Ford Explorer in the third space, for people hauling and dirty duty. All this, just so you know where I'm coming from.
I drove:
- A 428i Gran Coupe that was a RWD M-Sport model
- An Audi S5
- A 435i xDrive Coupe, which did not have DHP but did have the M-Power Performance Kit and the M Performance Exhaust, along with the 20" M-Sport wheels and rubber band tires.
Here are my observations, in no particular order:
xDrive Sucks the BMW Out of a BMW
There, I said it. After driving and loving my RWD E60 for years and having precisely zero issues in the winter on a set of snow tires, I made the move to xDrive on my current F10. I've regretted it since, and this experience confirms my regret.
BMW charges you $2500 for xDrive and gives the car a soft suspension that does not feel at all like a sports sedan. Then you have to pay another $1K-$3K to add DHP in order to bring the drive experience close to par. Then they raise it up 10mm, adding insult to injury by making the car look less athletic.
I drove the RWD 428i Gran Coupe first, so I drove it right after I climbed out of my own car. I hadn't even gotten out of the parking lot in the 428 before I realized that the RWD/704 suspension combo is where it's at for a BMW sedan. I don't plan to buy one any other way, again. The car felt totally pointed, connected to the road, athletic, and capable.
I understand the case for all wheel drive, and it makes sense to me that people want it. This post is not about whether AWD is better than RWD - at all. I also understand that the 704 suspension might be a little too high strung for some buyers. Frankly, if all wheel drive is a priority for you, I recommend driving other brands extensively before you commit to an AWD BMW, because others package it better.
I don't know why BMW can't throw a 704 suspension at an xDrive M-Sport car. Wouldn't that make sense?
The F36 Gran Coupe Is Seriously Appealing
Fantastic car - I loved the hatchback, and the N20 is a sweet little engine that sounds excellent under throttle the way they have it tuned in the Gran Coupe. It might not be _quite_ as fast as I want, but it is close, and the car felt lighter and more nimble than either the 435 or the S5. For people who must have 4 doors, the F36 might be the best car in BMW's lineup. Sitting right next to my 2013 535, this car made the F10 look like it had a couple pounds to lose.
The F3X Interior Didn't Bother Me As Much As I Remember
In the past the interior treatment on the F3X cars has turned me off; it didn't bother me as much today. The 428GC had Venetian with Burl Walnut trim, and the 435 was Black with Hex Aluminum. I don't care for the aluminum - it looks like it would be in a less expensive car to my eyes, though I understand how some people may feel that a 4 series is too sporty for wood. Personally I would choose one of the black wood options, to maintain a nice grain finish but a less luxurious look.
The weak point of the F3X interior is the broad expanse of black plastic that surrounds the shift lever. This is what it is because BMW offers a manual transmission in the F3X cars, and the 6MT shifter needs room to move. The "extra" room is covered in black plastic on the 8AT cars because those levers need nearly no room to move; there should be some trim there instead. The F10 has dramatically better treatment in that area. I also wish the F3X steering wheel came down a little further; I felt like I was reaching up to it. I wonder if they lowered the seating position in the 4 series compared to the 3 series, without changing the angle of the steering column.
The xDrive 435 Coupe Was 4gettable
On this car, the suspension was loose and the 20" wheels were as loud as hell. It was a poor combination. Plus, it was the last car I drove and the traffic was beginning to get bad and wasn't able to leg it out much. But I have same engine in my car and I know what it's capable of.
I liked the seats - way more bolster support than the F10 has, although I do have the standard F10 seats.
I did like the M Performance Exhaust - it sounds a little spicy but doesn't scream "fart can" or "look at me, I modified my car." I would probably do this on a 435 coupe, were I to buy one.
The S5 is still nice, even at the end of its lifecycle
The S5 presented itself very well. It felt quite a bit heavier and a little faster than either of the BMWs. I felt like the switchgear quality inside was slightly inferior to the BMWs, and the outward visibility is clearly better on the BMWs. But the S5 was tight, sounded nice, had a little more grunt off the line, and probably looks a little more menacing than the 435. This is a nice car, and look out when Audi redesigns it for 2016 to lose a little weight.
I enjoyed the event. I'm only 12 months into my F10 lease, so it will be a while before I can make a change. If I were buying today, though, it would be a RWD 435 M-Sport with a 6MT, the MPPK, the MPE, and the carbon fiber M shifter. I would probably have to take a 4GC around the block one more time though, because that is a really cool car. If they made it with a 6MT, it might get the nod over the coupe.
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