While the M5 does an excellent job of grabbing headlines, if you’re looking for something that’s nine-tenths as quick but more affordable, as well as more more comfortable for everyday use, the M550i xDrive is one of the most outstanding four-door sedans available.
On paper, the numbers look promising. Although not quite as powerful in M550i guise, the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine is the same as what you’d find in the top-spec M5 Competition. This engine churns out 523 horsepower (390kW) and 553 lb-ft of torque (750Nm), enough to catapult the car from 0–60 mph (0-96 km/h) in just 4 seconds, all for much less than an M5.
Read: M550i And 540i xDrive Are Slower Than Advertised Say BMW, Fix Coming Soon
This being a 5-Series, it is still a practical option, with a 530-liter cargo capacity and a power-operated boot lid. Inside it boasts a mix of modern and traditional equipment, including a digital instrument cluster, digital touch screen, iDrive remote controller, and knobs and buttons, while the cabin can be furnished with few sorts of leather choices.
But suffice to say, it’s on the road where the M550i shines. As Tom Baker from Chasing Cars explains, the M550i is now what the E39 M5 once was. While subsequent M5s have become more performance and track-oriented, the G30 M550i remains true to the successful mix of BMW characteristics displayed in the late ’90s and early ’00s.
The M550i bridges the gap between a luxury sedan and an all-out super-saloon but retains the almost lost art of driver engagement. Being a sedan, it has the edge over similarly-powered SUVs from the BMW stable, with something like an X5 M50i outclassed by the M550i in that the latter ensures the driver is an integral part of the experience.
