EDITOR WES RAYNAL: The price of this car is a joke, and frankly, it doesn’t drive nearly as well as the 5-series sedan.
That’s down to stretching the 5-series chassis, the Germans tell me, as well as the huge hatch opening–the combination makes for a decidedly less stiff chassis, and that shows on the road. It’s not nearly as crisp as a 5-series. Hell, it’s not even as crisp as an X5 or X6.
I do love the engine. This thing’s got some awesome power and torque. It scoots, and the transmission’s shifts couldn’t be smoother.
And, of course, it’s built beautifully. That’s not enough to make me spend a laughable 80-large on it, though.
COPY EDITOR CYNTHIA L. OROSCO: This is a big, bulky crossover with a big, bulky price tag, even with the BMW badge on it. While there’s plenty of power, it comes on in quirky spurts, not smoothly as one would expect from this luxury make. And braking was jerky, even though I didn’t once stomp on the brakes. Off the line, just as in our long-term 7-series, it feels as if the car takes a minute to find the gear it wants before catching and getting up to speed. Strange, and annoying.
Inside, well, you do find all of the quality you expect from BMW. Nice materials, easy-to-use audio/nav/HVAC interface, comfortable seats, etc. But, the exterior lines didn’t appeal to me. The back end looks bloated; it reminded me of the Honda Accord Crosstour. (In the Crosstour’s defense, though, I saw one at the mall in black, and it didn’t look so bad.)
While the overall ride is good and you get BMW’s luxury touches, the fuel economy isn’t great, and the sticker is too steep to overlook.
COPY/PRODUCTION CHIEF WENDY WARREN KEEBLER I agree with all of the above, except that I would call the price more than a joke–it’s absurd. I, too, found the brakes overly touchy. And the interior didn’t impress me much, either; it just didn’t feel special or luxurious; I might as well have been in a Taurus.
The cherry on top of the cake of my two days with the car: After a round trip to Ann Arbor, I pulled into my driveway, turned off the engine (and the accessories, which, annoyingly, requires a second push of the start/stop button) and parked. I went back out to take the 550i for a spin. The car started once and died. Then it wouldn’t turn over. Finally, it started but was shuddering and misfiring, with a message: “Warning! Engine malfunction–reduced power.” I turned it back off, came out later, and it started right up, smooth as could be, no more warning message–but the check-engine light was on and remained on.
SENIOR EDITOR FOR NEWS BOB GRITZINGER: Aside from the constantly on “check engine” light, the 550i GT ran flawlessly from start to finish of my drive. That’s not to say the drive was flawless–as Wes notes, the compromises to the 5-series chassis to create this monstrosity definitely compromise its integrity. I heard creaks from the passenger-side door and door-frame area and felt distinct chassis flexing, not to mention that the overall handling wasn’t anywhere near as precise as a 5-series sedan.
Equally compromised is the view out the back–worse than the Crosstour. It’s no wonder the backup camera and sensors are displayed with every manner of overlay grids and alert zones. Without them, you’d be in the bump shop (or worse) way too often. I also don’t get the keyless operation in the 550i GT–only one push to start, but two pushes for complete off. Wouldn’t a key be easier–and less of a hassle to find? You still have to dig out the key to lock and unlock the door, it seems, so why not just provide a place to plug it into the dash (like in the 1-series) and give it an “active” role in the vehicle’s operations. It seems way too disconnected this way.
2010 BMW 550i Gran Turismo
Base Price: $65,725
As-Tested Price: $80,375
Drivetrain: 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8; RWD, eight-speed automatic
Output: 400 hp @ 5,500-6,400 rpm, 450 lb-ft @ 1,750-4,500 rpm
Curb Weight: 4,938 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 17/17.0 mpg
Options: Sport package including 20-inch wheels ($1,000), sport leather steering wheel, multicontour seats, shadowline exterior trim ($4,200); luxury rear-seating package including four-zone climate control, rear sunshades, rear ventilated seats, rear comfort seats, heated rear seats ($3,650); active front-seat package including front ventilated seats, active front seats ($1,950); integral active steering ($1,750); cold-weather package including heated steering wheel, heated front seats ($950); camera package including rearview camera, side-view camera ($750); iPod/USB adapter ($400)
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