Article comparing 4.8is and Cayenne Turbo ...

Thought this might be of interest to some of you. I scanned in an article comparing the Cayenne Turbo and the 4.8is (in Australia) . You can find the article in PDF format (3MB) at the following location : http://www.janixworld.com/x5/misc/au...ne%20Turbo.pdf

For those interested in an online version you can find the scanned pages at http://www.janixworld.com/x5/misc/aus/


I've been visiting various BMW dealers in the Melbourne area to checkout the X5 4.8is and one of them actualy had a demo car available (Doncaster BMW, Silver Black Alcantara, all options). However given the price in Australia (169.000 AUS/~135.000USD) makes the purchase way more painfull then in the US

- Jan

MAN....what are up with those Aussie prices? Is that like a 50% tax or something??

Originally Posted by X5M5

MAN....what are up with those Aussie prices? Is that like a 50% tax or something??

Every car which costs more than 56.000 AUS will incure a special luxury tax , also if the car (or at least the majority of parts) are not from Australia a special "uplift" will be applied. Basically owning a European car in Australia is VERY expensive. An Audi A4 1.8T will cost you appr ~60.000AUS, a BMW M3 will run you appr 130.000AUS . You also need to consider the salary is pretty much 1 to 1 (ie if you earn 150k in the US you'd get appr 150k in Australia). On the other hand Australia is an exceptional place to live and beats pretty much every other country (except for the fact it's at least a 2 day trip to the US/Europe )

- Jan

Originally Posted by jmh

Every car which costs more than 56.000 AUS will incure a special luxury tax , also if the car (or at least the majority of parts) are not from Australia a special "uplift" will be applied. Basically owning a European car in Australia is VERY expensive. An Audi A4 1.8T will cost you appr ~60.000AUS, a BMW M3 will run you appr 130.000AUS.

Isn't this kind of protectionism illegal in most developed countries?

I agree it's a nice place to live (BTDT). But if only sunshine would pay the bills, there'd be no need to live anywhere else...

I think in developed countries you actually call it a "tariff", or in the states, a "subsidy".

I really don't care what it's called, all I know is my new 054.8 cost me over $165k........ of which the beauroprats get a large slice after they already had a go in my pay packet.

Like they say, you can't beat City Hall.

Originally Posted by jmh

Thought this might be of interest to some of you. I scanned in an article comparing the Cayenne Turbo and the 4.8is (in Australia) . You can find the article in PDF format (3MB) at the following location : http://www.janixworld.com/x5/misc/au...ne%20Turbo.pdf

For those interested in an online version you can find the scanned pages at http://www.janixworld.com/x5/misc/aus/


I've been visiting various BMW dealers in the Melbourne area to checkout the X5 4.8is and one of them actualy had a demo car available (Doncaster BMW, Silver Black Alcantara, all options). However given the price in Australia (169.000 AUS/~135.000USD) makes the purchase way more painfull then in the US

- Jan

Man, you sure do get around Jan. How's things "down under?" When are you returning state-side?

Originally Posted by UCrewX5

Man, you sure do get around Jan. How's things "down under?" When are you returning state-side?

Hi spent almost 4 weeks out there for work and just returned yesterday night from Australia ('only' the usual 30hr trip door to door ) , just in time to attend the BavAuto Show'n Shine on Sunday

- Jan

You are nuts man!!! I'd be in bed from jet lag

Originally Posted by X5M5

You are nuts man!!! I'd be in bed from jet lag

The good thing is I don't suffer jet lag and given the time difference of 14hrs makes it easier to stay up at night

- Jan

Originally Posted by jmh

Hi spent almost 4 weeks out there for work and just returned yesterday night from Australia ('only' the usual 30hr trip door to door ) , just in time to attend the BavAuto Show'n Shine on Sunday

- Jan

Only a 30hr flight, Jan?? You can't have any two places on earth that are farther than that. Like Chris said, I would've spent the entire Sunday in bed or trying to figure out night from day .

It's not so bad..... you can sleep on the plane, read 2 or 3 books or get pissed and still have time to sober up.

It would be worth the trip if all you guys would start sriving on the other side of the road, then all us aussies could get a right hand drive X5.

(Oh, we are aware of the 'wonderful' price difference, but I can't seem to find anyone who can supply a RHD in the states........he he)

Holy COW! My longest flight (That I can REMEMBER!) was 7h 45 minutes from Copenhagen to Dulles! I was on the plane for a few hours before takeoff, though, too, because some geniuses checked luggage on OUR flight but decided to take a different flight without letting anyone know... so.. yeah... they had to offload all the luggage, and re-load it all. By some miracle we made it home with everything. I was on a long flight to Hawaii, once, but I was only 2 months old.

Maybe the 4.8is engine was not fully broken in, but the 4.8s in this Aussie comparo test with the Cayenne seems awefully slow. In fact, it doesn't seem much faster than the "old", non-valvetronic X5 4.4i.

I do agree that the 4.8is is probably the most sporty X5 of all time especially with its stock exhaust system.

Originally Posted by jmh

Thought this might be of interest to some of you. I scanned in an article comparing the Cayenne Turbo and the 4.8is (in Australia) . You can find the article in PDF format (3MB) at the following location : http://www.janixworld.com/x5/misc/au...ne%20Turbo.pdf

For those interested in an online version you can find the scanned pages at http://www.janixworld.com/x5/misc/aus/


I've been visiting various BMW dealers in the Melbourne area to checkout the X5 4.8is and one of them actualy had a demo car available (Doncaster BMW, Silver Black Alcantara, all options). However given the price in Australia (169.000 AUS/~135.000USD) makes the purchase way more painfull then in the US

- Jan

Originally Posted by Kewl X5

Maybe the 4.8is engine was not fully broken in, but the 4.8s in this Aussie comparo test with the Cayenne seems awefully slow. In fact, it doesn't seem much faster than the "old", non-valvetronic X5 4.4i.

I do agree that the 4.8is is probably the most sporty X5 of all time especially with its stock exhaust system.

Naturally-aspirated BMWs road-tested in Australia perform significantly worse acceleration-wise. No Aussie car magazine could ever get an M5 to 62 mph (100 kmh) in less than 6 sec, for example, whereas a UK magazine coaxed one to 60 mph in 4.6 sec (so, 62 mph/100 mph in 4.9 or so). I think it's to do with

- higher ambient temperatures, especially in Melbourne summers (Melbourne is where the three main car mags are based, IIRC)
- poorer quality petrol
- possible tuning for lower RON, allowing the car to be driven on the six-month-old, part-evaporated 88 RON stuff you have to fill up with if you visit far-flung places, such as the Northern Territory - with no allowance for higher RON petrol where available

Even the few Australian cars which are exported to other places (GTO to the US, Monaro to the UK frinstance) often turn out better figures when tested abroad.