Recent E70 4.8 Drive Experience is NIRVANA

I just drove from Phoenix to San Diego, a 383 mile trip of which most of the road is flat and straight. But the last 40 miles climbs from an elevation of 275 ft to 4100 ft and back down again. Each direction has two lanes, and there are a number of bends and straight aways which I have enjoyed for several years. Then there are the amazing highway systems of California - San Diego has a particularly fun system of sharp, well-banked turns and short on-ramps. Let's not forget the notorious traffic, high-speeds and impulsive drivers.

I drove an E53 3.0 through these 40 or so miles many times - from Ocotillo, through Jacuma, Boulevard, Pine Valley, Apline and down into El Cajon - and thought it handled amazingly. I enjoyed the sound of the hi-revs as I pushed the engine to 85 mph up a steep hill then down-shifted just before a sweet bend. But I always heard 3.0 calling for more horses.

Let's just say the E70 4.8 was nirvana! I set the iDrive main screen to show present location Map, Direction of Travel, at 1/4 mile scale to see what lies ahead (bends, s-curve, etc.). In the Assistance Window I selected Current Position to see elevation (there's also city or county info and longitude and latitude). Dave Matthews Band strummed away throuh the 16 speakers powered by 600 watts. The sunshade was open but moonroof glass panel closed. I set the X5's cruise control at 83 mph and luckily the wind was mild (no gusts to disturb the tranquility). My passenger had just dozed off, so I was hoping to drive as smooth as possible.

NOTE: you can now have Xenon High Beams AND fog lights on simultaneously! My E53 would turn off fog lights as soon as I turned on high beams.

Not once did the engine announce its presence with a screaming roar of switching gears. Smooth power delivery the entire way. The vehicle seemed to float into the bends - I barely felt the g-force of the turn because of the flatness of the ride. Active Steering made it possible to manuever the vehicle with minimal yet precise effort.

Some would argue that this is not the driving experience that BMW has made its name on. Well, that's where I step in to tell you about the drive in the other direction. Heading back to Phoenix I moved the gear lever to the left and turned on SPORT mode. My passenger was awake this time and we both wanted to push the limits a bit. It was night time again, which makes it easier to see cars ahead (thanks to their lights).

Rather than feeling like a boat swaying in the ocean, the X5 hunkered down like a race car with an undercarriage 3 inches from the road surface. The exhilarating BMW experience is still there, but extra value has been added - the ability to serenely pleasure yourself while not disturbing your sleeping passengers. It's like flying an F-15 with first class passengers in the cockpit.

Dang, you got me salivating...you should write for R and T...

Hi, new to the forum. Planning on ordering the 4.8i with the same options plus multi contour seat. Would you mind telling me how much you got for? What was the average MPG during your trip? Try to convince my wife the MPG between the 3.0 & 4.8 are minimal. Thanks!

Thanks for sharing. I am looking to pick one up for the wife; replace the 750Li perhaps.

Originally Posted by Lynstermkiii

Would you mind telling me how much you got for? What was the average MPG during your trip? Try to convince my wife the MPG between the 3.0 & 4.8 are minimal. Thanks!

I am from Hawaii - lived there for 16 years. I think the 3.0 would actually be fine in a place that has limited places to open up the engine. Then again the on ramps are short, and there are plenty of speedy rice-rockets that would be fun to race, say, starting at the stoplight at Ainakoa heading west on Kalanianaole Hwy (H-1) just before you get on the freeway going past Kahala Mall. I have been at that stop light many times and found myself involuntarily racing another vehicle to see who could get to the first bend first.

I see that you have an '04 X5 3.0 - the same model I had for the past 2 years - so I can understand the want to upgrade to the 4.8.

For the most part, during the highway portion of the 3000+ mile trip across the US we were getting 16.6 to 18.2 mpg.
Compare that to 3 days of traversing Phoenix city streets however, and the mpg dropped to 14.4 mpg. And this was driving in a moderate manner - no speeding, no fast accelerations, and coasting into stoplights.

In Hawaii, I would think the X5 4.8 would get no more than 15mpg because there just isn't enough highway to traverse! There are tons of stoplights. Every time I press the accelerator, the fuel consumption gauge slams against the 12mpg line. Even if I start off from a stop going as slow as possible to reach 30 mph, it's almost impossible to get the feul consumption gauge to get off of the 12mpg line. Once the vehicle has reached a cruising speed of 30 mph, mpg drops down.

So realistically, X5 4.8 does not have great numbers compared to these automatic transmissions (granted these numbers are probably 3mpg higher than what will typically be experienced, in my opinion, and they are for combined city/hwy)
'07 550i Touring (wagon) touts 26.4mpg
'07 530xi Touring a wonderful 33.6mpg, and even better,
'07 530xd Touring (the straight-six diesel with common-rail fuel injection and VTG turbocharger) is said to get 42.8mpg.
'07 X3 3.0si - bmwusa.com technical data says 19mpg city / 26mpg hwy
'07 X5 4.8i - bmwusa.com To Be Determined
'07 X5 3.0i - bmwusa.com To Be Determined


Fuel Tank Capacity of '07 X5 is 22.5 gallons; '07 5 series Touring, I'm guessing it will the same as the '06 at 18.5.
'07 550i Touring miles per tank - 26.4 mpg x 18.5 = 488.4 miles.
'07 X5 4.8i miles per tank - 14.4 mpg x 22.5 gallons = 324 miles.

Let's say, for argument's sake that the Touring gets even 100 miles more than the X5 - that's an amazing distance in any city, but especially in Hawaii! Remember, I can say that because I lived in Hawaii and still frequent there up to 4 times a year.

The BMW Touring, in my opinion, would be a great choice if you you're looking for high performance with tons of cargo capacity, and are TRULY concerned about Miles Per Gallon - especially in a place like Hawaii, where gas prices are considerably more than in the contiguous United States. My mom updates me on local gas prices in Honolulu at least once a week. Her vehicle takes premium. Remember, we're talking about PREMIUM GAS!

Here's a chart (generated at http://www.honolulugasprices.com/ret...ice_chart.aspx) that shows the Average Price for Regular (not premium) Gas for past 24 months (2/12/05 to 1/9/07) for Honolulu, Los Angeles and Phoenix. Prices may be down now, but they will be going up in a couple of months. (Click on thumbnail for full size)



Big question is why did I choose the X5 over the Touring? To be honest, I was totally blinded by the "All-New"-ness of the E70. It's the most technologically advanced assembly line vehicle on the planet. Can we talk about Adaptive Drive with Sports Package for outstanding ride comfort? Standard xDrive & Xenon Adaptive Headlights? First vehicle in the world to have Flexray Data Transmissions Protocol at 20 times speed of CAN system? Active Steering, Heads Up Display, Navigation, Voice Activation?

Second, I do a lot of road trips – at least once a month – and Phoenix metro area has a spectacular highway system. So, I’ll benefit from highway mpg.

Third, I can write off the money spent on gas, thanks to my business. I also lease, which adds another tax benefit.

If I lived in Hawaii, couldn’t road trip, didn’t have a was to write off high gas bills, and thought considered that the ’07 5 series will be technically stunning, I’d go for the 550 Touring. Or wait…how about the M5 Touring!!! Yes, the 507 hp V-10 engine has been married to the touring platform and will be out this year.

But, if you want to get your hands on NIGHT VISION, 5 series is the way to go...and it's incredible. I was lucky enough to see it in action at a Phoenix dealership where a customer ordered a 550i fully loaded. You’ll need to order Cold Weather and On-Board Navigation.

Jus4ac,

Can you please talk about your experience with Adaptive Drive and what it does for the vehicle. I know you briefly described it earlier. I am thinking of getting this feature for my wife's new E70, although in Canada we do not need to get the sport package with it, just active steering and adaptive drive.

My wife is looking for a very comfortable ride. The base X5 suspension offers this already, although she found the sport package a little too unforgiving for her. Are there different settings in Adaptive Drive (through the iDrive display)? Does it work well ? Thx.

Originally Posted by jus4ac

I am from Hawaii - lived there for 16 years. I think the 3.0 would actually be fine in a place that has limited places to open up the engine. Then again the on ramps are short, and there are plenty of speedy rice-rockets that would be fun to race, say, starting at the stoplight at Ainakoa heading west on Kalanianaole Hwy (H-1) just before you get on the freeway going past Kahala Mall. I have been at that stop light many times and found myself involuntarily racing another vehicle to see who could get to the first bend first.

I see that you have an '04 X5 3.0 - the same model I had for the past 2 years - so I can understand the want to upgrade to the 4.8.

For the most part, during the highway portion of the 3000+ mile trip across the US we were getting 16.6 to 18.2 mpg.
Compare that to 3 days of traversing Phoenix city streets however, and the mpg dropped to 14.4 mpg. And this was driving in a moderate manner - no speeding, no fast accelerations, and coasting into stoplights.

In Hawaii, I would think the X5 4.8 would get no more than 15mpg because there just isn't enough highway to traverse! There are tons of stoplights. Every time I press the accelerator, the fuel consumption gauge slams against the 12mpg line. Even if I start off from a stop going as slow as possible to reach 30 mph, it's almost impossible to get the feul consumption gauge to get off of the 12mpg line. Once the vehicle has reached a cruising speed of 30 mph, mpg drops down.

So realistically, X5 4.8 does not have great numbers compared to these automatic transmissions (granted these numbers are probably 3mpg higher than what will typically be experienced, in my opinion, and they are for combined city/hwy)
'07 550i Touring (wagon) touts 26.4mpg
'07 530xi Touring a wonderful 33.6mpg, and even better,
'07 530xd Touring (the straight-six diesel with common-rail fuel injection and VTG turbocharger) is said to get 42.8mpg.
'07 X3 3.0si - bmwusa.com technical data says 19mpg city / 26mpg hwy
'07 X5 4.8i - bmwusa.com To Be Determined
'07 X5 3.0i - bmwusa.com To Be Determined


Fuel Tank Capacity of '07 X5 is 22.5 gallons; '07 5 series Touring, I'm guessing it will the same as the '06 at 18.5.
'07 550i Touring miles per tank - 26.4 mpg x 18.5 = 488.4 miles.
'07 X5 4.8i miles per tank - 14.4 mpg x 22.5 gallons = 324 miles.

Let's say, for argument's sake that the Touring gets even 100 miles more than the X5 - that's an amazing distance in any city, but especially in Hawaii! Remember, I can say that because I lived in Hawaii and still frequent there up to 4 times a year.

The BMW Touring, in my opinion, would be a great choice if you you're looking for high performance with tons of cargo capacity, and are TRULY concerned about Miles Per Gallon - especially in a place like Hawaii, where gas prices are considerably more than in the contiguous United States. My mom updates me on local gas prices in Honolulu at least once a week. Her vehicle takes premium. Remember, we're talking about PREMIUM GAS!

Here's a chart (generated at http://www.honolulugasprices.com/ret...ice_chart.aspx) that shows the Average Price for Regular (not premium) Gas for past 24 months (2/12/05 to 1/9/07) for Honolulu, Los Angeles and Phoenix. Prices may be down now, but they will be going up in a couple of months. (Click on thumbnail for full size)



Big question is why did I choose the X5 over the Touring? To be honest, I was totally blinded by the "All-New"-ness of the E70. It's the most technologically advanced assembly line vehicle on the planet. Can we talk about Adaptive Drive with Sports Package for outstanding ride comfort? Standard xDrive & Xenon Adaptive Headlights? First vehicle in the world to have Flexray Data Transmissions Protocol at 20 times speed of CAN system? Active Steering, Heads Up Display, Navigation, Voice Activation?

Second, I do a lot of road trips – at least once a month – and Phoenix metro area has a spectacular highway system. So, I’ll benefit from highway mpg.

Third, I can write off the money spent on gas, thanks to my business. I also lease, which adds another tax benefit.

If I lived in Hawaii, couldn’t road trip, didn’t have a was to write off high gas bills, and thought considered that the ’07 5 series will be technically stunning, I’d go for the 550 Touring. Or wait…how about the M5 Touring!!! Yes, the 507 hp V-10 engine has been married to the touring platform and will be out this year.

But, if you want to get your hands on NIGHT VISION, 5 series is the way to go...and it's incredible. I was lucky enough to see it in action at a Phoenix dealership where a customer ordered a 550i fully loaded. You’ll need to order Cold Weather and On-Board Navigation.

The new X5 (model E70) is the first vehicle to offer a system like Adaptive Drive. Adaptive Drive is always on and therefore is constantly monitoring the following data: speed of the vehicle, steering angle, longitudinal and lateral acceleration, body and wheel acceleration, and ride height. The E70 is the first vehicle in the world to implement Flexray technology, a data transmissions chip, protocol and system. The sensors which monitor the Adaptive Drive data now transfer data 20 times faster than with the normal CAN bus system due to increased bandwidth. Basically, Flexray is to data transmission in the auto-industry as what a T1 line is to phone lines. There is improved data exchange rate of more accurate sensor information, increased precision of timing, and a higher fault protection.

All of this information is used to control the sway motors of the anti-roll bars and the electromagnetic valves on the dampers. Adaptive Drive and Flexray combine to seamlessly provide a suspension system that is faster, more accurate, more precise, and more comfortable.

To exerience a sportier set-up, press the Sport buttom located just behind the electronic-gear shift. The system eletronically adapt for a sportier ride.

There are no settings in iDrive to control Adaptive Drive.

According to the "Build Your Own" BMW site, you must order Sport Package in order to experience Adaptive Drive.

When I press the "Sport" button and take corners, I can defnitely feel the vehicle sway more. This is true of even taking a corner like you would at an intersection. I'll have to experiment a bit more, though, to give you a fantastic description. Honestly, there are so many features and new systems, it'll take me at least another month to describe them all and also learn about them enough to explain it in both laymen and technical terms. I'll say it again, the X5 is the most innovative and technologically advanced vehicle on the planet!

Thanks,

Just wondering whether you had test driven stock E70 without adaptive drive and determined how the ride improved in terms of comfort (without pressing sport button). I'm trying to guage whether it's worth the $4700 (Cdn) that we have to spend on it - includes active steering, which I like. In Canada, the sport package and dynamic drive package are exclusive or can be ordered together. Check out www.bmw.ca. Cheers.

Originally Posted by jus4ac

The new X5 (model E70) is the first vehicle to offer a system like Adaptive Drive. Adaptive Drive is always on and therefore is constantly monitoring the following data: speed of the vehicle, steering angle, longitudinal and lateral acceleration, body and wheel acceleration, and ride height. The E70 is the first vehicle in the world to implement Flexray technology, a data transmissions chip, protocol and system. The sensors which monitor the Adaptive Drive data now transfer data 20 times faster than with the normal CAN bus system due to increased bandwidth. Basically, Flexray is to data transmission in the auto-industry as what a T1 line is to phone lines. There is improved data exchange rate of more accurate sensor information, increased precision of timing, and a higher fault protection.

All of this information is used to control the sway motors of the anti-roll bars and the electromagnetic valves on the dampers. Adaptive Drive and Flexray combine to seamlessly provide a suspension system that is faster, more accurate, more precise, and more comfortable.

To exerience a sportier set-up, press the Sport buttom located just behind the electronic-gear shift. The system eletronically adapt for a sportier ride.

There are no settings in iDrive to control Adaptive Drive.

According to the "Build Your Own" BMW site, you must order Sport Package in order to experience Adaptive Drive.

When I press the "Sport" button and take corners, I can defnitely feel the vehicle sway more. This is true of even taking a corner like you would at an intersection. I'll have to experiment a bit more, though, to give you a fantastic description. Honestly, there are so many features and new systems, it'll take me at least another month to describe them all and also learn about them enough to explain it in both laymen and technical terms. I'll say it again, the X5 is the most innovative and technologically advanced vehicle on the planet!

I test drove an E70 without Sport Package and without Adaptive Drive. I didn't put it through any testing though. It was just a simply drive around a couple of blocks and on a small patch of freeway. It was a 4.8 though, and the power was significantly more than the 3.0.

BMW has importers in more than 120 countries and web portals for over 70 countries. It's amazing to think of the arrangements of options, features and packages individually tailored for each market.

Make sure you don't accidently drive over a bail of hay!

Originally Posted by jus4ac

I am from Hawaii...

Funny, I lived in Honolulu for a month (Seaside Ave.) and in Ewa Beach for an entire year..

H-1 in the morning is HELL....

Hawaii was very beautiful but we got infected with the well-known G.C.I.V. (Golden Cage Island Virus ) and moved to Florida..

I'm about to buy an X5 nearly identical to jus4ac's, but I'm concerned about ride harshness with the 20 inch wheels (Style 214).

I wonder whether anyone has had a chance to compare that set-up with the standard (for the Sport package) 19 inch wheels (Style 211). Or is it simply that the ride with the 20s is so good that the harshness question isn't raised?

Jus,
Quick question - what functions can be controlled by voice command? I assume phone functions (call, redial, etc), nav (enter destinations, etc.), but what about radio and climate controls?

Originally Posted by batesh

I'm about to buy an X5 nearly identical to jus4ac's, but I'm concerned about ride harshness with the 20 inch wheels (Style 214).

I wonder whether anyone has had a chance to compare that set-up with the standard (for the Sport package) 19 inch wheels (Style 211). Or is it simply that the ride with the 20s is so good that the harshness question isn't raised?

The interior noise level of the E70 is superb and I can't feel any ride harshness. From what I can tell, it doesn't matter whether you have 19s or 20s. I traveled 3300 miles across country and trust me, the noise factor is very minimal, even when going 100 mph...so much better than the E53, thanks to a 15% increase in torsional rigidity and strength, as well as better sound abatement measures in the seals of the panoramic moonroof.

Adaptive Drive does an amazing job! The E53 Sport Package rendered the vehicle's comfort level with the likes of riding on the back of a mule crossing jagged rocks. This statement is in comparison of course to the ability of Adaptive Drive to counter uneven road surfaces and delivery an very smooth ride experience. Electromagnetic valves produce electronic dampening and the sway motors produce sublime active-roll stabilization. This buffers whatever extra road harshness one would normally feel from 20s.

I do suggest making sure that the tires are kept at optimum pressure.

And thanks to the BMW Performance Center Delivery, I was able to test an E70 on the Off-Road course. Some might think that off-roading over rocky terrain, sloshing through up to 20 inches of water, or trekking across a hill at a 32-degree angle is an unlikely place to find an E70. But don't fret - the X5 can handle it just fine. Granted, 20s would not be the best wheels for your outdoor adventure.

Finally test drove a E70, but the dealer only have a none sport 3.0 for demo. Wasn't too impress, after reading all the forum, I had a high anticipation. The interior feels so confined(second & third row). Maybe it's the black interior color. The nevada leather seems to be harder than the dakota leather on the E53(the demo was equip with premiun package, so I am sure it's not leatherette). I am 5'11, I just can't find the right driving position. The headrest now is power, I found out after a few attempt to yank it up.Ha,ha. But it doesn't tilt forward like the E53. And without the adaptive drive, the ride is as harsh as my E53 with sport on 18's. Sport package, comfort seat and napa leather is a must on my list. The base 12 speakers sound was very impressive though. I actually can feel the bass in my rear. It's better than the upgraded premium sound on my E53. After almost an hour of unsupervised test drive. My wife wasn't too impress either. Beside the dealer gave my wife's '06 Lexus RX400h with 7600miles 35k for trade-in(paid 51k) That's like 6k below KBB. That really tick her off! The lease on my E53 end Nov. 07. Guess won't be drive one soon! Just for the record. I am still the one wear the pants in the house, it's just that my wife is in procession of the checkbook! Haha! By the way, does anyone know if the 2nd row seats are power recline on the E70?

Originally Posted by Lynstermkiii

By the way, does anyone know if the 2nd row seats are power recline on the E70?

No, it's not power recline and this function only available if you order the third row seats if not the 2nd row seats won't move at all, can only fold flat for cargo space.

...how has your fuel economy fared on your E70? Do you have a breakdown of what you are averaging in the city as opposed to highway? Could you share what your fuel range shows in the computer once you fillup? As well, if you do have mpg figures, are these calculated or based on what the computer shows.

Thank you.

Prior to owning the E70, I drove an E53 ('04 X5) and appreciated its decent mpg.

My first 4400 miles were almost all done on highway and averaged 16.6 mpg. For the past 600 miles it's been a mix of strict city driving in a grid with lots of stop lights and city driving with some highway.

Strict city driving - When I leave the fueling station, I reset the mpg counter and as soon as I step on the gas pedal, it reads 7.4 mpg. After a few miles, and depending on the driving conditions, the vehicle is getting between 11.5 and 14.4 mpg.

Before filling up the tank, the average mpg is 11.9 for 261 miles and average speed 29.6 mph. After filling up the tank, range is 325.

I have to say, I'm not impressed with the miles per gallon. For all of its environmental concerns, I truly hope the E70 model gets a diesel version release in the U.S. as I understand that more than half of the X5s in Europe have diesel engines.