Test drove a 4.8 X5 today......

I love my 3.0 X5, but as so does the lovely wife (she wants it) so I decided to revisit the 4.4 vs 4.8 in a back to back drive at my local dealer. A friend has the 4.6 and I wasn't all that taken with it for the price difference.

Well, the wife was a bit tired when we got there and the familiarity of the car had her dozing off after I'd given the V8 a squirt and was just cruising around. A bit of sunshine through the roof and she was really comfy.

After about 20 minutes we returned to the dealer who had parked the 4.8 out the front.

Got behind the wheel and turned the key. grinned like a cheshire cat when the engine fired at that SWEEEEET rumble....... and that was the wife.

As it was the only one they had, the dealer asked that we didn't take all day... so we decided we'd just cruise. Went up the highway a way and tried the in gear acceleration then on to the lights..... stopped.... and gave it the heavy right one up to 80kmh...

By now I was really impressed at the get up and went so went around a couple of corners. The poise and balance, the direct feel of the steering on really bad roads with trams was so different to the car I already loved.

Half way around our lap of the suburb I'd already made up my mind. The lovely lady was wide awake and itching to get behind the wheel. Half time change sides and off we went. Her grin got bigger and she was eqully amazed at the difference between the 4.4 and the 4.8.......

We ambled back into the dealer, asked a few questions about options.....

No question about the decision, just have to wait until January for it to arrive......

kewl, what color u getting?

I hope its the Lemans Blue. Saw one about a month ago and it was absolutely stunning

Originally Posted by LVR

I love my 3.0 X5, but as so does the lovely wife (she wants it) so I decided to revisit the 4.4 vs 4.8 in a back to back drive at my local dealer. A friend has the 4.6 and I wasn't all that taken with it for the price difference.

The X5 in Oz is a very cheap way into a BMW with a really big engine. The totally sensible and completely understandable removal of the luxury car tax and practically any responsibility for the environment from utility vehicles such as the X5 4.8is - built, as they are, for crossing shallow fords, carrying bales of hay and general off-road farming/construction duty - makes it quite affordable compared to other big BMWs.

Compare list (sticker) prices:

545i sedan in UK: £42,530
X5 4.8is in UK: £58,000

545i in Oz: A$157,000
X5 4.8is in Oz: A$157,000

This probably explains why the number of X5 4.8is cars sold in the UK is in the single figures, and every one of them in London...

A really interesting point. If you do the exchange rate comparo.......

545i sedan in UK: £42,530 = $110,000 AUD while we actually pay $157,000
X5 4.8is in UK: £58,000 = $150,100 AUD while we pay $157,000

then if you do the same rates on a 6 series bought in Europe it is over $100,000 cheaper to buy it there. You just need to leave it there for a year before you can bring it in I believe which does take the fun out of it.....

kewl, what color u getting?

Black on Black. Really considered the deep grey, but as the existing one is black and we like it, decided to make a safer choice.

Hahaha, 545i in US is 79,000 AUD and a 4.8is is 100,000 AUD.