I got an invite to the BMW one (Apr. 27 - 29th). Seems there is a BMW X-drive event as well. I'm planning to go to this one.
The cars available for comparison are:
BMW 528xi and 535xi as well as the BMW X5
3.0si and X5 4.8i. Compare them directly to the Audi Q7 3.6, the Audi A6 3.2, the
Mercedes-Benz ML500 and the Mercedes-Benz E350 4MATIC Sedan.
~1 week with my 325XiT and I'm really enjoying driving it. The AWD + DSC provides amazing traction.
Oh very good! I thought the start button was useless, and the beeps that the car makes when you start it up is pretty funny, like those little gameboys I used to have. Driving dynamics wise, I quite like the exhaust note when you rev it from 3000-redline, the close ratio box just begs to be rowed. I loved going up and down the gears, blipping downshifts and doing heel and toe, great fun! However as for power, the torque curve of this engine is so flat that it just doesn't feel fast. It surely builds speeds quick enough to be entertaining, but none of that "push you in the seat" sort of fast. Maybe the 2.5L WRX turbo with the ecu reflashed just spoiled me.
Steering feel of the MINIs and BMWs continues to be my favorite part of the car. The steering is so communicative and precise. This is one area that is quite a LOT better than my WRX. You just can't help but feel very confident behind the wheel of a MINI, it's almost like it can read your thoughts about where you want to go, pure magic!
I'm not sure if the demo yellow S I drove has front LSD or not, but as I expected, with such a torquey motor and FWD, the traction control just kicked in all the time when I floor it out of wet corners. Made the ride kinda choppy if you're always going wide open throttle (which I do, all the time when I drive). Turn it off and the wheel spins really easy on take off, since it's a demo and not my own car I just left the DSC on.
I'm quite surprised that the noise/wind noise level seems to be more or less unchanged, and the steering feels quite heavy. Pressed the sports button after just a block and a half, the car feels sleepy without it on. And I'm not sure what the reviews are on about ride quality being so much better, crashed through a pothole that just shook me to bits just like before :P
The interior looks a little busy, lots more information displays and buttons to press. The HVAC dials are a little weird. But overall I think it's a fun layout, makes the car unique and special in its own way. Exterior wise, I can't say I love it. Especially the front end, it does look quite bloated in real life. To be honest the MINI has never been a pretty car, but it just looks so charming and fun because of its small size, so I still like the styling in general. I don't like the smaller door pockets or the glove box though.
Overall it's very much just like the MINI we loved so much before, stiff, agile, quick. I think the last S might actually be more "fun", if you like the supercharged sound as much as I do. It's not like the new S is that fast anyway. And driving the car around, it honestly just feels like pretty much the exact same car with a different engine and an interior redesign.
Couple pics I took hastily while on my 30 minute drive.
Just hazarding a guess here, but the wheel spin just might have had something to do with the tyres. I just noticed that car has summer tyres on it! Eeek!
You're right (of course! When have you been wrong!), it did have summer tires on it. With that new information, I was pushing the car a little harder than I would (should) have.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
Apr 4th, 2007, 07:34 PM
The MINI Challenge 
Similar Threads 
