Quote:
Originally Posted by bm323
http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/...E-Auto/248585/
But you mentioned yours tested was not the basic F10, but with adaptive drive (which includes the anti-roll bars) and this is the only auto mag that mentions more body roll in the base F10? Also from the same article
"It’s important to note that when we make comparisons between the 5-series and its competitors in terms of ride and handling, we are talking about differences you could only measure in nths of degrees, when tested back to back on the same stretch of demanding road or ride-and-handling test track.
Note, too, that the new 5-series is, in general, an excellent car to drive; it is quiet, it is comfortable, it soothes miles away with the same crushing ease with which it approaches going around corners. We would very happily recommend a 5-series to anyone who wants one to drive 50,000 miles a year and occasionally enjoy themselves while they are doing it.
However, to maximise its potential it’s important to optimise the specification, of which the choices are many. And even then, to note that in some areas the 5-series is a touch weaker than its best rivals.
First, we’d avoid choosing anything larger than the 18-inch wheels of our test car. Smaller wheels are standard and, if you can bear their appearance, will be better still at providing a truly isolated ride. As it is, the 18-inchers mated to the standard (passive and non-adjustable) suspension of our test car let sharper road imperfections affect the cabin in a way that a Mercedes E-class on 17s does not.
Adaptive dampers are optional on all models. With them fitted, small ripples are far better dealt with. Brake, turn (even modestly) and introduce a broken surface into the equation and this test 5-series fails to prevent noisy thumps with the same aplomb as an adaptively suspended car (even on 19in wheels) or an E-class. We understand a revision is planned."
Another autocar review http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/...30d-SE/246781/ and there is a previous thread on autocar.
|
The 550 had the package. 535 did not. I have not read ALL the reviews on the 5 series so I'm not sure if this is the only one that mentions this issue. I just happen to come across this article. I realize I'm being particular. Don't get me wrong, I'm not totally bashing the car. It was just a let down in the handling department or at least my perception of such. Maybe it wasn't body roll per se. It just felt less predictable/confident. Maybe while cornering the numb steering feel led to a slight overcorrection when unwinding the steering lock and hence more body roll/weight transfer. I'm obviously only speculating. Something just didn't feel right. I think car and driver's assessment is in line with what I experienced:
"What, exactly, befell the new 535i? Steering feel. Rather, lack of steering feel. The new electric power assist has not only rendered the steering uncommunicative—particularly on-center—but, for some reason, it has also become heavier. When you can’t determine road textures and slip angles and how hard those 19-inch Goodyear run-flats are working, you lose confidence if the roads are damp and as kinked as week-old spaghetti.
And when you lose confidence, the poison seeps into other crevices. Notice, for instance, that the 535i demonstrated terrific skidpad grip—an objective rating. Then, in the hills, its handling earned the lowest score—a subjective rating. That, in turn, infected the fun-to-drive ranking, where the BMW tanked because it’s simply no bowl of cherries predicting real-world lateral stick when the steering coughs up so few clues. Guess wrong and you’ll seriously rearrange the C-pillar’s signature “Hofmeister kink.”"