[ezmaass]

So, I had to head out today for some business, and I decided to take the long road home... winding back roads through the CT country-side. A few warmer days has helped to melt the remaining snow on the streets, so although wet in areas, they were free of snow, slush, and ice for the most part. So, I figured I'd have a bit of a spirited run.

The car got a good spanking through a number of corners and straight-aways... always mindful of my surroundings, though, so I don't want to give anyone the impression of reckless driving here. What a complete thrill. Minutes earlier I was driving on the highway, comfort mode, seat heater on, relaxed and cruising... and with the flip of that little switch to Sport, the car hunkered down, throttle perked up, steering stiffened... and it was just ready to play.

I've heard people say that the F10 isn't as sporty - more luxury than sport, etc, etc. For the life of me, I can't see why. This car is every bit as thrilling, and MORE, than my 335i. I tossed this car left and right through turns with the same enthusiasm as the 335i, and it didn't miss a beat. The body was amazingly well composed, the steering was spot-on accurate, the suspension hugged changes in the road surface without being upset, and the engine... ahhh... the engine in this car just makes a ride like this downright scary and thrilling at the same time. Speed is made SO quickly that I found I could hardly keep my foot mashed the way I wanted. The 335 used to let me unwind it a bit more, take it to redline easily... not here. In the blink of an eye, flooring it from a corner exit, you'd be at 80mph, braking hard to enter the next corner.

The xDrive felt grippy, especially during powering out of corners - where the lateral forces were pushing hard on the outside wheels... you could feel the torque being put down across the tires, just helping it to make use of every bit of ground contact... very sweet. I know I've said it before, but I just can't stop being amazed at this dynamic handling either. The anti-roll makes this car feel like it's the size of my former 3-series, shaving off what feels like a thousand pounds of weight in the corners.

While its weight and size would certainly catch up to it on a track, I'm more than positive I'll NEVER reach those limits on the street. Even with pushing this car pretty darn hard on some back roads, not once was there an inkling that it may be reaching a threshold... which meant MY performance threshold would be reached well before ITS performance threshold.

Anyway, I thought I'd share the fun drive. There's nothing like getting out of your car when you get home to smell the aroma of burning tires!

[GringoEd]

Yeah. What he said. Me too!

[NC M550 VADER]

Lemme guess... Long Ridge Road in North Stamford? ;-)

[ezmaass]

Originally Posted by esqyankee

Lemme guess... Long Ridge Road in North Stamford? ;-)

Haha... no... but with the roads we have here, there are just too many great little winding places to choose from. I'm still a bit north of Stamford, but in Fairfield County nonetheless. Unfortunately, the weather has now (once again) turned for the worse... so the car was parked in the garage all day today!

[PhilT3]

I swear... If you don't work for BMW, you should! Your posts are like passionate sales ads! I can't wait to take delivery of my 550 in June at the Welt.

Great write up. I was envisioning the whole time! I too live in an area with a lot of wooded,,winding roads just waiting for my 550.

[remmib]

Hm, wonder how yours fully loaded 550i feels compared to mine 520d without all the adaptiv stuff and just coilovers and stiffer sway bars.

[1HOT BMR]

To OP: The first couple of years - 2011 & 2012 all I read were complaints by the magazine writers and former BMW owners that the F10 was a Buick, terrible handling, numb steering, etc. etc. I have felt the same way you do since I got my car and I couldn't understand why nobody else could see it. Yours is the first really positive post I've read regarding the handling of the F10 - I completely agree with you

This is what I wrote back in January of 2011 amidst the whole negative F10 reviews:

"I took Highway 1 for a section of the trip - it is a road that follows the coast with lots of curves and a road that I know very well and have travelled many times in my NSX. All the people who have said that the steering is numb, disconnected, not sporty enough, etc. etc. just don't know what they are talking about or they are just parroting the sentiments of the first car magazine reviewer that made that statement. In my view the steering is a perfect example of what a modern sports sedan steering system should be. It is perfectly balanced, it tracks like an arrow, it has just the right weighting and I could feel exactly what the car was doing as I pushed it around each bend. Numb steering? Nonsense!!

The engine is just sublime - the immediate torque at just about any engine speed is unbelievable. The clutch and manual transmission are so good that my passengers did not notice it was a stick shift until I pointed it out to them. This car is that easy to drive smoothly. I read about someone who was selecting reverse by mistake when trying to engage first gear - it is really hard to believe that someone would have that problem, especially when my wife needs both hands to overcome the spring to engage reverse - the shifter feel with short throws and positive engagement is just about perfect for me."

I suspect you probably have the Adaptive Drive (DHP?) and perhaps IAS too? I have both and the first makes the cornering totally flat with no leaning whatsoever. The second one makes the steering action and feel perfect.

[ezmaass]

Originally Posted by remmib

Hm, wonder how yours fully loaded 550i feels compared to mine 520d without all the adaptiv stuff and just coilovers and stiffer sway bars.

I think this car with coilovers and sway bars would be great - certainly on spirited drives. I've lowered cars in the past, and they become completely different animals. I wanted to avoid that on the F10 so I'd still get a cushy ride when necessary... But I'd suspect that a car without DHP and just a lowered suspension and sways would handle just as well... probably better, since the DHP can only compensate so much for lack of lowered springs. I'd love to drive the two setups back to back.

[ezmaass]

Originally Posted by 1HOT BMR

To OP: The first couple of years - 2011 & 2012 all I read were complaints by the magazine writers and former BMW owners that the F10 was a Buick, terrible handling, numb steering, etc. etc. I have felt the same way you do since I got my car and I couldn't understand why nobody else could see it. Yours is the first really positive post I've read regarding the handling of the F10 - I completely agree with you

This is what I wrote back in January of 2011 amidst the whole negative F10 reviews:

"I took Highway 1 for a section of the trip - it is a road that follows the coast with lots of curves and a road that I know very well and have travelled many times in my NSX. All the people who have said that the steering is numb, disconnected, not sporty enough, etc. etc. just don't know what they are talking about or they are just parroting the sentiments of the first car magazine reviewer that made that statement. In my view the steering is a perfect example of what a modern sports sedan steering system should be. It is perfectly balanced, it tracks like an arrow, it has just the right weighting and I could feel exactly what the car was doing as I pushed it around each bend. Numb steering? Nonsense!!

The engine is just sublime - the immediate torque at just about any engine speed is unbelievable. The clutch and manual transmission are so good that my passengers did not notice it was a stick shift until I pointed it out to them. This car is that easy to drive smoothly. I read about someone who was selecting reverse by mistake when trying to engage first gear - it is really hard to believe that someone would have that problem, especially when my wife needs both hands to overcome the spring to engage reverse - the shifter feel with short throws and positive engagement is just about perfect for me."

I suspect you probably have the Adaptive Drive (DHP?) and perhaps IAS too? I have both and the first makes the cornering totally flat with no leaning whatsoever. The second one makes the steering action and feel perfect.

Yes, I have the DHP. The car, as I said, is perfectly thrilling - I felt the steering on the pre LCI was a bit lacking, but never tested the IAS truthfully. I think BMW fans seem to enjoy saying how every new model isn't the same as the outgoing...