teutonictrio

Who would want sport package WITHOUT AS?

Centurion

I didn't even realize that the 550i was getting the Start/Stop button.

Any word whether or not this feature will also be included for the 530i or is this specific to the bigger motor?

my530i

Start/Stop button is standard on all 2006 E60 starting from Sept onward.

Centurion

Thanks.
Makes sense as it now seems BMW will utilize this feature with their entire product line eventually.

EBMCS03

Yup thats right... $1600 is what the difference is for me too... but this was BEFORE the March Build price hike.

znod

"Do you have a link? 550i is on the Great Britian site. It shows the 550i (0-62mph) doing about 5.5 seconds. I think that the extra .4 liters is significant at 100-130 mph range. I'm going to guess that it will be 2-4 seconds faster than the 545i in the 100-130 range and about 1 full seconds faster on the 1/4 mile. This guess is based on a the 745i and 750i calculates."

Below is a chart that fails to support the idea that the 550i will be a second faster than the 545i in the quarter. The chart includes the results of 2 545i tests. The cars are ordered on the basis of 0-60 times. Given the 545i tests, I suspect that the 550i will be quicker to 60 than BMW indicates. (I am trying to figure out a way to get the columns to work. If I do, then I will beautify the chart. A ? means that the datum was not given in the magazine article, etc.)

Here are the colum headings:

Auto Magazine/Date HP 0 to 60 1/4 Time 1/4 Speed

Here are the values:

Lancer Evolution RS MT 3/05 276 4.3 13.1 102.8
Lotus Elise C&D 7/04 190 4.4 13.2 104
Mercedes AMG CLK55 C&D 5/04 ? 4.5 13.1 ?
Lancer Evolution R&T 5/05 276 4.6 13.3 105.9
Lotus Elise R&T 3/05 190 4.6 13.3 103.1
Cadallic CTS-V MT 2/05 400 4.7 13.1 109.8
Chrysler SRT-8 C&D 6/07 425 4.7 13.2 109
Lancer Evolution MR MT 3/05 276 4.7 13.4 102
Lancer Evolution VIII MT 3/05 276 4.7 13.5 100
Mercedes AMG C55 C&D 11/04 362 4.7 13.3 ?
Subaru WRX Sti MT 10/04 300 4.7 13.3 100.1
BMW M3 SMG R&T 12/03 333 4.8 13.5 105.8
BMW M3 C&D 5/03 ? 4.8 13.6 ?
BMW M3 Comp Pkg MT 5/05 333 4.8 13.3 104.4
Cadallic CTS-V C&D 11/04 ? 4.8 13.2 ?
Crossfire SRT-6 Convert R&T 1/04 330 4.8 13.3 107.5
Crossfire SRT-6 Convert C&D 3/05 330 4.8 13.4 106
Dodge Ram SRT-10 MT 2/04 500 4.8 13.2 107.1
Jaguar XJR C&D 5/05 ? 4.8 13.4 ?
Lancer Evolution C&D 2/05 ? 4.8 13.6 ?
Maserati Coupe Cambio. C&D 5/04 ? 4.8 13.3 ?
Maserati Spyder Vintage MT 5/04 385 4.8 13.2 108.2
Pontiac GTO C&D 1/05 400 4.8 13.3 107
Chrysler SRT-8 R&T 3/05 425 4.9 13.3 108.2
Chrysler SRT-8 MT 2/05 425 4.9 13.2 108.1
Crossfire SRT-6 MT 8/04 330 4.9 13.3 107.4
Maserati Quattroporte C&D 8/03 ? 4.9 13.2 ?
Mercedes AMG C55 MT 11/04 362 4.9 13.2 107.3
Subaru WRX Sti R&T 6/03 300 4.9 13.3 103
Subaru WRX Sti C&D 2/05 ? 4.9 13.4 ?
Audi S4 MT 8/03 340 5 13.4 105.1
Cadallic CTS-V R&T 2/04 400 5 13.4 109
Ford Mustang GT Conv C&D 6/05 300 5 13.7 103
Maserati Coupe Cambio. R&T 11/02 390 5 13.4 109.6
Maserati Spyder GT R&T 9/03 390 5 13.5 106.3
Mercedes AMG C55 R&T 11/04 362 5 13.5 106.6
Pontiac GTO R&T 7/05 400 5 13.5 107.1
Pontiac GTO MT 2/05 400 5 13.3 107.5
Porsche Boxster S R&T 3/05 280 5 13.4 105
Porsche Boxster S MT 4/05 280 5 13.4 103.9
Porsche Cayenne Turbo R&T 11/03 450 5 13.5 103.3
Porsche Cayenne Turbo C&D 8/03 ? 5 13.5 ?
Saleen Mustang MT 4/05 325 ? 5 13.5 103.9
Ford Mustang GT C&D 1/05 300 5.1 13.8 103
Ford Mustang GT MT 1/05 300 5.1 13.5 103.6
Jaguar XJR R&T 6/04 390 5.1 13.5 105.9
Lotus Elise MT 8/04 190 5.1 13.5 102.9
Maserati Quattroporte R&T 12/04 394 5.1 13.6 103.6
Porsche Boxster S C&D 3/05 ? 5.1 13.6 ?
Porsche Boxster S C&D 3/05 276 5.1 13.6 103
Porsche Cayenne Turbo MT 4/05 450 5.1 13.6 101.8
BMW 545i R&T 6/05 325 5.2 13.7 104
Jaguar S-Type R R&T 6/04 390 5.2 13.7 102.7
Jaguar XJR MT 1/04 390 5.2 13.6 106.8
Mercedes CLK 500 R&T 4/04 302 5.2 13.7 104.5
Dodge SRT4 4-Apr ? 5.3 13.9 ?
Ford Mustang GT R&T 12/04 300 5.3 13.9 101.4
Infinity M45 R&T 6/05 335 5.3 13.3 (not) 13.8 (really) 101.4
BMW 545i MT 8/04 325 5.4 13.7 102.1

Centurion

I noticed from the table posted by donv...

The Infiniti M45 has a slower time to 60mph than the 545i and has a lower trap speed at the quarter mile, but is quicker to a quarter mile.

What's up with that?

znod

It would be like, for example, the 545i beat the M45 to 60 and was ahead at this point,
the M45 passed the BMW getting through the quarter first, but with the BMW catching up at the end.

Nevertheless, I'm very glad for your comment. The correct quarter time for the Infinity was 13.8. Ooooops. Sorry. Incidentally, I put the chart together to compare the 545i to the "competition"--i.e., to the cars that are somewhat comparable performance-wise. Where possible, I calculated lbs/HP ratios trying to get an idea of what it would take in terms of lb reduction and HP increase to be pretty competitive with those "in the sights" of the 545i. It is interesting to sort the basic chart, which contains more cars and data, in different ways--i.e., by 0 to 60 time, quarter-mile time, and trap speed. I have some info on lbs/HP ratios that I might post tomorrow in a new thread if anyone seems interested. I don't have much data of this sort though. Still it is interesting.

Shebs

Who would want sport package WITHOUT AS?
[/quote]

The question should be: "Who would want sport package WITH AS?". AS acts as a rubbery connection between the steering wheel and the road. It decreases the fun of driving.

I would not imagine myself accelerating in a corner and having to readjust the steering wheel angle in my hands to keep the same radius of curvature!

The AS is a good tool for driving in town, but for real sporty driving I don't think it is the best option.

Maybe that is the reason why they took the AS out of the sport package and also the reason that the M5 doesn't come with AS.

300TTto545

Who would want sport package WITHOUT AS?
[/quote]

The question should be: "Who would want sport package WITH AS?". AS acts as a rubbery connection between the steering wheel and the road. It decreases the fun of driving.

I would not imagine myself accelerating in a corner and having to readjust the steering wheel angle in my hands to keep the same radius of curvature!

The AS is a good tool for driving in town, but for real sporty driving I don't think it is the best option.

Maybe that is the reason why they took the AS out of the sport package and also the reason that the M5 doesn't come with AS.
[/quote]

Let's not start this again. The 2nd paragraph illustrates the misconceptions. If the radius doesn't change, the steering wheel does not need to change (unless you are sliding....)