Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that BMW would need to supply them with both cars, and it would therefore have to agree to the magazine doing a comparison test?

 

Based on your comments, and assuming that BMW comes out with a promotion where both 535 sport and 550 sport were the exact same price, some people would buy the 535 over the 550?
I do not think so.

 

Well.... I would definitely go with the 535 if they were the same price and came with the same options. With just a $1,200 chip that can be removed and is thereby completely non-detctable when you go to the dealer, you can have an extra 50 more hp and 70 ft/lbs of torque. That would likely make the car at least a half second faster 0-60 than the 550.

Plus, the car is 250 lbs lighter and as the C/D reviews said, handles better than the 550.

Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

 

There is NO way a 550 is .5 seconds faster in sprint to 60 than a 535-that I know because it is not even that over a 07 530. If any of you read the mod section I ran a bunch of sets of 0-60s with my gmeter in my 07 530 with a few mods-so maybe 280ish crank and weighing in a bit lighter than a 550 and my best times lie in the 5.5range with consistent runs in the 5.7-5.9 range.

Published BMW 550 numbers are 5.4 for the 550 and indpendant testing by some of the forum members when the 550 came out-who were testing the 545 against the 550 found virtually no diff in the numbers for a 545 and 550 and consistently tested in the 5.4-5.5 range. So if a 07 slightly modded 530 n52 engine can near match those numbers a 535 stock will definetly be in the low 5 second range.

And seriously fellows-any of you ever g-meter tested? I cant tell one 5.6 second run from a 6.5 second run in various conditions. A little hill and poor launch on a random street and I can get 6.5 easily where as great launch on flat pavement I see 5.6s-and I cannot tell when I look up at the meter whether it was a 5 or 6 second run.

There will be so little diff between a 535 and 550 that honestly you are not too smart to purchse a 550 unless you are doing it for the m-package which is dumb for 10k

The real difference is when the twin-turbo V8 550 or whatever they call it comes out with the F10 and again puts 100 hp between the 535 and it-right now you are catching bmw between cars and an attempt to bump sales of the remaining years of the e60 and quite frankly it is a complet waste to grab a 550 right now.

We al get screwed. 545 people when 550 came out. Something is now standard that was an option they didnt want to pay for before. New body style on a car we just bought-there are always peaks and valleys to buying a car and right now the "peak" or deal is getting a 535 e60. For the f10 agian it will be the 10k is worth the 550-right now you just look like a sucker

 

OK......Complete and total BS. Do I need to list this out again?

Show me a 08 535i vs 08 550i comparison? Stop using previous 550i's as baselines.
Anybody who thinks the 535i Sport handles like the 08 550i with Sport Package is clueless. Not even close. I've driven them both and back to back. It's not even a comparison for comparison's sakes.

Nobody is paying 10k more for an M-Aero Kit. BMW is not stupid. There aren't enough people driving 550's yet to make these conversations anything more than opines. But if you've driven them both and there are people here and on the other sites who have....you will see I'm not just BSing myself here. There is a distinct and noticeable difference in:

***PERFORMANCE
***HANDLING
***STABILITY

IMO, the increase in cost is justified due to these dramatic improvements over all 550i's before it.

The 535i is a nice car. I will say that again. But to think that it compares to a 550i with Sport Package in any way relative to the components listed above is a very erroneous perception.

SoCal

 

SocalM5Mang,
Try to make it to the Malibu Canyon Meet. You can get to meet our resident speed demon, brian1225 and his 2007 550i Step. His car has fared the best against all the other competition that the rest of us went up against.

 

I have recorded more than 25 runs of under 5 secs for 0-60.My best ever was a 4.78 in cold dry weather.I also tested my Gmeter at the drag strip and the biggest diff I saw was .09 secs.This was on 5 runs down the 1/4.As you know Vega my 545 is completly stock as it came from BMW

 

Check your numbers, when I checked mine, the delta was $8500 aprox, for that I get V8, 360HP vs 300HP, aero kit, 19' wheels, exclusive carbon black.
If I take a 535 and add a chip, wheels and aero kit, it will cost the same or more.

And since I am leasing, the delta is aprox $100 a month.

Turbo V8 is BS, someone is speculating. Besides there will always be a better model next year.

 

Hi grogan! I noticed you're posting now that your drag racing buddy Znod is back. I'm glad to see the both of you again.

You have a few things in your favor in achieving those fantastic times.
1. A lot of drag racing experience. Maybe as much or more than my age.
2. 17" stock wheels
3. Better gearing. 3.38 final drive ratio

Still, I think if you were to drive a 6speed with 20" wheels I'm sure you can get sub 5s. It's all the experience.

 

Bi-turbo V8 is not BS. It will most likely make it's debut on the F10 550i.