Now I can officially say I not only like the look of the e60 but I got to drive a f10 535 today and the thing just felt heavy-I have a 530 and I guess I am used to having a relatively light car for its size and I could really feel it around corners-straight line is no different but corners which is the reason I like bimmers was not impressive. It aws a sport package by the way.

The inside IMO was not as nice-I guess I am one of the few who appreciates the pre lci e60 for its simplicity-no knobs or buttons exposed, one idrive knob and a volume button, and oh ya a cd player with < > on it-but it just looks so clean, I also love the hump in the middle-so many people said they didnt but it makes it more easy on my OCD eyes to have a bump in the middle-makes it look more balanced and symetrical.

The comfort seats are a little bit better in the upper back lateral support which really isnt as issue nor do you "feel it" but it looks a bit better as does the headrest cushion but this is minor. I also really like my ruthenium trim on the sport wheel, gear shift, and every little mettalic trim in my car is a ruthenium or matches ruthenium-and I didnt like the new sport wheel nearly as much.

Basicaly nothing about it was really better and a lot was worse. They should have come up with a 2nd gen ARS or something to boost handling.

The engine feels like the n54 engine and to me-just my lonely minority opinion is I am so glad to have the last and highest non-m power I6 engine bmw has made-you cannot get the 260 power version in any bmw anymore, no 3 stage intake and I basically love the n52-I chose it over the n54 and I appreciate the zero lag, smoothness and peaky performance where you have to rev it to 6k-7k to really have fun-

So anyway I am happy with my e60-I am glad as I thought forsure I would not be-I am typically the latest greatest type guy and like the brand new stuff.

Something nice was when I came back and parked beside my e60, my car just looked menacing compared to the f10-and my car is not even that menacing! but an e60 with dark tint, 19 inch wheels, sport package (i have roof spoiler as well) just looks ridiculously unique and out there compared to the f10 or anything-the sales guy made that comment how aggressive my car looked and how it stood out even among other e60s. really tint, wheels make a huge difference in the e60 especially.

 

i was very dissapointed with the f10 test drive as well... but i went back and was blown away... difference was the packages on the car. f10 i think is a good improvement when it comes to interior for sure... i do prefer the exterior of e60 more.

what packages were on the 535?

 

I am hearing alot of complaints about the F10. BMW went to an electronic steering system for comforts but you lose "that" feeling that makes a BMW a BMW.

 

It was a sports, premium, cold weather-

The electric steering is not for comfort (that doesnt make sense to me?) It is part of efficient dynamics along with brake regeneration and ability to decouple the alternator while accelerating to put less load on the engine and same with the power steering-by using electric its like the electric water pump-it does not have to be belt driven by the engine so it is less horsepower/energy wasted by the engine to drive those items and makes the engine more efficient which translates into more power and better mileage

Its actually pretty cool-The steering felt fine to me but that is tough to tell in a 30 minute drive-But I dont know if I would have told a difference. I wish the e60 had brake regen and electric steering-that would save 10-15 horsepower wasted on driving those. I dont think the cars will even need a serpentine belt anymore in a few years. No more water pump, alternator, power steering pump. The only thing left is the a/c compressor and the harmonic balancer-

 

Thats why you did not like it. you want to test drive the car with DHP (Dynamic Handling Package). Sport package on 535 is all cosmetic, you should find one with DHP and give it a go and report back.

Without DHP the car would feel like driving an old buick... heavy without feel and disconnected from the road. Also throttle response would be laggy and overall you would feel like driving a motor home.

 

I know the consensus is that the F10's interior is some sort of ergonomic improvement and all, but sitting in it i couldnt help but think of my buddies Passat and the CC interior design. While still very nice, i'm beginning to see the Genesis , the new M's and Merc's interiors much more luxurious.

 

I dunno, I found the F10 550 "interesting" compared to my E60 550... while the car certainly felt heavier and a little detatched, when pushed it performed admirably -- it held corners as well as my E60 and pulled like a freight train when you stomped the pedal (and this is compared to my current 550 - yikes!). You just didn't get the same road feel that you'd be used to from your E60. I was driving a fully loaded dealer "show-off" car with DHP and all the other goodies...

I'm not sold on the new model yet, but then again I had a hard time switching from my E39 to the E60 for many of the same reasons. Eventually, the new model grew on me.

 

honestly IMO the f10 is a different demographic than the e60...one that targets more luxury and less sport feel

that's not a bad thing, at this point in my life, I wouldn't mind a little more luxury..and the sport is there, if if you can't "feel it"...but the "feel" of it is so subjective, it's hard to objectively measure anyway....

 

You're right man. Our E60's are tits-on-wheels. You can't help but rubber-neck when one drives by that has tints, wheels, sport package, etc.

ITS HOTNESS!!!!

 

Well said my friend, well said.