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By Camilo Alfaro
One of the most exciting cars that I have had the privilege to drive is the 2008 BMW 550i with the optional sports package and six-speed manual transmission. Not only is it a blast to drive, but also new improvements for the 2008 model year bring the BMW 550 almost to perfection.
Most of the improvements are mainly cosmetic, and most people might not be even able to notice them, but to the trained eye and the automotive nut (like myself) these changes are noticeable and turn the 5-series into a more refined and better looking car. The front headlights are now completely white and have three LED lights on the side of them that make me feel like the 550 is more like a G5 jet. These lights light up the road like if the sun never went down. Inside the lamps you see the angel eyes that double as daytime driving lights. Not only are the angel eyes esthetically nice and a great finishing touch but also are functional. The Xenon Adaptive headlights also have low-speed cornering lights that permit more visibility when taking a curve. For those of you that go into a dealer to buy a new car and actually decide to skip on the Xenon Adaptive light (or just Xenon light for that matter), I suggest that you actually get this option (standard on the 550) since it makes driving at night 1000 times better than using regular headlamps
Walking around the 550 you notice the M5 like front air dam, which must collect massive amounts of air to feed the 360 aggressive ponies eagerly awaiting inside the engine bay. It seems the side-skirts almost widen at the center point of the front and rear doors giving the 550 the appearance of a much wider and tougher standing automobile. New for 2008 are rear lights that should be in an art museum. It seems like there are small neon tubes that wrap around each taillight like the neon lights at the Chicago theatre, but looking closely the light seems to come from yet more LED lights. Not only are the lights beautiful but also technologically advanced using Adaptive Braking Lights that get brighter when you press on the pedals more firmly and aggressively. This year the 550 gets a reshaped rear bumper that looks just like the M5s rear bumper only that instead of having a quad exhaust it has a dual exhaust with matte black exhaust-tips. To bring it all together, the BMW sits on staggered (meaning the rear wheels are wider than the front) 19-inch aluminum wheels wrapped on performance tires. The stance of the 550 is sporty yet elegant.
The optional Comfort Access gains you VIP keyless entry into the 550. Once inside you are greeted by soft leather and Poplar Grain wood trim that flows from the instrument panel into door panel bringing occupants and machine into one. Some of the new 2008 updates include a revised interior such as larger door pockets. Soft LED lighting light up the doors and cabin in a soothing way. The Logic7 sound system provides clean crisp sound. For the first time I got the chance to hear HD radio, and yes it does sound better. The layout of the cockpit is clean, organized and maybe too clean since the infamous iDrive takes away the most its vital buttons. This time around I am not going to spend time letting you know how much I hate the iDrive since I made my peace with it. I didn’t use it too much and spent all my time driving this road-hugging machine.
For the first time I had the great fortune of getting a flat. Changing a flat on a BMW is one of the easiest and an exciting thing to do. So I opened the trunk and was very disappointed to see that BMW didn’t offer a full size spare on the 550 with the sports package, and this will be my only complaint of the car (you lucked out this time iDrive). But jacking up the car was a breeze with the BMW jack. It’s nice to know that a car company puts thought into such devise rather than just putting a regular jack in it. Yes you can call Road Side Assistance, but what’s the fun in that. After this experience, I’m planning on hosting flat changing parties every Friday night!
The 550 are powered by a wonderful DOHC 4.8-liter 32-valve aluminum V-8 that produces 360 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque. The 550 sprints from 0-60 mph in just 5.4 seconds that is fast enough for a 3946-pound sedan! Around town the 550 got 15 mpg, which were the happiest 15-mpg I have ever driven and 22 mpg on the highway. The engine is strong and it’s matched to the best 6-speed manual transmission ever. Each shift in combination with the linear power delivery of the V-8 made every commute, every drive, and every run to the store a pure delight. Need milk? Lets go get it in Iowa regardless if I live in Evanston!
A great transmission and an engine don’t just make for a great car, there are also other components that need to be in place like the suspension, and boy does the 550 have it. The sport suspension is nice and firm yet not to firm where your body is taking a beating. The steering feels tight and precise and communicates with the driver via a thick steering wheel. Add all this together and you have a grand slam winner!
