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      09-06-2012, 11:37 PM   #1
dsad1
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IAS or Xdrive?

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I am thinking about placing an order for a 650 gran coupe but cant decide if I should get the xdrive or a non xdrive with integral active steering. At the end the price difference isn't much the xdrive only ends up being $1000 more.

I live in texas so no I don't really need xdrive but I guess it would be convenient on wet roads or for that one day a year we have ice. But I am wondering if the integral active steering really helps that much and if I would regret not having it.

Any opinions?

Edit--- I also just noticed that you cant get park assist with x drive

Last edited by dsad1; 09-07-2012 at 12:00 AM..
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      09-07-2012, 02:19 AM   #2
mlai
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IMHO, If you like stop light racing or drag race, get xDrive. If you like spirited driving and have the 6gc handle like a smaller car, get IAS.

The above is assuming you don't have to deal with driving in the snow .....
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      09-07-2012, 11:19 PM   #3
southern6er22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by djsaad1 View Post
I am thinking about placing an order for a 650 gran coupe but cant decide if I should get the xdrive or a non xdrive with integral active steering. At the end the price difference isn't much the xdrive only ends up being $1000 more.

I live in texas so no I don't really need xdrive but I guess it would be convenient on wet roads or for that one day a year we have ice. But I am wondering if the integral active steering really helps that much and if I would regret not having it.

Any opinions?

Edit--- I also just noticed that you cant get park assist with x drive
I got xDrive and live in lower Alabama. I haven't seen snow on my house since 1996 when I was in the 1st grade. Point being, the typical reasons for xDrive don't apply...

However, xDrive is about so much more than just driving in the snow.
1. The traction and handling is unreal for a car this size.
2. You get hydraulic steering instead of electric - noticeable difference in feedback IMO.
3. The sense of security is unparalleled.

As for #1, the car rockets off the line when you put your foot down, and the traction through the corners at decent speed is amazing. The steering (#2) was pretty apparent to me when I went from driving my 650xi coupe for two weeks to driving a 650i convertible on the track at the PC for a couple hours. Obviously, the differences in the bodies and lack of ARS in the convertible made some difference, but the difference in steering feel was the second biggest difference I felt (the first was the tame exhaust note of the non-M Sport convertible compared to my M Sport coupe).

The security (#3) is the main reason I spent the extra money on xDrive. Yes, I think it makes for a better handling car that hits 60 mph quicker than the RWD brother, but I drive in A LOT of rain. Hurricanes and tropical storms are bad, but even regular summer weather here is extremely wet and can make driving scary at times - particularly if you have 400 hp going to the back wheels. I can accelerate onto on ramps in the rain at pretty great speeds (faster than I would ever dare in 99% of cars in production today) and be completely fearless. Despite the wet roads, and sometimes standing water, the car handles the road extremely well - almost as if the water wasn't there at all. I've had one experience where I felt the car trying to get some oversteer. I hit a tight corner - that was holding onto a significant pool of water - with more throttle than I should have when I felt the wheels start to lose grip through the wheels and the seat, but the system sorted it out in a fraction of a second and kept me not only on the road but between the lines. Idk if it was purely DSC, purely xDrive, or a combination of the two, but it was astonishing. I was sold on xDrive before this happened, but this reaffirmed my reasoning.

If you plan on taking your car to a track, then RWD may be the way to go if you're looking for a car that can have fun drifting around a track. If you're getting the car to drive almost exclusively in the real world (or around a track and want the best lap times), then I'd highly recommend xDrive.

Both are great systems. I think the car handles like a car half its size even without IAS. I'm sure the turning radius is better with IAS, but I've never felt horribly inconvenienced by the 6er's turning radius. I admit, I don't drive on tight, downtown streets very often and I've spent much of my driving life in SUVs, so I'm probably more accepting of a bigger radius than some people. It really comes down to personal preference...
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