The other day I test drove a 2011 BMW 535i. With the updated body style, this car was the first one after a long time that visually appealed to me. I had already driven the 6 cylinder twin turbocharged engine in a 335i a while back. I thought this would be an adequate match for the 5-series. The powertrain produces 300hp and was mated to a six speed manual gear box. This is rather unusual in the US, so I was eager to try this exotic combination. The car came with the luxury and sport package (not the M sport) and was well equipped. My first impression was that the power was in fact adequate, if though a tiny turbo lag could be felt. The six-cylinder ran noticably rougher than my V8 in the 740 but it had no problems propelling the vehicle forward with acceleration rates for driver enthusiasts. The gear box was no match for the refined cabin and subdued sounds from the road though. A jerky clutch with a short stick to switch between gears felt a little out of place in this luxury sedan. Another point I was curious about was the electric steering of the car that has been berated by the press. I have to say that I found it to work flawlessly and precisely with good feel for the road. At no point did I feel disconnected from the road or did I find the steering overly sensitive. Up to 80mph the steering behaved well and felt just the way you would expect. I can’t comment for higher speeds as encountered on the Autobahn.

The engine had enough power to spin the tires in second gear and to shift through the first three gears rather quickly under full power. The engine noise was present at all times and there was an always present slight growl from the rear exhaust pipes – nothing bad, just present …

When I parked the car I felt that BMW had delivered a fine product, though none that swept me off my feet. When I returned the keys to the sales person, he told me that I had to also drive the sports version of the car with the automatic gear box. He talked about the independent power settings, suspension setups and gear programs, enough to get my curiosity up. So I said I’d take the second 535i only around a block – and I’m glad I did. Wow, this combination is just ideal for this car. In pure sports mode, it puts out more power, shifts late and firms up the suspension so you really feel the track – I mean road. You can choose to keep the power train setup in sport, but select “normal” or “comfort” for the suspension for a more comfortable highway ride. The car is eager to downshift two gears at a time, if power is demanded by a firm pressing of the pedal to the metal. The car is well planted on the road and quite relaxed at highway speeds. Not completely as regally as my 740, but close.

There were some disappointments, too: the nav-system doesn’t live up to it’s expectations. Any Android handheld device works better – sad, considering the navigation package is a $2k+ extra. I was able to operate the iDrive system without instructions, so you could claim it works, but it’s cumbersome. Selecting the A/C temperature with old fashioned dials for each zone felt so much better – I’m glad BMW kept those. I’m not a fan of the self-canceling signals nor of the electric hand-brake. (Although the seamlessly working hill assist, when starting in 1st gear uphill was a welcome surprise). The high protruding arm-rest is not visually appealing, but works well while driving. The fit and finish has a good feel to it, but lacks high end class that I would expect in this category. My 10-year old 740 has some higher quality controls than this brand new 535.

On the upside, BMW has added memory seats for the passenger seat and an automatic trunk lift gate that works well. The side camera and rear view camera are a nice touch, though pricey.

I’m glad I drove the second car with the drivetrain meant for this vehicle. A manual gearbox just felt a bit out of place. If it wasn’t for the $63900 price tag of the vehicle, I would consider one of these machines.

But getting back in my 10 year old 740iL and driving off the lot, produced a big grin on my face, because the torque of the V8 was still superior to the 535 turbo and the smoothness unsurpassed. All that for a sixths of the price – and some increased maintenance cost, I might add. But that’s a trade-off I’m more than willing to live with, as the cost for maintenance is still significantly lower than the depreciation of a new car. Even with an attractive lease for the 535i, I’m still coming out ahead with the 740iL, financially. So the 740iL lives on…