BMW has just revealed some images of the impressive
new M550i xDrive that debuted late last year as well as its less
powerful sibling, the 2018 530e iPerformance.
The new M550i
xDrive has grabbed headlines because it is quicker than the outgoing
F10-generation M5. Significantly quicker in fact.
On a sprint from 0-100 km/h, the M550i
xDrive completes the feat in just 4.0 seconds, 0.3 seconds quicker than the outgoing
M5. This comes despite the fact that rather than a storming 552 hp and 680 Nm produced by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, the new model pushes out
456 hp and 650 Nm of torque). The key contributor to the increased
performance is an all-wheel drive system, proving that traction can be more
important than brute force.
As for the 2018 530e iPerformance, it utilizes the
same 2.0-liter turbo four and electric motor as the 330e to deliver a total of
248 hp and 310 lb-ft of twisting force. This results in a 0-96 km/h time of 6.1 seconds and a 208 km/h top speed, easily enough forward thrust for
the average driver.
