When you drive a new car each week every so often a model stands out with exceptional qualities.  In a motoring world these days where SUV’s rule its nice to get behind the wheel of a exceptional sedan. This happened with the recently launched BMW M550I xDrive Pure sedan.  Without overstating it a simply exceptional luxury car in every way. A 5-series V8 performance sedan at $134,900, nearly $100,000 more affordable to the top-line balls and all M5 Competition model. So what’s its spec – a twin turbo 4.4 litre V8 driving all four wheels via an eight speed automatic. Performance: 0-100k’s in 3.8 seconds just ½ sec shy of the M5 Competition model.

Such a figure doesn’t mean much in day to day driving but this high performance sedan is just so smooth and progressive that it equates to a very safe and assured driving experience. BMW x-Drive is the marketing term for an all-wheel-drive system with an electronically actuated clutch-pack differential, varying the torque between front and rear axles – 390kW of power, a whopping 750Nm of torque, the figures speak for themselves. The new BMW M550i xDrive Pure a very livable high performance sedan with exceptional ride, grip and comfort without feeling like a boy racer. I tested this car with some long distance drives in the recent rain and frankly I came away absolutely smitten.

I’m David Berthon

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