2018 BMW M550i xDrive Sedan Review

The new 2018 BMW M550i xDrive lives up to the reputation of BMW being a driver’s car. The 2018 BMW M550i won’t leave you wanting more. The M550i is the quintessential BMW and good enough that you might not want to splurge for the M5.

The 2018 BMW M550i xDrive, which despite the badging isn’t a full-size M-car, but is, in fact, the top 5 Series you can purchase without going all of the way to the top shelf M5. Here you receive a lower, stiffer suspension, a sport exhaust, and beefier M Sport brakes, so it is more than just a name. It is actually faster zero to 60 mph than the outgoing M5 was.

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2018 M550i xDrive Sedan Specs

• Base Price: $73,900
• Engine: 4.4 liter BMW M Performance TwinPower Turbo V-8
• Horsepower: 456
• Torque: 480
• 0-60: 3.9 seconds
• Fuel Capacity: 18 gallons
• Length: 195.4 inches
• Width: 73.5 inches
• Height: 57.8 inches
• Curb weight: 4372 pounds
• Headroom: 38.8 inches
• Legroom (front/rear): 41.4/36.5 inches
• Shoulder room (front/rear): 58.7/55.9 inches

Exterior Colors

• Carbon Black Metallic
• Black Sapphire Metallic
• Dark Graphite Metallic
• Mediterranean Blue Metallic
• Bluestone Metallic
• Alpine White
• Azurite Black Metallic (Individual)
• Champagne Quartz Metallic (Individual)
• Almandine Brown Metallic (Individual)
• Rhodonite Silver Metallic (Individual)

Wheels

• 19″ M Double-spoke Cerium Grey wheels, style 664M with performance run-flat tires
• 19″ M Double-spoke wheels – style 664M Cerium Gray w/all-season run-flat tires
• 20″ M Double-spoke wheels, style 668M with performance run-flat tires
• 20″ BMW Individual V-spoke wheels, style 759i with performance run-flat tires
• 20″ M Double-spoke wheels, style 668M with Michelin Pilot Super Sport non-run-flat tires

Upholstery

• Canberra Beige/Black Dakota Leather with/contrast stitching/piping
• Ivory White Dakota Leather w/contrast stitching/piping & Dark Coffee dashboard
• Ivory White Dakota Leather w/contrast stitching/piping
• Black Dakota Leather w/contrast stitching/piping
• Cognac Dakota Leather w/contrast stitching/piping
• Night Blue Dakota Leather w/contrast stitching/piping
• Ivory White Nappa Leather w/contrast stitching/piping & Dark Coffee dashboard
• Ivory White Nappa Leather w/contrast stitching/piping
• Black Nappa Leather w/contrast stitching/piping
• Mocha Nappa Leather w/contrast stitching/piping

Trims

• Fineline Ridge Wood Trim
• Burl Walnut Wood Trim
• Fineline Cove Matte Finish Wood Trim
• Gray Poplar Wood Trim
• Piano Finish Black Trim
• Plum Brown Wood Trim

2018 BMW M550i xDrive Packages

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Cold Weather Package

Winter driving fun shouldn’t go down with the thermometer. The Cold Weather Package adds warmth settings to the front and back seats and welcomes warmth into the steering wheel.

Driving Assistance Package

Experience enhanced peace of mind behind the wheel with an attractive bundle of features that greatly enhance motorist, passenger, and automobile safety. Maximize security with Active Blind Spot Detection, Lane Departure Warning, Pedestrian and Frontal Collision Warning with City Collision Mitigation and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. All provide varying levels of automatic braking assistance based on rate requirements. In the end, Speed Limit Info reveals posted speed limits on the instrument cluster display and Head-up Display.

Driving Assistance Plus Package

Be secure in the knowledge that the latest in security technology is at your side, sensing all kinds of possible hazards. Along with Active Driving Assistant contents, Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go keeps your selected speed. This radar-based system retains your preselected distance from the vehicle ahead with autonomous braking, if necessary. Also included are Lively Lane Keeping Assist with Side Collision Avoidance, Front Cross-Traffic Alert, Traffic Jam Assist, and Evasion Aid.

Dynamic Handling Package

A special mix of choices leads to handling stability and superior comfort on bumpy road surfaces. Also, the active roll stabilization improves suspension geometry allowing for less lean in cornering.

Executive Package

Convenience, luxury, and comfort join forces to maximize the power and sophistication of your BMW. You’ll take control of the street immersed in the best materials and propelled by the most recent technology.

Luxury Seating Package

On long-distance trips, you will travel in simplicity and arrive refreshed with the Luxury Seating Package. Ergonomically designed Multi-contour front seats circulate warm or cool air to keep you comfortable, while the chair subtly undulates, helping your muscles from getting stiff. Requires heated front seats or Cold Weather Package.

Parking Assistance Package

Make parallel parking a breeze. Many different advanced driver support systems like Surround View with 3D View, Active Park Distance Control, and Hands-Free Automatic Parallel Parking make drawing into any place a very simple task.

2018 BMW M550i xDrive Options

Convenience Options

• Power rear sunshade with manual rear side window shades
• Heated front seats
• Gesture Control
• Dynamic Digital Instrument Cluster

Entertainment Options

• Apple CarPlay Compatibility
• Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System
• Rear-seat entertainment Professional

Performance Options

• Black Kidney Grilles
• Carbon Fiber Mirror Caps
• Carbon Fiber Rear Spoiler
• M Performance Side sill decals
• Black All-Weather Floor Mats

Safety Options

• Space-saver spare
• Active Driving Assistant
• Remote Control Parking
• Night Vision with Pedestrian Detection

2018 BMW M550i xDrive Standard Features

The M550i boasts incredible engine driving performance and efficiency. In this section, you’ll find the various engine, transmission, and aerodynamic features that make the 2018 BMW M550i xDrive one of the best driving sedans on the road today.

Performance and Efficiency Features

First, there’s the glorious engine. And for the 2018 4.4-liter BMW M Performance TwinPower Turbo V-8, 32-valve 456-hp engine. That means this M-Sport variant of the normal 5-series has two turbos with variable valve control (Double-VANOS and Valvetronic) paired with a cutting-edge direct injection system.

Here are some more features:

• Air Curtains and Air Breather system – provides an effective reduction in drag around the wheels.
• Sport exhaust system– A robust and aggressive-sounding upgraded exhaust system with dual outlets.
• Active kidney grille – Main benefits are engine cooling and aerodynamics.
• Electronic throttle control – No mechanical linkage, the accelerator pedal is electronically connected to the throttle.
• Auto Start-Stop function – Turns off the motor each time the vehicle comes to a complete halt – such as at traffic lights – and restarts it automatically. A reduction in fuel consumption is the result.
• Electronically controlled engine cooling (map cooling) – An optimal operating temperature is set according to “maps” stored in the Motronic Engine Control Module
• Brake Energy Regeneration – A system that only charges the battery when the vehicle is coasting, braking, or decelerating.
• Driving Dynamics Control with ECO PRO, COMFORT, and SPORT modes – boosts engine response from the accelerator, before changing gear and tightening the steering and chassis.
• 8-speed Sport Automatic transmission – Mated with Sport and Manual shift modes, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, and Launch Control

Handling, Ride, and Braking Features

While the 2018 BMW M550i sDrive sedan can carve canyons and rip around a racetrack, most of its time is spent on normal roads under normal driving conditions. And because of that fact, BMW has made sure that this M550i also has a smooth, safe, and comfortable drive. Here are all the features that include:

• Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) – including Brake Fade Compensation, Start-off Assistant, Brake Drying, and Brake Stand-by features; with Dynamic Traction Control (DTC).
• Twin-tube gas-pressure shocks – low-pressure Nitrogen gas is added to replace any oxygen air.
• Double-wishbone multi-link aluminum front suspension – an independent suspension design using two (occasionally parallel) wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel.
• Integral-V multi-link aluminum rear suspension
• Adaptive M Suspension with electronically controlled dampers
• M Sport Brakes – The trade-off for increased stopping power may be more brake dust.
• 4-wheel ventilated disc brakes with anti-lock braking system (ABS), composite front rotors, and Dynamic Brake
• Control (DBC), brake-pad wear indicators, and Cornering Brake Control (CBC)
• Electromechanical parking brake – comprises the parking brake, starting-off aid, and emergency braking functions.
• Electric power steering
• Servotronic power-steering assist
• xDrive all-wheel-drive system

2018 BMW M550i xDrive Exterior Features

Paint, accents, and lights. Let’s cover these exterior standard features on the 2018 M550i. Most notable are those Double Spoke Cerium Gray light alloy wheels (Style 664M). They measure 19 x 8.0 up front and 19 x 9.0 rear; and 245/40 front, and 275/35 rear run-flat performance tires (includes increased top-speed limiter).

More exterior features:

• Icon Adaptive Full LED Headlights
• Automatic high beams
• Power-folding, heated side mirrors
• Aerodynamic kit
• Choice of non-metallic or Metallic paints
• Cerium Gray accent finishers (mirror caps, kidney grille, front air intakes)
• Black chrome exhaust tips
• Shadowline exterior trim
• Illuminated door-sill finishers with M550i designation
• Rear spoiler

2018 BMW M550i Interior Seating and Trim

Seats, upholstery, and trim. It’s all exquisitely executed in the 2018 M550i. Standard equipment is a pair of 20-way power Multi-contour front seats. Now these seats offer standard 16-way power sport seat functions, plus additional power adjustment functions for shoulder support and thigh support. If that wasn’t enough, there’s a  2-way manual lateral adjustment for the Comfort headrest, and a memory system also for the front passenger seat.

Other notable standard interior features:

• 40/20/40 split fold-down through-load rear seats
• Dakota Leather upholstery
• Aluminum Rhombicle Interior Trim
• Anthracite headliner
• SensaTec dashboard
• Floormats

Standard Audio System

Systems, speakers, and more. Most BMW sounds systems rock. Seriously. I’ve had many BMWs and they always had good stock sound systems in them. Of course, this 2018 M550i xDrive is no exception. I’m sure it takes a “good sound system” to a whole other level!

Here’s the standard setup:

• Anti-theft AM/FM in-dash stereo CD/MP3 player with Radio Data System (RDS)
• Harman Kardon® Surround Sound Audio System with equalizer and powerful 600-watt amplifier; the 16-speaker system includes 7 tweeters, 7 midrange speakers, and 2 bass speakers.
• HD Radio™ with “multicast” FM station reception
• SiriusXM® Satellite Radio with 1-year All Access subscription

Instrumentation and Controls

For 2018, the BMW M550i xDrive sedan offers advanced features for a smarter drive.

• 3-spoke leather-wrapped multi-function M sport steering wheel with controls for the audio system, cruise control, and Bluetooth® wireless communication for hands-free mobile phone
• Enhanced USB and Bluetooth® including Mobile Office features; Message Dictation available with optional 3rd-party subscription after 60-day free trial; Dragon Drive! Messaging service provided by Nuance®
• 8.8 Dynamic Digital Instrument Cluster
• Dynamic Cruise Control
• iDrive 6.0 system with touchscreen, touchpad Controller, and 7 programmable memory buttons
• BMW Navigation system with 10.2″ high-resolution touchscreen; 3-D maps; 200 GB hard drive with 20 GB storage for audio files; Voice command system with Natural Language Understanding; and Over-the-Air (OTA) updates for map data up to 4 times annually
• Expanded Check Control vehicle monitor system
• ConnectedDrive Services
• BMW TeleService
• Advanced Real-Time Traffic Information
• Tire Pressure Monitor
• Rear-window defroster
• Outside-temperature display
• Rear-view Camera

Comfort and Convenience Features

While there are plenty of optional packages to equip the 2018 M550i with, here’s the not-so-short list of standard comfort and convenience features found on this well-appointed trim level.

Luxury features for a pleasant ride:

• Engine Start/Stop button
• Advanced Vehicle & Key Memory includes most recently used climate-control temperature and air-distribution settings; exterior mirror and power seat settings; audio tone settings and radio presets; central-locking preferences; and lighting preferences
• Power trunk-lid opening and closing
• Comfort Access keyless entry with multi-function remote control and hands-free trunk-lid opening/closing
• Automatic climate control with separate left/right temperature and air distribution controls, with automatic air recirculation
• Micro-filter ventilation system with replaceable active-charcoal filters
• Automatic tilt-down of passenger’s side-view mirror (when the car is shifted into reverse gear) for visibility of curb when backing up
• 2-way power glass moonroof with “one-touch” operation and power interior sunshade
• Power windows with key-off and “one touch” up and down operation both front and rear, anti-trapping feature, opening from remote, and closing from exterior lock
• Rain-sensing windshield wipers with adjustable speed and automatic headlight control
• Power tilt/telescopic steering wheel with automatic tilt-up for easy entry and exit
• Park Distance Control, front, and rear
• Automatic-dimming interior rear-view mirror and driver’s-side exterior mirror
• Interior courtesy lights with automatic-dimming function
• BMW Ambiance lighting includes door handle-area lighting, illuminated driver and front-passenger vanity mirrors, front footwell lights, front and rear reading lights, and 11 predefined selectable interior light designs
• Ground-illuminating lights in the exterior door handle
• Front map lights and rear reading lights with separate controls for the left and right
• Dual front sun visors with illuminated mirrors
• Dual cupholders in front and rear
• A fold-up rear-seat center armrest
• Front-seat center console with armrest and storage compartment
• Open storage compartments in all doors and front-seatback storage
• Fully finished trunk with remote trunk release
• Locking glove box
• Universal garage-door opener
• Power outlets in the front center console storage compartment, rear center console, and in the trunk
• 2x USB ports with 2.1A charging

Safety and Security

The innovative safety systems used by BMW protect you and your vehicle, on the road and off.

• Adaptive Brakelight
• Programmable LED Daytime Running Lights
• Front and rear Head Protection System (HPS)
• Driver’s and passenger’s front airbag supplemental restraint system (SRS) with advanced technology: dual-threshold, dual-stage deployment; and front-passenger-seat sensors designed to prevent unnecessary airbag deployment
• 3-point safety belts with force limiters and head restraints at all seating positions
• Seat-mounted front side-impact airbags
• Acoustic safety-belt warning
• Front safety belts with automatic pretensioners
• LATCH attachments for child-restraint safety installation
• Automatic-locking retractors (ALR) on all passenger-seat safety belts (for installation of child-restraint seats)
• Impact sensor that activates Battery Safety Terminal disconnect of alternator, fuel pump, and starter from battery; automatically unlocks doors, and turns on hazard and interior lights
• The central locking system on driver and front passenger doors
• Anti-theft alarm system
• BMW Assist eCall™ includes Emergency Request (SOS button) and Enhanced Automatic Collision Notification
• BMW Remote Services includes Stolen Vehicle Recovery, Remote Door Unlock, and BMW Connected app
• BMW’s Active Protection System detects imminent accidents, then prepares by automatically pre tensioning safety belts, closing windows and moonroof, and activating post-crash braking; includes Fatigue and Focus Alert feature

Warranty

Complete coverage and peace of mind.

• BMW Ultimate Care (for complete details, visit bmwusa.com/ultimatecare_maintenance)
• 4-year/50,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks 2018 Models (valid only in the USA including Puerto Rico)
• 12-year Unlimited Mileage Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
• 4-year Unlimited Mileage Roadside Assistance Program