BMW M550i

The M550i xDrive isn’t a normal sedan, it’s the epitome of the luxury statement and that is why BMW offers this vehicle in a single trim option. The 2021 BMW M550i xDrive is powered by the strong 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 gas engine which is mated to the 8-speed automatic transmission with a shift paddle behind the steering wheel. As it is only available in a single trim, it comes with all the impressive features like 16-speaker Harman/Kardon surround sound system, 2 LCD monitors in the front row, real-time traffic display, and much more.

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The 2021 BMW M550i xDrive is one of the best cars that comes with sporty traits & a dash of luxuriousness, the best part of these types of vehicles is that they always exist in a single trim level but automakers do provide a bunch of optional features that can be added as per the customer’s requirement. There is nothing wrong with the M550i xDrive, it packs both luxuries as well as sporty features, and not only that the ride & handling is also very sharp.

This elegant beast comes equipped with the powerful and strong 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 premium unleaded engine which transfers around 423 hp of max power and 553 lb-ft of max torque to its wheel. The powerhouse is the same as the last year’s one and it still makes the BMW M550i xDrive a hell of a beast and to match its power and torque figures, BMW grants it with an 8-speed Sport automatic transmission.

The xDrive all-wheel-drive system maintains a proper amount of power in every wheel of the car and with the aid of transmission & drivetrain system, the engine accelerates the car from standstill to 60 mph within just 3.6 seconds whereas the M550i xDrive completes the quarter-mile sprint in 11.8 seconds. The M550i xDrive can touch a top speed of 130 mph and with all the power on its wheels, it also behaves like a gentleman & provides a smooth ride quality.

The BMW M550i xDrive carries the biggest and the most powerful engine under its hood followed by the hybrid powertrains of Audi S6 and Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 respectively, at the bottom of the list sits the Genesis G80 with a total of 375 horsepower. Audi and Mercedes both manage to provide even performance figures but Audi S6 beats Mercedes with its best in class 155 mph top speed, whereas BMW with the best acceleration timing simply can’t be compared with the other sedans in the competition.

How does the 2021 BMW M550i xDrive handle?

BMW has always been known for its raw performance and sporty driving dynamics, which it certainly shows through its 523 hp engine and the 0 to 60 mph acceleration timing of 3.6 seconds. This sports sedan beats many exotic supercars in terms of driveability and it also comes at a very reasonable price tag too. The steering wheel is very responsive to high-speed maneuvering and keeps the vehicle stable on curves. 

The suspension system of BMW M550i xDrive is on a stiffer side and it’s necessary too, to handle all the power its engine produces and it also keeps the body roll to the minimum at high speeds. Due to a stiffer suspension setup, the BMW M550i doesn’t seem to handle well on rough roads and doesn’t absorb bumps very well. FRont seats are very comfortable though but rear seats feel a bit cramped for tall passengers.

2021 BMW M550i xDrive Braking Performance

There isn’t much given about the braking system of the M550i xDrive by the German automaker BMW but one thing is for sure that after looking at the braking distance of 106 feet from 60mph to standstill anyone can tell that BMW’s braking performance is the best in the class. To aid the braking system of M550i BMW provide tech like ventilated rotors, antilock braking system, dynamic brake control, brake pad wear indicators, and cornering brake control followed. All these features work continuously to make one’s journey safe.

The data about the rotor sizes of BMW M550i is a bit on a fuzzy side but with one glimpse at the data mentioned in the table, one can sure tell that M550i will win the competition of braking performance as it has the best stopping distance of 106 feet. Rotor sizes of every car have approximately the same diameter except for Audi’s front and Mercedes’ rear rotors, they are a bit on a higher side but still, Mercedes stops within 115 feet and Genesis performs poorly with a stopping distance of 124 feet.

The downsides of having the most powerful engine amongst the rivals are getting the below-average fuel economy and the engine becomes more hungry for fuel when driven harshly and BMW M550i xDrive has all these traits, its fuel economy isn’t the beat as it claims 17 mpg in the city driving conditions, 25 mpg when gliding through the straight highways, and 20 mpg in the mixed driving situation. The mid-size luxury cum sports car gets the 18 gallons of fuel tank capacity which provides the rider the 360 miles of range in the mixed driving conditions.

The BMW M550i xDrive here doesn’t seem to be doing good in terms of fuel economy as it has the least efficient engine which offers 20 mpg of gas mileage in the combined condition and that’s expected because of the power & performance figures that it generates. Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 and Audi S6 both come with a hybrid powertrain system which is considered to be somewhat fuel-efficient than the regular gas ones and it can be seen here as these two sedans offer the most efficiency out of their powertrain. Lastly, the Genesis G80 3.5T with the worst performance is still unable to claim better fuel numbers than its rivals.

There aren’t many changes done inside the vehicle but the German automaker has enhanced it with some minimal changes like soft materials trims on the door panels and new front sports seats. Besides these changes, BMW now also offers lumbar support and a digital instrument cluster with crisp and clear graphics as standard. The material quality used inside the M550i is really good, BMW surely has used some fine materials like Alcantara headliner, Dakota leather upholstery & Sensa tech dashboard. Front & rear seats are covered in Dakota leather and every button/rotary dial is clearly visible & also feels awesome to use.

About the storage spaces inside the cabin, the M550i gets some space with a USB charger inside the armrest with front & rear hidden cup holders, big practical bottle holders on the door panels, sunglass storage near the steering column, and a decent-sized glovebox. Both front & rear seats are beautifully designed, the front row offers best comfort and convenience features like 6-way power-adjustable seats with 4-way power lumbar support with heated seats feature while the rear seats are equally comfortable for passengers, for rear passengers BMW offers rear armrest with cupholders, rear Ac vents with climate control knobs, USB type-C charging points and 12-V power outlet port.

All four luxury sedans can occupy 4 passengers and 1 rider and by the looks of the data given above Genesis G80 3.5T and the BMW M550i xDrive offer the more spacious seats on the front row and then comes the Audi S6 followed by the Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53. The story is a little bit different on the rear row as Audi S6 is now the spacious one followed by the Genesis G80 and Mercedes-Benz. If someone is looking for big cargo space then might consider going with the BMW M550i as it gets the biggest in the segment 14 cu-ft of cargo capacity. Some highlights of exterior features of 2021 BMW M550i xDrive are:

• 6-Way power-adjustable front driver & passenger seats
• 4-Way front row lumbar support
• Power tilt & telescopic steering column
• Sports bucket fit front and seats with heating system
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio, cruise, and shift paddles
• push-button start
• Multi-Contour seats
• Voice-activated dual-zone front automatic climate control
• Power & tilt front head restraints 
• Air filtration
• 5 - 12V DC power outlets

How intuitive is the infotainment system of the BMW M550i xDrive?

Surely there aren’t any major changes inside the cabin but some change has been made with the infotainment system as the 2021 BMW M550i xDrive now comes with the 12.3-inch touchscreen display with a nice crisp and bright graphics. To control the infotainment screen and the automatic climate control BMW also provides physical buttons and rotary dials, if that’s not enough then hold on to your seat as it also gets a small circular touchpad, gesture controls, and voice command to operate the infotainment screen. Besides all these features, one can listen to his/her favorite song on the 16-speaker Harman/Kardon surround sound system and will be continuously informed about the traffic condition with the real-time traffic display. Some highlights of the infotainment system of the BMW M550i xDrive are:

• A 12.3-inch central touchscreen infotainment display
• Android Auto & Apple CarPlay smartphone integration
• 16-Speaker Harman/Kardon surround sound system
• Bluetooth and USB charging with 12-Volt DC power outlet
• SiriusXM radio with a 1-year subscription
• Rear 2 USB type-C charging ports with 1 12-Volt power outlet
• Gesture controls and voice command
• Audio mounted steering wheel controls

BMW has provided the 2021 M550i with some refreshed looks at the front end, the M550i gets new bumper design and a massive more aesthetic looking front grille and it is definitely wider than the previous model and not only the grille BMW has integrated more sleek and sharp projector headlights with boomerang-shaped LED DRLs. Moving down to the side, the M550i xDrive comes with some really cool 19-inch Y-spoke new alloy wheels with wider cross-section tires at the rear, the rest of the side profile remains the same as before. It looks really conservative with a clean design and an air vent just ahead of the front door panel.

On the rear side, the car gets new LED taillights with a new bumper design and rear diffusers, The exhaust pipes on the BMW M550i are the real deal, BMW calls them trapezoidal exhaust tips. The aerodynamic kit on this car not only improves its performance but also enhances its overall design language, the 550i also gets some advanced features like speed-sensing rain detecting wipers & proximity keys for doors.

The curb weight of Genesis G80 hasn’t been mentioned above, so from the remaining three sedans Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 is the lightest one with a curb weight of 4341 pounds whereas the Genesis G80 is the longest and the widest in the competition. Both BMW M550i and Genesis G80 have 5.5 inches of ground clearance which grants them a better tacking ability over some rough patches but one thing that may make them a little hard a maneuver with respect to others is their wheelbase. Some highlights of the exterior features are:

• 19-inch Y-Spoke bicolor jet black alloy wheels
• Performance run-flat tires
• Heated, power-adjustable & driver auto-dimming ORVMs
• Side indicators integrated ORVMs
• Speed-sensing rain detecting variable intermittent wipers
• Power open/close cargo access
• Adaptive auto projector-beam with LED DRLs
• Perimeter/approach lights
• LED brake lights
• Proximity key for doors & push-button start
• Remote keyless entry

The latest and the previous model of BMW M550i xDrive hasn’t been crashed tested by either IIHS and NHTSA. The safety of the occupants is the most important objective while considering a car and the safety ratings help a lot to distinguish between the vehicles of our choice. BMW M550i safety ratings haven’t been out yet but one should take a seat and look back at the history of the BMW. This German automaker taught others how to manufacture a great car while keeping the safety of the occupants a top priority. 

If this statement isn’t enough then let’s take a look at the technology that it comes with, BMW integrated this car with tons of safety tech like front/ rear collision mitigation, lane departure warning with lane-keeping assist, tire pressure monitoring system, active blind-spot detection, brake pad wear indicators, dynamic brake control, ventilated rotors and much more. All the safety technology used in the BMW M550i xDrive:

• Electronic stability control with Antilock braking system
• Side impact beam
• Driveline traction control
• Dual-stage driver & passenger seat-mounted side-impact airbags
• Active blind-spot detection 
• Front & rear collision mitigation
• Lane departure & lane-keeping assist
• Rearview camera
• Dynamic brake control
• Park distance control
• Central locking system 
• Programmable LED DRLs
• Automatic high beams
• Icon adaptive full LED headlights
• Active protection system 
• BMW Assist eCall
• Electromechanical parking brake
• Brake pad wear detection warning
• Cornering brake control

2021 BMW M550i xDrive Vs 2021 Audi S6

The Audi S6 isn’t as powerful as the BMW M550i but the S6 has a more premium cabin with better space in the rear compartment. The first glance at the BMW M500i xDrive will make you perceive it as a sports car with premium and royal cabin and it’s completely true and by the exterior styling of the Audi S6, it will make you fall in love with the classy & clean outer design with a little better luxury appeal.

2021 BMW M550i xDrive Vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53

When it comes to the power and performance numbers BMW M550i xDrive simply beats the Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 but when through the perspective of the luxury vehicles then the performance figures are approximately the same, if one is considering buying a sedan purely for the extreme comfort and royal appeal with classy looks then 0.8 seconds of difference doesn’t bother much. Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 may generate less power than the M550i xDrive but the absolutely stylish front end with beautiful alloys on the side profile wins the heart of the buyers.

2021 BMW M550i xDrive Vs 2021 Genesis G80 3.5T

The same power and performance statement that’s just explained above also goes with the Genesis G80 3.5T too, the sheer road presence of this sedan has the ability to destroy the whole market of other luxury sedans and for a luxury vehicle, it has decent power that can move it without breaking any sweat. If someone prioritizes performance over luxury and convenience then Genesis G80 3.5T might not be the right choice for them. But one thing is to be noted that the G80 3.5T has more cabin room than others in the competition.

This mid-size sedan carries the perfect contrast of performance, extreme convenience, and luxury appeal to its cabin. It's really, really hard to find this combination at the price range of $76,800. The BMW M550i is the ultimate vehicle for those who don’t want a fully-fledged sports vehicle but still prioritize the engine performance on their list, it’s a vehicle for those who want over-the-top comfort in their life and a well thought out cabin design. This sports-luxury sedan is highly recommended for the audience who are searching for a balanced car.