X5 4.6 not an M - or is it? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

bob · 28th March 2002, 02:23

I had a chuckle today.

BMW has made a big deal that M cars must have real wheel drive and a manual transmission. The X5 4.6 misses on both counts and was therefore not given an M title. OK.

BMW NA just called for their CSI regarding delivery of my X5 4.6 two weeks ago. So, when this woman calls, she says "I'm ??? from BMW NA and I'm calling to congratulate you on your purchase of your new 2002 BMW X5 4.6 M..."

Guess BMW marketing gurus forgot to tell their survey people about their M marketing program.

Bob

Digi · 28th March 2002, 02:42

I'm Digi on the X5 board, and was (am) a regular poster until my M5 arrived 2 weeks ago. BMW sent letters to all of the X5 4.6 owners recently congratulating them on their new M vehicles. There was a letter scanned and posted on the X5 board. A bunch of X5 owners met with Martin Birkman of BMWNA, and others. They indicated that the 4.6 was essentially developed just like an M, and had many of the same features, but BMW had reservations about classifying any automatic car as an M car. They also were concerned about the SUV-type characteristics as not quite fitting the M mould.

An M in spirit and in capability, just not the right tranny.

bob · 28th March 2002, 02:58

Digi,

Thanks for the info. I don't really monitor the X5 board - maybe I should - and didn't know about the letter.

Martin Birkman gave an introduction to dealers about the X5 4.6 that is available on the web at
http://www.liveautos.net/public/bmw/. Perhaps you have already seen it. It says what your posting says - just in Martin's words.

Personally, if one can get past the automatic transmission and SUV characterisitics, the X5 4.6 is an M car but, as a marketing guy myself, I understand not using the label.

In my personal situation, it is wonderful to have an X5 4.6 for the travelling with two dogs, runs to Home Depot and grocery hauling and the M5 for those days when an X5 just isn't enough.

Bob

Digi · 28th March 2002, 03:15

Thanks to you for that wonderful link! You may want to try monitoring the http://www.bimmer.org/x5/messages/ board -- a bunch of crazies, and a very active board. There is not a problem these guys haven't seen. They have great meets as well!

I really enjoyed my 4.4 X5. It was everything I wanted in a vehicle. The M5 is close, but not quite as functional -- more on the all-out performance side. The 4.6 still retains much of the functionality, but definitely leans ( or should I say flat out is) on the side of performance. Enjoy that beast!

MEnthusiast · 28th March 2002, 03:19

its not a M car. The plan was to make a full M variant, but I hear nothing about it now, so perhaps the 4.6 will have to tide ya'all over. you can tell if a car is from M, by the VIN. I believe it goes: WBSDE for a M and WBAE for not M. Dont worry though, the 4.6 is a fine vehicle and other fine vehicles that arent from M include the Z8.

bob · 28th March 2002, 03:41

Digi,

I'll check out the board. Is that where the letter is posted?

MEnthusiast,

As I reviewed the VIN's of some past BMW's I've owned (I saved all the window stickers), something interesting appeared:

1995 M3 coupe began with WBSBF
1997 M3 sedan began with WBSCD
2000 M5 began with WBSDE
2001 M5 begins with WBSDE
2001 X5 4.4 began with WBAFB
2002 X5 4.6 begins with 5UXFB

So, what's up with the 2002 X5???

Bob

Digi · 28th March 2002, 04:03

Here is the thread on the X5 board where BMW sent letters saying the 4.6 was an M to new owners. You can contact the authors on that board if you need copies or anything. I think it is funny that the sales/marketing people at BMWNA are still calling the X5 4.6 and M. It must really have been designed to be an M. That much is obvious.

http://www.bimmer.org/x5/messages/ar...w01/82337.html

MEnthusiast · 28th March 2002, 04:15

it wasnt designed to be a M. The story I heard from several people "in the know" is: BMW wanted a SUV to compete with the AMG model. They wanted it to market ASAP but they didnt have time to do the full M treatment to it, so they looked at doing some tweaks and developed the 4.6. At the time, the plan was to put out a full M version 18 months after the 4.6 debuted. But it seems to me that plan might be on hold- perhaps they will do this when they do the next gen X5...........

Digi · 28th March 2002, 04:34

I guess we've beat this horse to death, and you are right that the 4.6 is not an M, but the engine was developed and is built by the M folks, the guage cluster is an M guage cluster, and BMWNA send letters and calls people congratulating them on the M 4.6 puchases. M did the suspension, and Martin Birkman of BMWNA said to a bunch of X5ers at a meeting in NY last month that the X5 4.6 was a M, except it had an auto transmission and was a SUV, so they did not want to give it an M badge. They didn't and it isn't.
Cheers!

Anzir · 28th March 2002, 05:10

I thought they took the 4.6L engine from Alpina. Does anyone else remember reading that or am I just imagining things?

MAVERICK · 28th March 2002, 05:35

You are correct, Anzir. The 4.6 engine was not developed by ///M Gmbh. It is modified and produced by Alpina.

Chris Foote · 28th March 2002, 06:02

Starting with the 2002 model year, all units produced in the Spartanburg facility will carry a "U.S." VIN, hence the "U" in the 2002 VIN. This is true of the Z Roadsters as well. Nothing to worry about, just a slight change....

-Chris

tfung · 28th March 2002, 06:32

yep.. the engine is not tweaked by ///M... so I doubt they would label it a M car even if it had a manual tranny....

IvanDias · 28th March 2002, 13:51

Quote:

Originally posted by MEnthusiast
...I believe it goes: WBSDE for a M and WBAE for not M....

Traditionally the WBA are "standard" BMWs and the WBS designates the M variants.

As expertly pointed out above, the US factory has introduced some changes with the 2002 cars.