MEnthusiast said:
I don't know why- but I can speculate: weight, and maybe power loss due to system demands, and finally, maybe packaging issues?
I personally was disappointed that Steve Dinan was chosen to write the article. I do not trust him and I think he has an even more vested interest than Roundel to skew his opinion on any car he could offer parts for (eg- they have to sell so he can mod them!). I don't know if he has written for Roundel before, but I think it is a very questionable choice. I just knew he would end the article with something like- now its time to do the Dinan special on the car and wouldn't you know it- he ended it that way.
I agree - every review I read so far gives a very vague picture of the car... they all remind me of a marketing effort rather then the driver's prospective...
May be they haven't spend enough time with the car? But as a rule 90 % of the article describes the gizzmos, 5% the event and maybe 5% - driving impressions.
I want to know:
How bad is the understeer? What is the camber in the front? Can we put wider wheels in the front?
How is the torque feeling below 4K RPM? (is it really M3 like)
How bad are the brakes? pad fading or rotor overheating? any brake ducts? Open or closed?
Does S6 mode feel as brutal as in M3SMG and upsets the rear on the track while banning the shifts?
Cold start issues?
M DSC - is it really working or is it just another marketing gizmo (will it letyou slide or is it just dummed down e39 DSC)
How balanced is the car? Can you slide it around the skidpad as easy as e39?
Now about the suspension. I Drove 545 6sp for 2 days and tried to like it.. But I couldn't. The car feels huge and heavy. Acteeve steering - a disaster.. (No feel what so ever, heavy braking and turning for ramps or on track - not working).
Brakes - very mushy.. work for first 5 heavy braking applications and ..buy buy... Not like e39 M5 pad fade..It felt different.. the pedal wasn't ever as firm and kept getting softer and softer)
Active Roll - very tricky - The car loads in the corner like the wound up spring.. you don't feel the roll but know it's there - and all of a sudden it snaps - unloads all the energy and spins the car.. very difficult to catch.
The car won't slide very easy - the inside wheel just keeps spinning and nothing happens
I was so happy to get back into e39 and exit that deler lot sideways.. My God it felt like a glove that jsut fits, the car telepathically listens to your brain and every input.. 545 felt like a Mercedes.. big, lazy and overgizzmoed