Mrs FC saw something

[FC]

Originally Posted by JST

That’s cool; sounds like the right car for your wife.

The shift programming thing is what has historically driven me nuts about BMW automatics—either too sleepy or too aggro, with no Goldilocks program. It was especially irritating how they would lock out top gear in sport mode—like, I want responsiveness around town but I don’t need to be hitting redline on the highway while cruising.

The X5 is mostly good in normal mode, though part of that may be the hybrid motor that works as a buffer especially at lower speeds. But I mostly don’t notice the transmission, which is about all you can hope for in an auto.

How does the programming in the Mini compare to the M5? I know they’re very different cars, but does the M5 feel more natural, less natural, or about the same in terms of shifting behavior?

I can't really speak about the M5 given the very cold temps and the ridiculous P-Zero sensitivity to cold. Also, both times I drove the M5 was with my wife in the car, where I will forever be walking on eggshells to make her feel like the car is luxurious and comfortable.

In those situations I can't really play with the modes much. But more importantly, the car has such stupid levels of power and torque that it doesn't seem to matter whatsoever in relaxed driving. It seems to pull plenty hard from any gear. I'll need better weather and to be alone to play around with automatic shift programs.