2010 BMW Z4 sDrive30i "The Sexy Beast"

The Good: - Good handling - Great styling - Fair power and economy

The Bad: - A bit impractical - A bit noisy - A bit expensive

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We are probably the local authority on all things related to the reborn Z roadsters from BMW. We have a rare Z3 M Roadster on our fleet. We tested the rare Z4 Coupe when it first came out. And now we got to play with the first Z4 with a folding hard-top. The entire series changed dramatically every time it was redesigned, for better or for worse.
The latest iteration of the Z4 has transformed into a better cruiser, taking the fight to its perennially-softer German competitors. Alongside the evolved styling, the most obvious changes are the heavy folding convertible hard-top, complemented by a larger butt to fit it in. The car still looks as exotic as the older versions, and infinitely sporting in style, but actual sportiness has given way to comfort-biased compromises.

2010 BMW X5 M "The Mighty Luxury"

The Good: - Unbeatable handling - Ridiculous engine - Practical interior

The Bad: - Beatable on sand - Not as quick as expected - Looks mildly sportier

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Time and again, we’ve mentioned that the BMW X5 is the best-handling 4×4 trucklet we’ve ever driven. While it can’t handle sand worth a damn, it can honestly take on all sorts of wannabe sports sedans on the tarmac. BMW also mentioned many years ago that they’ll never make an ‘M’ version of vehicles that are too big to be sporting, so it came as a surprise that, just a few years later, they went back on their word and created the BMW X5 M. How in the world could they make the best-handling SUV in the world handle even better?
Of course, the handsome X5 M doesn’t really need to handle a whole lot better to convince would-be buyers. It simply has to look the part, to do justice to the more powerful engine that an ‘M’ is predictably fitted with. And the X5 M does certainly look racy, with its larger bumper intakes, mild side skirts, rear bumper vents, integrated exhaust tips and big 20-inch alloy wheels. However, to the untrained eye, it looks almost similar to the “M Sport” package that BMW offers to owners of regular X5 models.

2011 BMW 550i "The Luxury Monster"

The Good: - Very powerful engine - Cabin trim and features - Ride and handling The Bad: - Very expensive - Steering lacks feel - Average rear legroom The BMW 5-Series, considered by many as the benchmark luxury-sports sedan that other carmakers aspire to, entered a new phase with its 2010 redesign. On initial reflection, one could say it went back to its roots in terms of exterior design, conservative yet handsome, while going a step further from its roots in terms of sportiness, with its overkill of technology that started with the flamboyant previous-generation model. Or has the extra tech helped more than harmed? The external styling is standard BMW, with the kidney grille and the angle-eye headlights, but other than that, it is rather generic to the point that no one gave the car a second stare, even though our car, the 550i, is as pricey as they come. It is still handsome though, with its 20-inch alloys, LED tail lamps, dual exhaust tips and perfect proportions.