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It's a slug with the 5-speed and it's worse with the slushbox. In fact the lighter 325iT is also a slug, even with the 5-speed. With the automatic the 325XiT is the slowest vehicle they sell in NA, except maybe their skateboard. Lookit the performance numbers in Car and Driver.
The X5 3.0 can move, that is, if you buy it with the 5-speed manual box.
Otherwise for performance you need to buy either a 540iT or one of the V8 X5s.....which are automatic only, unfortunately.
I'm not sure the Audi is going to be any more reliable than a Volvo, AWD or not. Consumer Reports says avoid both the Audis and Volvos, actually they recommend one more Volvo model (the SV40) than they do Audis, and it's all about reliability. The A6 Avant automatic was also unimpressive to me, the RS 6 is a different story.
As is the S4 Avant. But that's almost a hatchback, and I was unimpressed by the rear volume.
As far as the T5 the current model is definitely more obese than the prior generation and it shows up in the numbers. Again, look at the performance numbers in Car and Driver magazine.
Well, good luck. I'd love to buy a new E60 530i twin-turbo Touring model, but I'm not holding my breath about BMW NA importing them. I don't understand why they dropped the 528iT, or why they don't offer the 540iT with the 6-speed as they do everywhere else, either.
Maybe they're still upset about us bombing their factories in WW II......
Since their sales are up and Volvo's are down they must be doing something right.
-Punxsutawney Phil
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