BMW M550i 2021 review - see why it's better than an M5!
Need help buying your next car? Click www.carwow.co.uk/help-me-carwow and my team and I will help you choose your ideal car at a fair price - from Mat Watson!
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BMW’s finally brought the M550i to the UK, so of course, we had to get it in for a review!
We're sure it'll come as no surprise to any of you that the M550i doesn't come cheap though (at least, compared to the regular 5 Series), with the price kicking off from around £70,000! That's over £30,000 more than the starting price for an entry-level 5 Series.
So is it worth it? Well, if you choose to pay the larger price tag, you’ll be graced with a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 under the bonnet, which will put down an impressive 530hp and 750Nm of torque! Not only that, but it’ll shoot you to 60mph in just 3.8 seconds.
So, it sounds mighty impressive, right? Which leaves us with just one question - with such strong performance stats, should you bother spending the extra £30,000 and go for the BMW M5? There’s only one way to find out… Keep watching to see what Mat thinks!
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:55 Price
01:34 Exterior Design
02:50 Interior
05:55 Back Seats
07:58 Boot
08:47 Five Annoying Things
09:50 Five Good Things
11:35 Engines
12:38 0 - 60mph
13:09 Town Driving
14:28 Motorway Driving
16:17 Twisty Road Driving
17:18 Verdict
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Hi Mat here: do you think there is no need to buy an M5 as this M550i gets so close yet is much less expensive? Or would you always rather just pay the extra for the proper M car?
Don't forget to see how much you can save through carwow as the difference may be less than you think 🤔
The 550i just does the business Idk why do you need the m5
Is Matt trolling the comment section again?
Hey, Mat. I think you vs yianni in a running race would be interesting. Also I think toyota yaris vs vauxhall corsa vs honda civic.🙂
BMW has diluted the M brand..... Putting M badges on every car
Matt is half human, half link in top right corner.
Lolllll😂😂😂😂😂
“Click on the pop out banner up there to see my full review on this car”
That's the most oddly specific human description I've seen all week.
it's getting really annoying : (
Half see how much you can save on your next buy
“The extra 2 inches is always welcome” ...I wouldn’t know
-2 incha
No matter 😂
@@MD.Motors i guess u have a lot of experience.
@@Kshitij-fw7bh that dropped harder than iron man's death in endgame
@@MD.Motors definitely nailed it 😜
The M550i exists in a vacuum where the competing brands don't have a comparable model. Its far quicker than an S6/7 and E53 and awfully damn close in performance to the RS6/7, E63, and M5 for quite a bit less money. BMW should really call it the M5 GT since it is just a soft M5 at heart.
The day is saw the m550i speed past me on the highway. I finally decided to get a bmw and I got a 328i
@@guccipig2782 328i is trash, Fake bmw
Going to buy one in a few months and you saying this is a SOFT M5 is the statement I needed to hear. Thank you
@@rainmaker6970 enjoy, it’s the best car I’ve ever owned. I came out of a Jag XFR-S to this and the M550 is just the business. I put a Racechip GTS black on mine. Nothing like embarrassing supercars and hellcats at a stop light…
@@guccipig2782 😂😂😂😂😂😂
This the best looking BMW right now.
That's quite easy, as all other BMW models look disgusting currently......I however prefer the look of the pre LCI 5 Series. The front light units are just a bit VW-ish..
nah the m8 coupe is the one
Geetarth Neo, BMW 3 Series the G20(not the m3, the ugly griller G80) wants to know your location.
I agree. If they kept the shape of the normal 3 series for the m models then I would’ve went for the 3. Unfortunately that didn’t happen so hands down the 5 looks stunning.
Cos it looks lik an audi👌
This is the best looking 5 Series since the E39
The E39 is a perfect looking car, happy to see am not the only one to prefer it over all the other 5 series
Since e60 maybe?
Tbh i also really like the F10 🤷🏻♂️
More like since the E60 it looks much better than the E39
Well all the 5 series look nice. With E34 and E28 being the most beautiful to E60 and F10 being the the ugliest(yet has aged well)
Mat’s: girlfriend: I can’t do this anymore Mat: that’s nothing the carwow stick of truth can’t fix
Lmao
Joe : what do you mean ? Matt: click on the pop out banner to know more
Want a new girl? Then head to carwow to help find your next girl at a fair price
@@gaara4667 carwow, your one stop e-girl buying comparison site
kzhead.info/sun/hs2Tg7KIoZ2qlJE/bejne.html
Regardless of their performance or extra features, I'm just glad they still have normal grilles.
Series would be better if it has series 5/smaller grille
I actually hated the big ass grilles but when you see them in real life, they look rather good tbh
@@dreamredline68 Was it "rather good" or was it "it's not as bad as in pictures/videos"? Would you rather have this grille or the bunny teeth grille?
@@aabidamn Bunny grills for sure because they are something new and not seen a lot.
@@dreamredline68 so you want something that people would look at. That tells me that it's not your preference, but rather the desperate need to be seen. It's what they were going for anyway
Who’s back here appreciating this after seeing the 2024 model
These big v8 German sedans are incredible, it’s insane that people get SUVs over them. Also, absolutely loving the new 5 series’ design.
Some people get both...
Rear seat is effectively 2 people only as the transmission tunnel. SUVs tend to have a flat floor so allowing 3 seats at the rear. Other than that, great car v SUV.
Because suvs just feel better lol
Armir Gashi they don’t, the high driving position feels wrong and weird.
@@insayn7995 no it doesnt lmao its the opposite,sitting higher is better and you feel more “important”.More space,better for road trips and its just better overall.... much more unique. SUVs are better and thats a fact.
Hey Mat I think it’s time for the NEW “ A6 VS 5 SERIES VS E CLASS “
Yess
Plzzz everyone should like this so it goes to the top and mat can see this
Agreed 👌🏾
Drag race challenge
A6 hasn’t been updated yet tho
"sorry there's no car washes available" ahahahah that's taking lazy to a whole new level
how is that lazy
I'm a current 2021 G30 M550i owner - have to agree with Mat's review, and I'd like to add a couple of comments. My car is approaching 8K miles on the clock. I love the car! It handles beautifully, and the power under the hood (bonnet if you prefer) is impressive. I've turned off the gesture control - it's just too annoying for anyone who talks with their hands. The integration of iDrive with Apple devices could be tighter - e.g. you can't select a music playlist from your iPhone. Lane assist needs to be less sensitive to get close enough to the lane boundaries when another lane is not available to give room to law enforcement, construction, broken down vehicles, etc. - otherwise, the lane keeping tries to drag you back to center when you don’t want to be there. It doesn't matter how much you dial back the sensitivity, and you basically have to turn it off to avoid having the car try to drag you back toward the peace officer, parked car, etc. Last, in the last winter storm, the heavy wet snow accumulated on the LED headlights, likely because LED lights are cooler than other types, and the car doesn't come with a lens heating system or headlight washer to clear them. On the positive side, the car handled very well in the snow and slush (put it in traction mode) and the recent update to the car's iDrive operating system installed without a hitch (be careful and follow the update instructions) as did the most recent quarterly map update for the navigation system. On the whole, if I'm heading into the dealer to buy a new car, I'd buy an M550i again, loaded with the packages on mine now - Driving Assistance Plus, Dynamic Handling, Parking Assistant, Executive, 20-inch wheels, heated front and rear seats, and front massaging seats. As for considering an M5, the extra ~75hp (in a base M5) isn't worth the extra $25,000, and even a limited top end speed of nearly 160mph in the M550i will get you where you want to go on most days.
How about the reliability of the car
Good to see atleast some BMWs don't have the horrendous grille
BMW 4 series *left the chat*
I actually liked the x7 grill. It suits the size of the car
@@wiseoldman5485 the X7 yes, has the perfect size grille.
@@wiseoldman5485 I agree but on the lower models it looks pretty out of place imo
@@wiseoldman5485 true
Can you have a drag race between new 550i vs F10 M5 vs E60 M5
Why bother? This M550i will smoke every old M5.. Yes, even the F10 M5, thanks to better traction.
@@BFD15i I agree 👍🏿
F90??
@@BFD15i everyone knows that but the question I want to know is "by how much"
@@BFD15i Idk what you on, but E60 has shitload of tourqe, and a lot more power, while being lighter, its gonna smoke 550i, you should compare it to M5
for those wondering, you can deactivate the fake noise (Active Noise as per BMW lingo) by just disconnecting the module or coding it to deactivate (either E-SYS or Bimmercode), both works.
Damn...the best looking brother out of the other German competition.
We should get “pop out banner” merch lol Edit: and “not as good as BMW’s idrive” Edit 2: omg thanks for all the likes 🙏🏻
Or "I've got the Stick of Truth 😉"
Or let me know in the comments below
Dazzle the oncoming drivers
So what exactly happened
@@anssijaakkola9280 hahahahaha he always says that
I love how reminiscent it is of the E39 m5. They really went back a few decades in its design and I think it looks great.... Engine was bulletproof... I Put almost 300,000 MI in about 10 years, and other than maintenance and little odds and ends here and there, it gave me no trouble. And that m sport button was always depressed... Sorry I know we're talking about the new m550i but it just reminds me so much of the E39 M5 so I got a little off subject and nostalgic.
I had both since I owned an exotic car rental company in Vancouver Canada. And this car for most people had more than enough power when you needed it. It is also more comfortable than the M5 due to the M5 racing capabilities. Lets face it racing cars aren't comfortable For someone that wants to be fast when you need and be civilized and comfortable to carry the family, the M550 is the right one 😊 Phenomenonal video as usual Matt. Thank you 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Realistically no one needs more than 200 hp for everyday driving, but we don't like powerful cars because they're better at everyday driving.
This looks best in class. Why oh why aren’t the “gauges” configurable. The layout seems good for when you want the map dead ahead, but why can’t I change it to a beautiful, simple white on black or classic orange on black round dials?! Come on BMW complete the process to digital with clean throwback options.
Share the same sentiment here
No competition, the ugliest car in its class! Headlights the same as on the Škoda Octavia !! Interior from 2010, we will no longer waste words on the front kidneys
@@nstipet 🥱
Still, sucks to have an M badge with numbers after M. Including stupid Hybrid crap on petrol cars.
@@nstipet Beauty in the eye of the beholder! The same old interior is way better quality than any of its competitors unlike the superficially bling interior of the E Class. What you want is style over substance, I'll take the opposite thanks.
Mat: “Cleaning a £70,000 car the old fashioned way is beneath me.”
Sometimes, the actual vehicle being reviewed is not the reason I watch. Matt's delivery is pure entertainment.
You know a car’s good when Matt talks about interior trim flickering light
I've (almost) always bought the top engine without going into the M/AMG range - you get all the power you need without the harsh drive of the M/AMG. This has included an S500 (instead of S63), two E500's (instead of E63), a BMW 545i (instead of M5, although I did get an M5 too but learned from it). They've always been a much better choice from a comfortable drive point of view and I never felt they were lacking on power.
5 Series has been my favorite car of its class for ages and this doesn’t change here.. love both the touring and the limousine, just the best looking, with the best infotainment system and lately even the interior with the best quality.
This is the best looking 5 series since the E34. This is The Sentinel of our days especially in this black trim paintjob.
Congratulations for the 5m subscribers. Happy New year
Come on then - BMW 5 Series vs Mercedes E-Class vs Audi A6. Which are you choosing? VOTE BELOW!
VOTE: BMW 5 Series
VOTE: Mercedes E-Class
5 series anydau
VOTE: Audi A6
5 series
1:10 M5 is the best design for me in BMW.
But the new grill ok the 3 and 4 series is.... Shit
@@zanke3395 that's very subjective. I love the new grills.
Agreed but the rear of the 1 series also looks noice
@@georgedowns4034 excat dude
True!!
Brilliant genuine review as divided between this and the M5 as a family guy and boy racer days over but like decent power under the bonnet. Intend to upgrade my 2020 M340i in the summer.
Perfect pause at the beginning... of the video 👌
It is seriously mild hybrid?? Cause in Italy mild hybrid does not pay taxes, and this would be incredible
I am not sure if that works on mild hybrids too. Mild hybrids only use electric for the first 7 km/h
@@Berke5050 no it doesn’t but in italy there is this rule that all sort of electric cars don’t pay taxes, but bmw make mild only 4 & 6 cylinders engines, so the 550i isn’t mild hybrid
@@alessandrolupi03 could just buy a Lexus GSF
I didn't even find the M550i on BMW Italy webpage
@@JTM610 yeah it is, I saw it on the bmw configurator
ahh the old filming location!
😂 this takes me back. I remember filming I think it was a fiesta in the snow and Mat went and ran over the back of the field to rescue a deer getting attacked by a dog... that never went into the video... about 8 years ago 👵
@@DJPixelGirl Okay 😆
I ain’t gonna be linking you to carbuyer though 😏 old news 😂
@@DJPixelGirl Can't believe car buyer still exists 😅
@@raymonvarghese2436 🐈
This has to be one of the most beautiful cars bmw has produced since the e46
The E39 is way more beautiful than a E46... sorry but true!
And the only car that has gotten 10/10 from BMW itself..
@@baslan I don't think you know what 'since' means
I agree. When I first saw a G30 I thought they didn’t make it look different enough from F10 but the G30 lci looks spot on.
Hi Mat, great video as always! Was thinking of buying a M550i but put the Dinan Stage 1 on it so it would be even closer to the M5 under warranty and be a more civilized daily driver...
I used to work as a product genius for BMW and our boy Mat's knowledge is on point 👍
Man can’t get over how tacked on that infotainment screen is, the 10in screen was integrated better
Maybe next generation
It’s because they’ve upgraded the OS and they all have bigger screens now. The X1/2 and the X/4 are the same due to them now having the ‘older’ generation interior.
@@joshstreet3919 also 7 series
If you think this looked weird.. Wait til you see the Mercedes new screen LOL
@@yes8032 yes you are right
What a car damn, I’m hoping by next summer i’m getting a M140i which is my dream car also for the channel! But man I would kill for one of these beast’s!! Great Vid Mat 🤟🏻
I am really glad that BMW didn't messed with 5 series/M5 looks till date Hope it stays that way
"Extra two inches definitely welcome" lol
you like coc in you then?
That's what she said.....!!!!.
That actually looks sleek! Can't believe there's already a new one / facelift
Same here. Feels like this model just came out.
@@BeesonsCars For real, wasn't anticipating this at all
Prefer the look to this facelift one tho i like the rear lights more
@Mr Sir the first G30 5 series came out in 2016, and this new LCI came out in 2020. That’s a gap of 4 years and you expect Bmw not to facelift it? 😂
@Mr Sir what is the 2 generations of which this facelift is beetween ?
Congrats on 5m subs!
Matt listening to Move To The City by Guns! You've gone up in my estimations 😉
The way Matt is smiling when driving this car, says it all 😎
Bmw suck audi is better 😌😎
@@destructionuniverse4916 You're the type of person to grope your own thigh when driving an Audi. Shut up.
@@destructionuniverse4916 BMW > Audi
Would love to see Carwow bringing in a section in these videos which tests the cars on an actual track to see the performance as well as the rest of the normal review we have. Maybe a lapped time after the initial test and review around a track as well? Would bring in a something different yet something the viewers would LOVE. Just like the Top Gear reviews.
One of the few saloon cars from Germany lately that actually look good, really cool this new 5 series!
Congratulations on hitting 5million subscribers!
The way Mat complains about the rev count in every BMW review 😂😭😭
Matt: Releases a new VIDEO Everyone: SCREAMSSSSSSS
especially when it's about a bmw
One of the best review also best looking sedan well done matt 👏👍
5 Million subscribers😍 congratulations carwow team🥳
Guys, look at the Alpina B5 and forget about the M5. True perfection.
But its a big dif either u prefere sportivity or luxury
@@fiestahimself9135 I believe Alpina meshes them both just perfectly 💯
1000% I was thinking about buying a new M5 and ordering complete Alpina B5 parts for it, but for the price, its seriously not worth it.
This is the better value option. The alpina us just this with added power and added extra comfort mode. Alpina uses this motor.
Better is the gpower..
Only death can stop me watching matt's car reviews.....😋
Congratz 5M!
Love your reviews Mat
17:08 me every time i drive to work in my M550i or when I talk to my friends about it.
Used to own a 2009 E60 550i and it was without a doubt the best car I've ever owned. Was 100% completely reliable with only wear & tear parts needing to be changed. Was seriously considering the F10 shape 550i as a replacement but got a 2015 M3 instead. I love my M3 but I know that if I did get the 550i I wouldn't have been disappointed at all. In the real world the M5 won't be much faster than one of these until the speed gets stupidly fast. They seem like a bargain in comparison 👍
I own a 550i from the same model year. I’m tuned on BM3 and the speed combined with the luxury ride really serves me well as I tend to go on long road trips quite a bit. Considered a ‘15 M4 when I was cross shopping a few years ago when I got the 550i, and the ride was just too harsh for me. They felt about equally as fast stock but that could just be the insane low end V8TT torque talking. I know the S55 is ultimately more capable though and with more aftermarket support, but a BM3 93 octane tune for the N63Tu motor put it in the high 500s for wheel horsepower and that’s more than enough for me
He loves that jumper seen it in so many of their vids. 🤣
Would love to see a series on used super cars from the 1980s and 1990s. Like a Jag XK or Ferrari 612 or the Brooklands.
Mat after losing a drag race to an M5, Im going to review all 5 series the next day.
And with a simple ECU tune it gets as much horsepower as a M5
But the warranty
@@wolfspectrum1567 decent tuning shops have engine warranty for ecu remaps
To my knowledge there's more to M5 then simple increase in power
Just with ecu tune you get 600+ hp??
@@Yoss223 but do you need it? You could just buy a Lexus GSF
hey Matt, I liked the Range Rover Vogue review even though it was with the slowest engine, would be nice to see your review of the ranger topper, the SV Autobiography Dynamic.
Mat, can you please review the BMW B7 2020 or 2021 version... I love the content by the way.
I love the wheels on it, reminds me of my own M235i’s wheels
M240i owner here. This looks better than my car.
Oh, didn't know 235i runs on wheels...from the look of those 18s on that massive car I always thought it's running directly on brake discs, always looking for sparks if I 'm near one. It's never too late to lern I guess.
use this as a i was here early
Doug: I have a lisssp!
use this as a nobody cares when you watch this
Does someone remember the old interior of the BMW 5 Gran Tourismo? I love how they placed the sreen. It looked more elegant then in new BMW. Don’t get me wrong I am a huge fan of the new design language of BMW except of the position of the scree.
Great review Mat!
This was filmed round the corner from me! A wandering Mat Watson might appear if I keep my eyes open.
I had an F10 535d as a company car for 2 years a while back and felt like I was the fastest guy on the road. This new 550i must be absolutely nuts 🤯
Yeah most people don’t have 200 hp, let alone 300 🤷🏽♂️
I've been waiting for this
That exhaust is amazing
This is a beautiful 5 series 😍 God please not the last one 😭
YES IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!!! AND IM GETTING A 2021 BMW M550i!!!
Ooh cool
Congrats !
@@NB-yc1ro Thanks a lot! :)
@Maxx Cohen For sure!
I love your reviews mate
2:44...to say someone or something is a goat is the ULTIMATE put down in some languages and I laughed when I heard Mat say this car looks like a goat
11:40 the fact that only one headlight is washed is messing with my brain
Lol
I can relate...
@ok thanks
jpnewpic88.men
Reason: 10:30
It would be nice to see a race between this facelift G30 M550i vs M5 F10 Facelift I think the 550i with xdrive would winn!
My brother just got one. It is sooo nice. What a smooth quiet ride
You can turn off the fake engine sound in the menu. But it still does have an actual sport exhaust which opens and closes depending on the drive mode you are in.
When I see BMW, I click......
@Do One Why are you unhappy. Matt announced just the other day that BMW ranked 9th in the Reliability table, ahead of all prestige brands save for the Lexus. How's that for "reliability junk"?
@Do One why are you a scotty Kilmer fan
@@willblack2306 they make things up when they can’t argue any other point. It becomes a lot more ironic when data shows the 5 series is a lot more reliable than its competitors and by a lot 😂
@@thehelperofthepeopledems2525 Well said, mate.
@@thehelperofthepeopledems2525 ikr bmw ranked 7th in reliability which is good
Love my 520d, such a good daily driver
This grill looks amazing 👍
530e or 545e review please. Watching from California! Love your reviews.
Matt: Happy HOLIDAYS Everyone: Belated?!
And it’s not Happy Holidays. It’s Merry Christmas. No Christmas no holidays.
Waiting for the m5 competition review
and the review of it will all you will ever experience :P
Great video. 550i has to be the complete car if you only had one family car to use all year. I’d badge it as a 530i!!
that light upgrade difference on the 550 is huge!
As BMW user for years, I reckon that the better package that BMW had offered was the 640i/640d Gran Coupe. Period. None of the new models has that appeal. Wondering where's that design has gone.
Love the way he explains ..*uh lala*
Great video Matt 👍
They just keep on getting better and better.
The old design is more aggressive than this one.
Agreed
More agressive but doesn t give the feeling of a big car the head lights really give the feeling of a wide car idk how to explain
Today's review we can see that mat Watson is little bit upset That excitement is not there😂
I’d love to see both the m550xi vs the m5 on a circuit track.
MAKE AN M545e REVIEW !! Much needed please fellow brummie!
*Mats Girlfriend cheats on him* Mat: "So what exactly happened?"
LOL-
Such a lame thing to say
Stick of truth replaced by “eye of truth (power)”
I got the chance to drive this (on road) and the m3 (on track) on the same day. Thought 550i is super fast, i felt it was just too much power for a road sedan wheras M3 was perfect for the track. The suspension, the brakes and all the other M performance options 🤩.
Those BMW memory shortcut buttons can be used for almost anything in the infotainment, like navigate home or call a particular contact.