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      02-21-2011, 12:10 PM   #1
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Lightbulb Video: Fifth Gear Reviews 2011 X3

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Video: Fifth Gear Reviews 2011 X3
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Fifth Gear has reviewed the all new 2011 BMW X3, with particular emphasis on comparing it against the previous (1st gen) X3. See inside for Fifth Gear's reaction to the 2011 X3.



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      02-21-2011, 01:18 PM   #2
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nice one... but i didn't think sat nav is standard on the x3!
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      02-21-2011, 01:29 PM   #3
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Offset pedal are a huge issue IMHO which is why I went for the auto.

My current car has offset pedals and on long journeys with plenty of clutch and brake it can become very uncomfortable.
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      02-21-2011, 01:30 PM   #4
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No fussin' about off-set in the states ... no diesel, no manual tranny.
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      02-21-2011, 01:34 PM   #5
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Problem for UK and (I think) Oz is that the driver sits on the right hand side of the car. Manufacturers shift the controls across and switch the dash but in most cases the rest of the car stays as-is. So, if there's a bulkhead in what would usually be the passenger footwell for US/Europe/rest of world it stays and all the driver's pedals get squished together and shifted across.
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      02-21-2011, 01:43 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TuffLittleUnit View Post
Problem for UK and (I think) Oz is that the driver sits on the right hand side of the car. Manufacturers shift the controls across and switch the dash but in most cases the rest of the car stays as-is. So, if there's a bulkhead in what would usually be the passenger footwell for US/Europe/rest of world it stays and all the driver's pedals get squished together and shifted across.
It's even worse in the Q5 IMO.

Yet another review of a manual with VDC . Anyone ever seen an auto with no VDC reviewed?

Interesting comments on not liking the VSS. I'm a little concerned that I have servotronic and people seem to whinge about it. I got it for ease of parking.
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      02-21-2011, 02:32 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sfax View Post
It's even worse in the Q5 IMO.

Yet another review of a manual with VDC . Anyone ever seen an auto with no VDC reviewed?

Interesting comments on not liking the VSS. I'm a little concerned that I have servotronic and people seem to whinge about it. I got it for ease of parking.
I have it in my 335. I really like it, *now*, but it does get some getting used to. It's great in a parking garage or the like, and I haven't ever felt like it was "pointier" at speed as this review says. I've had it on a track several times and never felt like this was a problem.

However -- As I'm sure you are aware, as the car slows, the steering requires more input. This means that if you are in a corner and you are slowing down, you will need to correct your steering inputs.

BTW - I've never heard of a car's ride being described as "incredibly plump".
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      02-21-2011, 02:44 PM   #8
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Just to be sure, variable sport steering is the same as servotronic? I got servotronic, and the dealer said that he couldn't believe that it wasn't standard.

Had it on my loaner and didn't notice any problems with it.
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      02-21-2011, 03:09 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by acey81 View Post
Just to be sure, variable sport steering is the same as servotronic? I got servotronic, and the dealer said that he couldn't believe that it wasn't standard.

Had it on my loaner and didn't notice any problems with it.
No, I think VSS allows you to choose 3 settings for the steering responsiveness/feedback a la VDC. I think the guy from 5th gear is confusing the two.

Servotronic is always on and dynamically changes how much you need to turn the wheel based on your speed.

Hopefully my next post won't be from a hospital bed warning other members about cornering with servotronic!
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      02-21-2011, 03:23 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CdnE90 View Post
I have it in my 335. I really like it, *now*, but it does get some getting used to. It's great in a parking garage or the like, and I haven't ever felt like it was "pointier" at speed as this review says. I've had it on a track several times and never felt like this was a problem.

However -- As I'm sure you are aware, as the car slows, the steering requires more input. This means that if you are in a corner and you are slowing down, you will need to correct your steering inputs.

BTW - I've never heard of a car's ride being described as "incredibly plump".
Thanks for the feedback. I hoped that would be the case and after getting used to it, it would be OK.

I need to get used to servotronic steering and performance control, driving an automatic, stop start, a much heavier car and a higher driving position. Could take a while!

Oh, and filling it up with diesel not petrol!
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      02-21-2011, 03:29 PM   #11
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At least on mine in the US, there's no separate configuration. The changes to the steering are connected to the "chassis" adjustment in the Dynamic Driving Control configurations which modify the Dynamic Damping Control, Variable Sport Steering, and transmission settings.

Normal is normal; no configuration.

Sport Mode can be applied to "Chassis" (Suspension and Steering), "Drivetrain" (Transmission), or "Both".

It's unclear to me so far what happens with Sport+ other than switching DTC on. There's no configuration. Does it follow the Sport mode settings (i.e. Chassis, Drivetrain, or Both)? Or is it always both?

From the manual on VSS:
"Variable sport steering*
The variable sport steering is designed for sporty driving.
It increases the steering angle of the front wheels at large steering wheel angles, e.g., in tight curves or when parking. Steering becomes more direct.
It also varies the steering force required to turn the wheels in accordance with the vehicle speed.
This results in a sporty steering response. In ad‐ dition, it becomes easier to steer during parking and maneuvering."

It has the * on it, so it could be different in different countries. Dunno.
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      02-21-2011, 03:35 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sfax View Post
Oh, and filling it up with diesel not petrol!
I misfuelled my Jag - what a twat!

Luckily I didnt start the engine before I realised so it cost £500 instead of £1500 to maintain full warranty

Really annoyed me paying for the petrol whilst waiting for Jaguar breakdown

Get used to using the gloves when filling up to avoid stinky diesel hands
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      02-21-2011, 03:51 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76 View Post
I misfuelled my Jag - what a twat!

Luckily I didnt start the engine before I realised so it cost £500 instead of £1500 to maintain full warranty

Really annoyed me paying for the petrol whilst waiting for Jaguar breakdown

Get used to using the gloves when filling up to avoid stinky diesel hands
It happens 100s of times every day apparently. I've never owned a diesel so I'm probably considered high risk!
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      02-21-2011, 03:55 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nahoa View Post
At least on mine in the US, there's no separate configuration. The changes to the steering are connected to the "chassis" adjustment in the Dynamic Driving Control configurations which modify the Dynamic Damping Control, Variable Sport Steering, and transmission settings.

Normal is normal; no configuration.

Sport Mode can be applied to "Chassis" (Suspension and Steering), "Drivetrain" (Transmission), or "Both".

It's unclear to me so far what happens with Sport+ other than switching DTC on. There's no configuration. Does it follow the Sport mode settings (i.e. Chassis, Drivetrain, or Both)? Or is it always both?

From the manual on VSS:
"Variable sport steering*
The variable sport steering is designed for sporty driving.
It increases the steering angle of the front wheels at large steering wheel angles, e.g., in tight curves or when parking. Steering becomes more direct.
It also varies the steering force required to turn the wheels in accordance with the vehicle speed.
This results in a sporty steering response. In ad‐ dition, it becomes easier to steer during parking and maneuvering."

It has the * on it, so it could be different in different countries. Dunno.
In the UK VSS includes servotronic and you can't have VSS without servo. I think what VSS gives you in addition is the ability to select Normal, Sport and Sport+ a la VDC.

This means my previous post about the 5th gear reviewer was wrong. He was right to call it VSS, but it's specifically the servo part of VSS.
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      02-21-2011, 07:24 PM   #15
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I swear the Brits are rubbing it in that we don't get the manual tranny nor the diesel here in NA. Why do all the reviews torture us with the sight of the 6MT? sigh.

Starting to see quite a few of the new X3's here in Vancouver. They sure look quite a bit better than the outgoing model. With the X3 allocations supposedly sold out well into the summer, it doesn't sound like BMW's going to be in any rush to bring in any new models, especially one with an MT. sigh.
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      02-21-2011, 07:58 PM   #16
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What is the servotronic part of VSS? Sort of sounds to me like servotronic = VSS, no?

I guess we'll know more after you pick yours up, yes?
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      02-22-2011, 12:35 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nahoa View Post
What is the servotronic part of VSS? Sort of sounds to me like servotronic = VSS, no?

I guess we'll know more after you pick yours up, yes?
No, VSS costs extra but includes servotronic. VSS allows you to select three different modes for steering and servotronic doesn't. So we have

servotronic is a subset of VSS

and

VSS = servotronic + mode selection

If I could be bothered to find the maths symbol for "is a subset of" I would use it!

When I get mine you'll know about the servotronic part when I get mine (I ordered servo, not VSS) but I already know from fellow member rd450 up in Scotland that VSS allows you to select 3 modes (Normal, Sport and Sport+)

This is getting as confusing as 6NR and no-one wants that!
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      02-22-2011, 01:47 AM   #18
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The ford that he drives through at the end of this video is about 2 miles from where I live. I've sat on that rock he sits on and had beers in the Land's End pub next to it

@ VikingOne: You might recognise it too (Park Lane connecting Charvil and Hurst)
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      02-22-2011, 09:08 AM   #19
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WhatCar? magazine criticised the offset pedals even with the auto! I would like to hear what RHD owners from this site think about the pedals?

Audis seem to suffer terribly from this when building RHD cars. Surely it's not difficult to mitigate against this in the design stage?
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      02-22-2011, 09:58 AM   #20
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LOVE the new x3. its very nice in person

and it went through that water that a jeep wrangler had a hard time going through - http://jalopnik.com/#!5697449/why-di...nches-of-water
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      02-22-2011, 10:33 AM   #21
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The old X3 sold fewer than 4000 units per year in the US, so BMW has a lot riding on this refresh. Competition in this segment is fierce here. For the US it is i6 petrol and automatic only. I expect the vast majority of the production to be N52 until the switch to the turbo 4.
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      02-22-2011, 11:48 AM   #22
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lol Nice X3, just wondering when the X1 and N20 will come out??>>
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