Young working woman's view: Driving the BMW reveals very little exterior noise. Of course, it is not like a Lexus, but with a car of this nature that is a good sign. The low set fog lights and spoiler make inclines and driveways a challenge at times. The wipers were supposed to be rain-sensing, but I couldn't stand it and controlled them myself. They did a great job, but I didn't get a chance to use the optional liquid high-pressure headlight cleaning system.
Our test car came with a M steering wheel and it felt great. You could easily reach all the controls without having to take your hands off the wheel which is an unusually good trait, especially for those of us who have small hands. The interior lighting was good, not great, and the seats were easy to adjust.
You can get the 540i with a stick shift and it is much faster car with that six-speed transmission. Interestingly, the gas mileage for the manual is considerable less than with the automatic at 15/23 versus 18/24. We doubt anyone who is going to buy the stick shift model is going to care much about gas mileage anyway because that model is born to run. Next year there is even some indication that the hot roded M version of the 5-Series may approach 500 horsepower. For a car that weighs 3720 that would be indicate that the new model may be the fastest sedan in the world.
College going male's view: The stereo and radio reception were not up to par for such an expensive car. I would spend a lot of time sitting in various BMWs listening to what the optional equipment sounds like before I signed any papers because the tunes didn't carry any weight in our car.
As for image, this black BMW looked nasty, but a tad old for me. I believe that 3 Series is much more to more liking. The backseat wasn't bad at all and the trunk had plenty of room for my recording equipment. I have decided to try being a rap artist. I call myself Thoughtsarizen. You can check out my tunes at http://www.sounddaddyrecords.com/.
Family conference: We always enjoy BMW products and that brand is growing in popularity. However, there is plenty of competition. For about the same price as the BMW 540I you can own a Lexus LS 430, the Jaguar S and XJ, and the Mercedes Benz S. For less you can get the Infiniti Q 45, and the powerful M45. However, none of those offer the ride and handling of the BWM.
