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Is the BMW M550i xDrive Faster than a Lexus GS F?

Right now, Lexus makes only two real F models, with powerful engines, and a whole bunch of cars with the F Sport look but not the grunt.
Is the BMW M550i xDrive Faster than a Lexus GS F? 1 photo
Photo: YouTube screenshot
Judging just by the badge, the M550i shouldn't be a match. It's an M Performance model, just like the M240i. But that badge also reveals that there's a V8 under the hood. So the competition is fair, right?

Well, we kind of expected the Lexus GS F to lose because it's a lot slower than the outgoing M5. Thanks to its AWD system and M tuning bits, the M550i is now the fastest version of the 5 Series ever made, at least when it comes to off-the-line sprints.

By now, you already know that TFL likes to test at a mile above sea level. That means there's less oxygen in the air, which usually influences the outcome of races. But the M550i crushes the GS F in such a convincing way that we know it will be faster anywhere in the world... except for manybe around a track.

We really think that a rolling race would have revealed Lexus still has an edge. After all, the 4.4-liter BMW engine makes just 456 horsepower while the 5.0-liter in the Lexus produces 467-hp. Plus it's a whole lot lighter!

Sooner or later, Lexus is going to have its own twin-turbo V8 engine. We don't know if they will ever go down the AWD road. Many people say that the Japanese automaker is the only one with old-school driving thrills that aren't channeled through selectable modes or electronic nannies.

We think the M550i is the least unique M Performance model yet built. I mean, the M240i has those cool seats and the same number of turbochargers as the M2. The M760Li, meanwhile, is the only Bimmer with a V12 (save for the 760Li sister model, obviously). That said, it's kind of a V8 performance bargain.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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