[MrToad]

Originally Posted by xPaulBaiLeyx

+1
You don't need the Xi here in SoCal. . . Why spend the money. . .
Plus i like the staggered setup sooo much better

Unless you ski/snowboard often as in 12-14 times a season and don't want to deal with chains that is why..

[to_riffic]

well NoKaOi, either way, i say watever u get u're still gettin twin turbos. if u really think xi is gonna be utilized or make a huge difference in the rain in norcal, then go for it. but if u can live w/ o the awd, go w/ the i.

i mean if u've had fwd or rwd all ur life and drove it in the rain, u're still proficient at driving in the rain. so wat difference will awd make? just a thought...

[ChuckBimmer]

I bought the xi because I wanted the AWD for the improved handling on dry and wet conditions. Even though the xi does not come with sports suspension there is not much of a difference. Both still has pretty good body roll. The only way you can feel diffence in understeer/oversteer compared to the i is if you are a profession driver...if so you should then by an M3. There are a lot (especially i owners) who say their will be drivetrain loss and slower high speed times. This has never been proven and can say that the awd is a very efficient system (all unproven conjecture). The weight 100-200 lbs only increase gas consumption 1-2% so the extra weight pays off with the improvement in performance. The minor thing I did not like was the front wheel gap. You need to go and test drive both and then decide. Good Luck.

[roozie2001]

dude i live in houston, and it rains alot here and an Xi would have been smart and practical cuz i had a quattro A4 but i wanted a rear wheel drive car so i can slide and drift it around corners. kinda dangerous but whatever.

[halB]

I currently drive a 530Xi and 335i. To me the Xi feels somewhat heavier, slightly less nimble than the i which I believe is due to the extra drivetrain weight and the fact than the front wheels have to do 40% of the driving in addition to steering. I live in snow country so Xi is a god send in winter slippery road conditions. It is also better when the road is badly flooded. On dry roads, everyday driving the Xi does not offer any extra benefit than the i except very marginal traction advantage in standing start, drag racing situation. Another disadantage of the Xi is the increased ride height (actually it is an advantage in the winter when there is snow and ice build up on the road), and the difficulty in finding suspension modification pieces. Also that the unique wheel offset makes finding aftermarket wheels more difficult.

[Nikolas]

On the 335xi, the offset is identical to the i. So are the 5 series offsets different between the i and xi?

[halB]

Originally Posted by Nikolas

On the 335xi, the offset is identical to the i. So are the 5 series offsets different between the i and xi?

Yes. In the 5er the Xi wheels look a lot more flat than in the i because of the more negative offset. That, plus the ride height, allows you to tell a 5er Xi from an i without looking at the badges (which I have removed).

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by halB

Yes. In the 5er the Xi wheels look a lot more flat than in the i because of the more negative offset. That, plus the ride height, allows you to tell a 5er Xi from an i without looking at the badges (which I have removed).

You can not compare a 5 with Xi to a 3 without, the 5 is a completely different car. With or without X-drive they drive completely different. You are comparing two different engines as well.

It is like comparing apples to pears!

I could do the same comparo with my 3 and 5 but it makes no sense. The performance and drive quality is designed differently. My suggestion to the OP is drive them back to back and see for yourself.

[742]

Originally Posted by Lassaxi

Is this a joke? You know that virtually every VW group company, including Porsche, Bugatti, Bently, Audi, and Lamborghini all offer high performance AWD models, right?? Even the friggin' Veyron has AWD.

The Veyron has AWD because they need to get all that power onto the road to generate that 2.8 second 0 to 60 time. As for VW group in general, they went AWD because their earlier commitment to FWD limited the HP they could stuff under the hood.

As for “high performance AWD models”, you can divide high end cars into those intended for serious driving and those intended for people with serious money. Porsche, for example, makes lots of AWD 911s. But the GT2 and GT3 are RWD.

AWD and RWD, like all engineering solutions, have their strengths and weaknesses. But the hype and marketing have oversold AWD in the consumer market, especially when the word “safety” comes into play. If only American drivers used as much brain activity worrying about cornering and braking performance as they do worrying about straight line acceleration…. the roads would be safer, people would have better tires on their cars and money would be saved by having fewer AWD systems sitting in suburban driveways.

[Lassaxi]

Originally Posted by 742

The Veyron has AWD because they need to get all that power onto the road to generate that 2.8 second 0 to 60 time. As for VW group in general, they went AWD because their earlier commitment to FWD limited the HP they could stuff under the hood.

You're right about the Veyron, but you're wrong about VW group and AWD. Most VW group companies had AWD models long before they were owned by VW. Audi is the only one that has had it across the board. I can assure you that Bugatti and Lamborghini did not choose to offer AWD because they had fundamentally FWD setups that limited HP.

As for “high performance AWD models”, you can divide high end cars into those intended for serious driving and those intended for people with serious money. Porsche, for example, makes lots of AWD 911s. But the GT2 and GT3 are RWD.

True, but that doesn't mean very much. The 997 Turbo for instance has AWD, and I would call that at least as serious as a GT3 (though perhaps not the GT2).

AWD and RWD, like all engineering solutions, have their strengths and weaknesses. But the hype and marketing have oversold AWD in the consumer market, especially when the word “safety” comes into play. If only American drivers used as much brain activity worrying about cornering and braking performance as they do worrying about straight line acceleration…. the roads would be safer, people would have better tires on their cars and money would be saved by having fewer AWD systems sitting in suburban driveways.

I'm with you here up to a point. I agree that there is an awful lot of marketing going into the AWD hype, and that better driving would do a lot further toward improving road safrety than AWD ever could. But, all else being equal, AWD does offer real safety benefits, particularly in winter weather. I'm less convinced of AWD's benefit in the wet, and not convinced at all on dry pavement (although I personally find AWD a lot more fun to drive on a track than RWD or FWD).

[GreenThree]

Went with the xi due to the snowy winters around here. Also for mountains to ski. Coming from A4 Quattro. Had to go with xi!

OP: IMO the only reason you should get xi is for snow.

[anerbe]

Originally Posted by Lassaxi

True, but that doesn't mean very much. The 997 Turbo for instance has AWD, and I would call that at least as serious as a GT3 (though perhaps not the GT2).

I would have to disagree with you there. 911 Turbo reaches a different market than GT3. 911 is more of a luxurious sports car, while GT3 is more raw. Many people can daily drive a 911T, few would DD the GT3.

In ultimate acceleration, you'll see the 9/10 second turbo's taking out their AWD systems.

Ultimately there is no definite answer to which is faster, AWD or RWD. There's too many variables to figure this out. Each vehicle is tuned to a different system. That's why you will not find one clear answer, where adding AWD to a RWD vehicle will improve it, and vice versa.

In AWD, the front wheels can pull the front end through a turn, but you lose different available traction in the front tires, transferring from lateral only to less lateral / more longitudinal forces (hence understeer). Some vehicles with AWD have better longitudinal grip and less lateral grip, where accelerating in a turn may benefit. Others, taking lateral grip away may cause the tire's slip angle to increase tremendously.

For vehicles using all acceleration in the rear tires (RWD), many times the fronts are staggered less in size, as they do not need the large footprint, and turning will cause most of the loading to occur in the tire shoulders.

For the 335, the car has been tuned to handle both. You will not find an overwhelming yes or no regarding which is better. In an Audi A4, there's a clear answer, as the car was tuned to use AWD. In a Lotus Elise, you will not benefit from AWD...

[sandeep]

....

[Dubbedoutbimmer]

I have never heard so much CRAP I have a xi my roomie has a M3 I launch him EVERYTIME and I am neck and neck with 335i's on the autox!!! even if weather is not a problem the Xi gets the power to the ground all that much better and with a tune its a friggin weapon!! and you can still have fun xi doughnuts FTMFW!!!! and gas milage is almost identical! and if you go to sell that car there is a wider market!! I dunno something about walking the 335i while it spins the tires just give me wood

FLAME SUITE ON

[Kruz]

Originally Posted by sandeep

....

+1 This topic tops even the HPFP and aux oil cooler threads/

[ATSR]

I prefer having 4WD than the lame 1WD setup that the i has.

All those that are saying that RWD is better than AWD, this might be the case if the RWD car you are taking about has a Limited Slip Diff.

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by alejotrujillo

I prefer having 4WD than the lame 1WD setup that the i has.

All those that are saying that RWD is better than AWD, this might be the case if the RWD car you are taking about has a Limited Slip Diff.

+1

[Dubbedoutbimmer]

Originally Posted by alejotrujillo

I prefer having 4WD than the lame 1WD setup that the i has.

All those that are saying that RWD is better than AWD, this might be the case if the RWD car you are taking about has a Limited Slip Diff.

+1000

[bolinp78]

Originally Posted by mapezzul

You can not compare a 5 with Xi to a 3 without, the 5 is a completely different car. With or without X-drive they drive completely different. You are comparing two different engines as well.

It is like comparing apples to pears!

I could do the same comparo with my 3 and 5 but it makes no sense. The performance and drive quality is designed differently. My suggestion to the OP is drive them back to back and see for yourself.

+1.. I was like uh... 5 vs 3

hm

[bavarian335]

If you are planning to chip it, I would get the xi, my stock I's rear wheels barely hang on under hard acceleration.

[LOLrance]

pro of xi - you get one more letter behind the 335 the regular 2wd.
pro of i - you get weight savings without the extra x lettering.

[NoKaOi]

Originally Posted by l4wr3nc3

pro of xi - you get one more letter behind the 335 the regular 2wd.
pro of i - you get weight savings without the extra x lettering.

Cancelled out if debadged!