BMW 550i a sports car

We asked this question when we looked at the base price for the 2010 BMW 550i - $80,400 - versus that of the BMW 535i xDrive, which starts at $68,900. Sure, the 360 h.p. that come with the 550i's big V8 compared with the 300 generated by the 535i's twin-turbocharged V6 hint at better performance. And there is a host of standard amenities on the 550i, such as BMW's M Sport suspension and M Sport's sweet-sounding exhaust that you won't see on the 535i.

Yet, the only way to truly answer this question succinctly is to put the 550i through its paces over a week's worth of driving. And what better place to do that than in the southwestern German state of Baden-Wurttemberg, where, near Heidelberg, the Autobahn leads to narrow, winding country roads that reach down into the valleys surrounding the Neckar River and up into the hills where ancient castles, cloisters, cathedrals and wineries are ready to be explored?

This part of Germany is known for its old wealth and culture. Here, the BMW 5 Series sedan with its classic BMW grille and sweeping xenon headlights is at home. More precisely, the 550i is a four-door sedan with graceful lines that tone down the ``Hey, look at me in my BMW'' sentiment some other models project.