Road Tripper

BMWs are classically designed for premium comfort, safety and its all-wheel drive system gives its owners the feeling of being well provided. Though BMW’s veteran drivers are far more satisfied with their vehicle performance, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG with its crafty engineers cannot stay on that level. It seems like for BMW, there is always a way up. Now, the engineers of the German automaker take the BMW experience to the next level with the BMW xDrive System.

“Basically, xDrive is an intelligent, all-wheel driving system that puts the driver in control of every road situation by manipulating the amount of drive power delivered to each wheel of the car as required”, explained Mr. Naim Majdalani, Director of Sales for Alfardan Automobiles - the exclusive importers of BMW in Qatar. “Most importantly, the changes in power delivery are extremely smooth, so the driver may not even be aware that the system is assisting him in the background.”

In an inch of a second, 100 percent of the drive power can be fully switched from one axel to the other. The xDrive system can lessen driving problems in icy, wet and loose gravel surfaces. Maximum traction and forward drive coupled with dynamic handling is given by the system as it shifts the drive power between the two axels automatically.

The benefits of the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system are added by the xDrive. Both work together to stabilize the vehicle if it is at the edge of under or oversteering that usually happens because the front or rear wheels lose grip with the road when the car makes a turn. The DSC adjusts engine output and applies precise braking to each individual wheel to bring the vehicle back under the driver’s control. DSC gathers the information it needs by monitoring wheel rotation, steering angle, yaw and accelerator pedal position. For the most part, the driver isn’t even aware of the system working behind the scene.

“xDrive does offer extra safety, superior control and enhanced driving pleasure,” said Mr. Majdalani.

The xDrive is already a standard option the BMW X3 and X5 (both with BMW floor mats).