Weekend getaways are some of my all time favorite things to do. I find there is no better way to fully unplug from real life and recharge. Last week, my husband and I were planning on having the most fabulous time in Charlevoix, a region I am particularly fond of for its wide-open spaces and luxury cottages tucked on the peak of Le Massif mountain, offering a sensational view of the St. Lawrence River.
I had the whole trip perfectly pictured in my mind and the mere thought of it had me smiling from ear to ear: we would’ve embarked on the phenomenal BMW X5 40i that we were above and beyond excited to try, we would’ve driven past breathtaking landscapes and arrived at the cottage on Friday, early in the evening. We would have ran up and down our home for the ensuing forty eight hours in awe of its beauty, before heading to a nearby grocery store to stock up on items for dinner and breakfast after which, I would have watched my husband light up a fire in the fireplace, curled up under a soft blanket; eaten pizza, relaxed in the jacuzzi and had a memorable time like we always do in Charlevoix.
Two days prior to our trip, as I casually checked the weather forecast silently praying we’d have a sunny weekend, I got hit with a snow storm warning that, in all honesty, didn’t faze me much. Being a very laid back person, I tend to think everything is always going to turn out perfectly fine and, nine times out of ten it does, but not this time. I kept my eyes locked on my weather app and things went from bad to terrible, so… we cancelled our plans to visit Charlevoix at the last minute, certain that in doing so, we would move away from the bad weather that predicted extremely dangerous driving conditions in Eastern Quebec. So we headed to the north of Montreal, in the magnificent Laurentian region to drive the BMW X5 40i on the sinuous and panoramic roads that link Saint-Sauveur-Des-Monts and Mont-Tremblant; but then again, Mother Nature had different plans for us and had yet another surprise in store: what was supposed to be a romantic drive on the Monteregian hills turned into a winter frenzy. The pouring rain transformed into a thick layer of snow and the roads froze. Challenge accepted: the road trip became all the more exciting as we were driving a beast of a vehicle, the BMW X5 40i. After a couple adjustments, to switch from Comfort mode to Sport, with the traction control activated for increased power in all safety and the suspensions height adjusted enabled us to fully appreciate the Drive in all its splendor. Between lakes and mountains, in steep pathways, the road that would have appeared frightening in another vehicle became exalting in the X5. The next day, we were finally gifted with a sunny day in Montreal, so we decided to drive in the gorgeous Old Town, which was a whole different. The X5 was absolutely fantastic to drive both in the narrow streets of Old Montreal, with its blind spot and parking assistance.
The determining factor of the quality of any road trip is, without the shadow of a doubt, the vehicle. My husband and I are huge car lovers and we’re always excited whenever an opportunity to try amazing vehicles presents itself. I have to admit, the X5 40i is what my car dreams are made of. With this vehicle, BMW has reached yet another level of luxury, comfort, performance, space (both for passengers and their luggage) and elegance. From an aesthetic perspective, the X5 radiates confidence and authority. I’ve always been a fan of the brand’s coffee perforated vernasca leather seats, that are unbelievably comfortable. I often end up having back pain whenever I’m in the car during long drives but I was still perfectly comfortable after a three-hour drive in the X5. Other features we loved include the extreme road holding and power of the vehicle, its sound, the rear-view camera that gives a 360° view of the vehicle, the seats adjustments, the best GPS we’ve ever seen in any vehicle we’ve ever tried, the different driving modes that allow you to go from Sport (the mode my husband had a whole lot of fun with) to Eco Pro and the overall driving experience which, in my husband’s words is by far the most extraordinary one period.
For more info on the X5 40i, click here.
