The limited-production M5 can out-accelerate, out-brake and out-corner some of the most expensive sports cars, with comfortable seating for five.
Buy BMW M5 which sits atop the 5-series lineup. It’s powered by a hand-built 500-hp 5.0-liter V10, with suspension and brakes enhanced to match all the power. Buyers can choose between a 7-speed Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) with steering wheel paddles or 6-speed manual transmission. The M5 also features the MDrive button on the steering wheel, allowing the driver to set and save their favorite driving settings. The M5 is unchanged for 2009.
Without a doubt, the M5 is one of the planet’s most capable super-sedans. And upon its debut, we thought pretty highly of this latest M5 icon. But with more time under our collective belt, we’ve become more attuned to its decidedly un-BMW-like shortcomings. And overall, we think there are simply better choices. Sizing up the field in this loosely defined segment, we’d rather have Mercedes-Benz’s C63 AMG or E63 AMG, Jaguar XFR, BMW’s own M3 sedan or even the Cadillac CTS-V. Porsche’s new Panamera is another impressive contender. Here’s hoping that the soon-to-be-redesigned 5 Series yields a properly lust-worthy next-generation M5.
The New BMW M5 -- make luxury a lifestyle
Then there are the two transmission choices, neither of which is particularly palatable. The standard seven-speed sequential manual gearbox (SMG) is a single-clutch automated manual — a BMW M5 with a dwindling breed in this era of slick multiclutch gearboxes. In fact, BMW now has a dual-clutch unit of its own in the M3, but the M5 soldiers on with the old-school SMG. On the bright side, SMG will rip off spine-tingling rev-matched downshifts all day long. Up shifts, however, are never smooth, and they usually involve unseemly lurching — particularly at low city speeds. A six-speed manual transmission can also be specified, but it overheated in a test car we had a few years ago, and it also comes with a non-defeatable stability control system, which is befuddling in light of the M5′s super-sedan identity.
The BMW M5 Interior
Lest you conclude that we’ve been pounding steins full of M5 haterade, hear this: In most other respects, the 2010 BMW M5 is a stupendous car. As noted, the 5.0-liter V10 pumps out an otherworldly 500 hp, and it sounds as good as it goes, particularly as the stratospheric 8,250-rpm redline approaches. There are no fewer than 279 different vehicle settings according to BMW, which means you can fiddle with the M5′s power, throttle, transmission and suspension settings to your heart’s delight. The incredibly supportive and comfortable seats are quite possibly the best all-around automotive chairs in the world. Even the newly hard-drive-based iDrive is something to brag about now, thanks to an updated interface and menu structure that are actually intuitive and useful for a change.
BMW says the rear-wheel-drive M5 has “supercar handling,” but also promotes its “outstanding everyday driving qualities.” This 500-horsepower version of BMW’s 5 Series competes with the 435-hp Audi S6, the 469-hp Cadillac STS-V and the 507-hp Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG.
Almost all of the good stuff is in the M5, not on it, so you can’t see it. With 18-inch wheels, it doesn’t appear to squat low to the ground and the fenders aren’t visibly flared. Buy BMW M5 now. There’s a businesslike air dam with black mesh screening covering its generous openings, which draw great gulps of air for the brakes and 302-cubic-inch engine. The super wide (8-inch front, 9.5-inch rear) polished alloy wheels catch your eye for their good looks, not their size, and offer a peek at the brake rotors through the 10 spokes, which collect dirt and brake dust and thus must be cleaned often. Four chrome exhaust pipes stick out the rear and, along with the wide tires, tell vehicles in your wake that this is no ordinary BMW sedan so go and buy BMW M5.
Image Credits: www.lifestyle-luxury.com, www.ffive.net
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