RE: PH Blog: M5 talks dirty

RE: PH Blog: M5 talks dirty

Monday 23rd January 2012

PH Blog: M5 talks dirty

The filth betrays the hard week the M5 has had in our hands but is it really all that? Dan's not sure...



A confession. Until last Friday I'd never driven a BMW M5. Of any description. One of those weird black holes in my motoring back catalogue, only partly attributable to the fact I spent a good few years working on a Mercedes magazine and driving mainly AMGs.

So it's possible I'm a little biased. But I'm really not sure about the F10 M5.

Thank you Wales, Wiltshire and the M40 for your contributions
Thank you Wales, Wiltshire and the M40 for your contributions
And it's not for the want of trying. Just look at the thing. That's what you get after a lap of North Wales and hanging out on a video shoot with our man Harris on some very wet and soggy Wiltshire B-roads.

With the E63 AMGfresh in my mind it's been a good chance to compare the new M5 with a rival that matches it pretty much blow for blow on every line of the spec sheet. Never have AMG and M squared up to each other on such equal terms before.

It's a fascinating contest too, the German megasaloon equivalent of Impreza versus Evo or MP4-12C versus 458 Italia. And who's to complain at two 500hp-plus V8 heavyweights representing their respective manufacturers at the top of their games.

So what is it about the M5 that's left me, seemingly alone among every one of my peers, a bit cold? I will be exploring this in more detail, trust me. There may even be a 'Tell Me I'm Wrong' in it. Stuart already has.

Reserve fuel light on, needs a clean - PH is done!
Reserve fuel light on, needs a clean - PH is done!
In a nutshell it feels to me like the M5 is just trying a bit too hard. The E63 feels self-assured and confident in its own skin - it makes a 525hp E-Class seem an entirely sensible proposition. Availability as a wagon (as previously noted, it is officially acceptable to refer to Mercedes estates as wagons) is another point in its favour.

In comparison the M5 feels overwhelmed with pent-up aggression. And a little exhausting to be around. Its size and bulk - it's nearly 100kg more than the E63 saloon - are real limiting factors. So I'm not sure. There's so much to be impressed by. But to like? Not sure about that one.

Dan

 

Author
Discussion

dufctubs

Original Poster:

191 posts

151 months

Friday 20th January 2012
quotequote all
For some reason I love a clean car but also like it dirty as well, looks well used !

okie592

2,711 posts

166 months

Friday 20th January 2012
quotequote all
I love a dirty car and i love the M5

a dirty m5 is a pants changing thing, it looks amazing

leon9191

752 posts

192 months

Friday 20th January 2012
quotequote all
Iv just bought an e39 M5 after several years of lusting after one. Dont need it, wont really use it but i love it. If the latest one doesnt do that for u maybe its missing something, mine certainly isnt.

Dino D

1,953 posts

220 months

Friday 20th January 2012
quotequote all
'size and bulk' is a limiting factor compared with the e63 because it's a 100kg heavier...really?!!
That is the difference between full and empty tank on cars that are nearly 2 tonnes each.

MRCC

337 posts

156 months

Friday 20th January 2012
quotequote all
I think in years to come it will be the E60 with its V10 that will come to be revered with its charismatic free-reving, last of the naturally aspirated M5's. This one just seems a little too functional so I can entirely understand where the leaving you cold comes from. Just seems to lack charisma and the syling is rather average too. I'm not sold on it and thats after having spent some time in one too.

Regards,

Mr. CC

redgriff500

26,763 posts

262 months

Friday 20th January 2012
quotequote all
Two things:

On a car weighing circa 2 tons I defy anyone to tell which is one fat passenger heavier.

Unless things have changed the main reason the M5 doesn't compare to any AMG Merc is that the one is a manual and the other is for old men / city dwellers.

Olf

11,974 posts

217 months

Friday 20th January 2012
quotequote all
Of for the ability to notice the 100kg weight difference between two cars like that.

Dave Hedgehog

14,541 posts

203 months

Friday 20th January 2012
quotequote all
doesn't do anything for me, id rather have the 1M

Big Six

37 posts

146 months

Friday 20th January 2012
quotequote all
You said it yourself. You used to work for MB mag.....so yes your biast.

Just don't comment anymore please. Yes everybody else is write & your wrong.

g3org3y

20,606 posts

190 months

Friday 20th January 2012
quotequote all
Big Six said:
You said it yourself. You used to work for MB mag.....so yes your biast.

Just don't comment anymore please. Yes everybody else is write & your wrong.

Patrick Bateman

12,143 posts

173 months

Friday 20th January 2012
quotequote all
Dino D said:
That is the difference between full and empty tank on cars that are nearly 2 tonnes each.
Mmm not quite, considering 80 litres of petrol would weigh around 57kg.

Just to be picky. wink

TrivsTom

129 posts

166 months

Friday 20th January 2012
quotequote all
finally someone speaks out! it doesnt look anything special, so £75000 for a plain looking car with too much power...

Patrick Bateman

12,143 posts

173 months

Friday 20th January 2012
quotequote all
TrivsTom said:
finally someone speaks out! it doesnt look anything special, so £75000 for a plain looking car with too much power...
Can you point me to any of the previous generation M5s that looked vastly different to their regular 5 series brethren?

It, I believe, is kind of the point.

soad

32,829 posts

175 months

Saturday 21st January 2012
quotequote all
TrivsTom said:
finally someone speaks out! it doesnt look anything special, so £75000 for a plain looking car with too much power...
Is there such a thing as too much power?!

BMWill

447 posts

178 months

Saturday 21st January 2012
quotequote all
leon9191 said:
Iv just bought an e39 M5 after several years of lusting after one. Dont need it, wont really use it but i love it.
Well done sir! That's how the question of "what car?" should always be addressed!


= )

rgturbo

3 posts

146 months

Saturday 21st January 2012
quotequote all
Big Six said:
You said it yourself. You used to work for MB mag.....so yes your biast.

Just don't comment anymore please. Yes everybody else is write & your wrong.
His opinion's still valid though.. In fact it puts another perspective on this car. Just because someone has a lot of experience of other cars, doesn't mean they're not entitled to an opinion.

I personally wouldn't buy this car for one reason, and for one reason only... it plays an artificial exhaust note through the speakers. I could play a cd in an Austin Metro so that 6R4 sounds come out the speakers if I wanted to, but it just seems artificial to me.

Maybe everyone else is 'write' and I am wrong though :-D

collateral

7,238 posts

217 months

Saturday 21st January 2012
quotequote all
redgriff500 said:
Unless things have changed the main reason the M5 doesn't compare to any AMG Merc is that the one is a manual and the other is for old men / city dwellers.
Manual?

Dale Lomas

218 posts

154 months

Saturday 21st January 2012
quotequote all
OK, now I'm intrigued. I have to admit, the V8 will have to be quite something to beat the crazy n/a V10 motor. I mean V10>V8, right?

amg master

625 posts

194 months

Saturday 21st January 2012
quotequote all
redgriff500 said:
Two things:

On a car weighing circa 2 tons I defy anyone to tell which is one fat passenger heavier.

Unless things have changed the main reason the M5 doesn't compare to any AMG Merc is that the one is a manual and the other is for old men / city dwellers.
i dont think the m5 is manual and not every one who drives amg,'s are old men.just because someone likes the amg more does'nt mean the m5 is a bad car.i had a c63 amg and a m3 and i liked the amg more.

tommy vercetti

11,486 posts

162 months

Saturday 21st January 2012
quotequote all
M5 has always been the daddy, and it always will be no matter what, for me