RE: Driven: BMW M5

[hotmelt]

Great, and I like very much that it has soft and superb damping.

[Nors]

gumsie said:

As a drivers car, I've no doubt this will be better than an E63, it usually is. (Just like the 3 bests the C). It's always been this way.
But cannot BMW though put a proper classy looking interior in their cars? I'll take the Benz(es) everytime thanks.

Yip, it'll be a good un, but it's funny, that's one of the main things that hit me from the pics, that interior looks really basic. Maybe the pics don't do the quality justice either, but dare I say it, it looks cheap!

Engine sounds like it'll be the main talking point of this M5 though!

[STiG911]

As legendary as this will certainly be over the V10 M5 (and this would be quite something having been eqaually scarred / thrilled with a passengers ride in my mates V10) It's hard to get past the fact that the '5 is now unbelievably fugly. The last model was a lot more 'Hyperformance in a Sharp Suit' This one is just, well, not.

[Rawwr]

Olf said:

And what's this about about a scary 240kph? Really?

240kph on an autobahn isn't scary.
240kph as an entry speed to a McDonalds drive-thru probably would be.

[GroundEffect]

Turbos needn't remove the character of an engine - look at the 1 M Coupe or the MP4-12C. They do ruin the exhaust note though

[kambites]

Rawwr said:

Olf said:

And what's this about about a scary 240kph? Really?

240kph on an autobahn isn't scary.
240kph as an entry speed to a McDonalds drive-thru probably would be.

Oh I dunno, at least at that speed they couldn't try to sell you any of their "food".

[Rawwr]

kambites said:

Oh I dunno, at least at that speed they couldn't try to sell you any of their "food".

Irrelevant. They'd still ask you to park in grill order bay one because they were somehow unprepared to sell a Big Mac.

[Dagnut]

You guy said the same thing about the 1m ....and pretty much everyone else loved it

[louiebaby]

Stuart said:

louiebaby said:

I think I prefer the look of the previous generation 5 series, but I suspect I'm in the minority...

If you are, you're in a minority of two. I like the E60 over the F10. I just think that it is a sharper looking car all round. The F10 is fantastic to drive though, and the design of the whole range has a more family feel to it, but I love my E60.

With a family car looming in the next year or so, it does seem to tick the most boxes. My sneaky plan may involve getting the wife to sign off on the concept, and allowing me to chose the exact car. Then finding one with a bit more shove than the 520i or 520d, and debadging it.

[jontysafe]

Will look forward to the test drive but......where`s the fun factor?

[CHIEF]

Well i for one love it. Love the styling and love the engine.

Whilst the V10 was more of an event driving at 10/10ths i like the lovely twin turbo wallop of torque this engine promises.

I suspect most people in the market for this car wont be bothered about wringing a NA engine to within an inch of its life all the time just to exploit all its power and will prefer the easy access performance of this new BMW M5. These same people i suspect will have the funds for a second more fun weekend car.

If i want character i'll buy a Porker GT3 but for what thie M5 does it hits the spot. (for me anyway)

[kambites]

Yes, I think the turbocharged engine will suit the nature of the car better, but it will inevitably remove some of its character too. I get the feeling from the recent M-car road tests that I've read, that the M division have decided that AMG had the formula right, and that they need to copy their approach, which is a shame in a way but ultimately most buyers probably buy these cars more for wafting down motorways and pootling around in stop-start traffic than for hooning on backroads.

[humpbackmaniac]

Why are the wheels different in the Twitter pics at launch?

And since when did we need phrases like "st load of power" in a review.....

[Fetchez la vache]

For the M group, Isn't this car another step away from a sensitive, full of feel, balanced, charismatic yet potent real drivers car (ultimate drivers machine) towards an insensitive, numbed feel, not as charismatic as it should be, overly potent businessman's motorway muncher car (ultimate autobahn machine)?

I'm sure it's epic, but something's definitely been lost along the way..

[Garlick]

I would like one of these very much. For me the fast saloon game is being won by BMW, and I'm a hardened Merc fan so it pains me to admit it. Whereas the AMG models seem to suffer from added chintz, the BMWs seem to get it just right....although the side vents on the 5 are a little garish.

The best news, for me, is the fact the previous V10 Tourer might now reach a level at which a mere mortal like me can afford one.

[Chris-R]

Dagnut said:

You guy said the same thing abohe 1m ....and pretty much everyone else loved it

Everybody else is biased!

Seriously, the M5 is just not making me 'love it'. I am very impressed - you couldn't fail to be - but it feels its size and weight. (2 tons with me in it!)

It feels very grown up where the V10 had an enjoyable sense of silliness.

I'm sure there'll be a lot of love for it elsewhere, and justifiably.

[kambites]

Garlick said:

I would like one of these very much. For me the fast saloon game is being won by BMW, and I'm a hardened Merc fan so it pains me to admit it. Whereas the AMG models seem to suffer from added chintz, the BMWs seem to get it just right....although the side vents on the 5 are a little garish.

Interesting; from what I've read I'd have said Jaguar were probably producing the overall best car in this segment at the moment? How do you rate the XFR against the new M5?

[AdamPT]

I love my M5, however it is sometimes a challenge when you just want to pootle, which is what I do for 65% of the time.....

The engine note at 8k is spine tingling and the urge is f'king shocking but I am seriously draw to this new model. The new car's styling is a lot less brave but can you remember the vitriol when the previous model came out?

I will definitely be getting another M5, but like this time round will have to wait at least 3 or 4 years before I can, so in the meantime, you'll hear me from a mile or two away when I change up at 8k!

[Rawwr]

Garlick said:

I would like one of these very much. For me the fast saloon game is being won by BMW, and I'm a hardened Merc fan so it pains me to admit it.

I think I'm going the other way. I'd always thought that M-division cars were the scalpel to AMG's sledgehammers but find myself being more aroused (probably not the right word) by AMG these days.

[Garlick]

kambites said:

Garlick said:

I would like one of these very much. For me the fast saloon game is being won by BMW, and I'm a hardened Merc fan so it pains me to admit it. Whereas the AMG models seem to suffer from added chintz, the BMWs seem to get it just right....although the side vents on the 5 are a little garish.

Interesting; from what I've read I'd have said Jaguar were probably producing the overall best car in this segment at the moment? How do you rate the XFR against the new M5?

Fair point, well made.

I adore the XFR (after spending some time with the model PH ran in the past) but the sheer agility of M cars really do it for me, they feel precise against the Jag's bruiser nature....all IMO of course. I've not driven a new M5 to comment, but while the Jag would be sorely tempting I think I'd wander to the BMW showroom were I in a position to do so.

Shame about the lack of a Touring however.