BMW M5 30 Jahre (F10) | PH Heroes
The F10 is the forgotten M5, but its curious positioning between eras is a beguiling one...
It’s perhaps no surprise that the F10 30 Jahre’s power-to-weight ratio beats that of the current G90 BMW M5. The latter is a chunky old thing, after all. But what really underscores the brutal output of this decade-old M car is its sole driven axle. Its 600hp isn’t to be shrugged at and put through only two wheels (via antiquated electronics), it’s quite something to encounter.
Let’s not pretend the F10 is an immediate Hero shoo-in. Its place at the M5 party is a little muted, cautiously clutching its drink in the corner while the more extrovert attendees let rip. But don’t forget this was the first turbocharged M5, and a typical example of the breed in the way it wedded monstrous performance to everyday liveability. It just did so with perhaps less panache or precision than some of its more iconic namesakes.
The M5 30 Jahre arrived in May 2014 to sharpen things up and celebrate, you guessed it, 30 years of the M5. Limited to 300 cars, just ten per cent of those were allocated to the UK, the bulk of which remain. “This special edition is not only the most powerful BMW M5 ever to emerge from series production under the auspices of BMW M GmbH, but also the most powerful production car in the history of the brand,” read its grandiose launch statement.
The ‘S63’ 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo had its peak outputs raised to 600hp and 516lb ft – figures which weren’t much improved when the F90 M5 first launched with 4WD – and proved enough to shuttle the 30 Jahre to 62mph in 3.9 seconds. If you could hook all that power up, of course. Headlining its raiding of the BMW Individual configurator was matt grey (sorry, Frozen Dark Silver) paint that’s aged marvellously, no doubt with meticulous care. The interior was a sea of leather, Alcantara and special edition badging – including a naff dashboard sticker – and beneath it all lay the firmer, 10mm-lower Competition chassis optional on standard F10s at the time.
It remains bafflingly big, even if it’s around 100m smaller than a G90 in both width and length, and the impression is only strengthened as you get going. There’s no four-wheel steer to help you tuck this one around a multi-storey, but the steering itself is a hydraulic system that’s abundant in feel and natural feedback. My muscle memory of it tingles merely typing these words, so rich does it now feel in a world of EPAS.
And its rich babble of information is useful for feeling on top of what is quite a boisterous car on a grimy B road. The proliferation of both electric and four-wheel-drive performance cars means the ability is just mash your foot whenever the opportunity presents, for the car to just dismiss the physics it must conquer, is something that’s all too easy to take for granted. Even rear-drive Ferraris and McLarens save our blushes with complementary (and complimentary…) stability and traction control systems.
The F10 has such systems of course, but it’s amazing how quickly tech like this ages. Here is a car that requires prudence even with its systems firmly ‘on’, demonstrating a warning flare of revs and a squiggle of its rear axle even hauling fourth gear as a village makes way for national speed limit. But that feeling of having to warm up both the tyres and yourself, to tentatively push the car beneath you a little bit further each time you exit a junction or corner, is thrilling. Anticipation is often more exciting than the event itself, and you can be in thrall of the M5 and its abundant power without plundering much of it at all. Promise. Feeling your way around a performance car as surfaces and components slowly get up to temperature is a skill that may well be lost to increased electrification. Let’s hope not.
Indeed this is a car that soars for its lack of electrification. This engine exudes star quality even when you’re just rumbling around on its bassy torque. No sound augmentation, no mild hybridisation, just pure V8. Perhaps it’s a bit too easy to punt around in town, certainly given how many moments you might wonder if it’s really an M5 rather than a plushly painted 5-Series with a loutish exhaust. Its gearbox helps snap you out of such slumber; while I’m a cheery advocate of M Division’s current eight-speed ZF auto, the aggression of this seven-speed twin-clutcher promptly morphs me into a curmudgeon pining for the past. Granted, its reactions contribute to the M5’s occasional traction outage, but it serves up some euphoric moments.
This F10 is an intriguing car to get back to grips with, all told. I'm still not quite sure it knows what it wants to be. It acts the big, comfy limo just pottering around, but without truly accomplished ride comfort to underscore the act. Yet with everything notched up it feels too twitchy for its own mass, its 1,945 kilos never more obvious than when they begin to slip.
A suspension refresh might help. It feels a touch too long in its travel, so even once firmed up in Sport Plus its motions continue a mite too long. Perhaps this particular example needs a refresh or, more likely, a careful aftermarket upgrade might just tie the F10 down and give its chassis the polish that soaring powertrain deserves.
In the meantime, you have three M buttons through which you can individually cycle through Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus for the damping, powertrain and steering, while the stubby gear selector houses the toggle for three levels of shift ferocity. Customisation is easy (and inviting) on the move and you're never tied to one setup, nor must you distractedly ogle a sub-menu to alter anything crucial to the F10 driving experience. This car is a respite from relentless progression in so many ways.
It's old enough to lack CarPlay, natch, and other ergonomic quirks abound. The auto wipers need turning on every time you start the car, the indicator stalk is of BMW’s fiddly self-centring era and there’s no creep built into its DCT, the throttle needing an inordinate amount of flex to get you moving from a standstill. The car doesn’t hold itself as you flick between reverse and drive, either, making manoeuvring its 4.9 metres an unexpected chore. Yet with a vibrant head-up display – the F10 among the early pioneers of a technology now bordering on the ubiquitous – it doesn’t feel entrenched in the past.
Modern turbocharged power without the latest stability and traction control systems, four-wheel steering or four-wheel drive. The curious precipice between eras which the F10 occupies is delicious, and its misunderstanding in hallowed M5 history lends a 600hp, 1.9-ton behemoth more underdog spirit than you’d dare credit. Whether it’s a Civic Type R or Carrera T, there's plenty of ‘last of the last!’ hysteria around certain modern performance cars, their end-of-era vibe commanding some predictably lofty pricing.
With an F10 you can swerve the hype, save a fortune (they’re as little as £16k!) and indulge in a car whose insouciance towards 2020s levels of traction and precision can make you laugh out loud. Never a PH Hero new, it's a delightfully obtuse nomination today.
SPECIFICATION | 2014 BMW M5 30 JAHRE (F10)
Engine: 4,395cc V8 twin-turbo
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 600@6,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 516@1,500-6,000rpm
0-62mph: 3.9sec
Top speed: 155mph (189mph with optional M Driver's package)
Weight: 1,945kg (EU)
MPG: 28.5 mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 231g/km
Price new: £91,990 (new)
Price now: £16,000+ (standard F10s)
TBF, the F90 et seq have always been more 'mature' designs than the lesser models and far more tolerable to countenance. Especially with Alpina bumpers.
I only became interested once they gained AWD - 600BHP through the back wheels on a greasy road would merely cause even more frustration.
Unfortunately, they inevitably gained mass & girth. And FREDs.
These are really nice, as is the F90, but the E39 is the one to have I think.
Not sure what happened with the current M5, its lost something, sure its great but its the first one I dont really want.
F90 makes the most sense, with these kind of power outputs RWD gets a bit tiresome this time of year, going from the wifes TT quattro to my RWD Jag, which is only 275 bhp makes me realise that, suppose its down to a lot of low down torque and a heavy right foot as much as anything but traction can be an issue, so these with double the power and even more torque must be quite limited this time of year.
I’m just saying guess he is someone who knows a thing or two …… I’ve had many M cars over the years including this and all the Lexus ‘F’ cars ……
Given up now and more than happy with my Toyota Hybrid Touring….
king big car, either way. ow, wait, Wiesmann uses also such engine I believe in their last MF5 models long time ago now.
but those were I think limited at around 555ps or so? anyhow, also bonkers in such way lighter Wiesmann MF5 V8
Great daily and motorway cruiser - and enough fun for the occasional diversion or backroad blast.
If you tap the throttle paddle gently - it puts the DCT in creep.
Heads up was available in the prior ‘Bangle Butt’ 645i / 650i 5 and 6 series
Problem with this car was putting the power down - it always felt skittish even on modern rubber
I still needed back seats when upgrading and M850i feels faster and more secure thanks to the 4WD, and easier in multi-story car park etc
If you are shopping an F10 M5, seek one out with the B&O stereo and the M sport seats - both very good
You can get a cheap in line module that plugs into boot harness to give you option to open exhaust at all revs etc / which is nice, particularly when sunroof open to let in noise
I think the newer models don't look as nice inside or outside, and I wouldn't want the 4WD either. It's old enough to have a proper integrated screen (not a big sticking out tablet LCD) but new enough to have a decent satnav / Bluetooth / sound system and excellent HUD. Overall I don't think I am interested in any newer or older M5 except maybe the E39, but that's much older and less of a luxury cruiser these days.
I wouldn't agree that with the traction systems on you have to be careful like the article suggests - even in sport plus if you boot it off a wet roundabout, nothing bad will happen apart from a little twitch - but with the traction systems partially or fully off it's a lot of fun!
Overall I could see myself keeping the car for a while, can't think of many better options for a daily comfy rocketship, but for 'fun driving' and going round corners, I think all cars of 1.8 tons or more aren't going to be as much fun as a lighter sports car like a TVR, Lotus, GT86, S2000 or similar.
One word of warning - it has the potential for an occasional big bill, especially with the injectors / DME / rod bearings if you're unlucky, this happened to me with the DME soon after I bought it, but that's the case with most cars of this power and age. Per the above post, not a catastrophic engine failure for me since I switched it off straight away, but still a £5k repair.
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