Sunday 15th April 2018

BMW M5: PH Fleet

The new BMW M5 has already proven exceptionally mighty. Now we get to see what it's like to live with

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A BMW M5 has landed on the PH Fleet and its wheels have barely stopped turning since. It's blue outside, leathery inside, has a 600hp V8 and, well, it's a new BMW M5, so maybe that's not surprising: it has had a lot to do.

How good has it been on the jobs it has immediately been thrown into? Across PH and its sister titles it has been group tested against a Mercedes-AMG E63 and Cadillac CTS-V (and won), videoed alongside an E63 (and won), videoed along with a new Alpina B5 (still to be screened, but guess what?), it has been signed-up for the PH trip to Le Mans, and it has been through a full Autocar Road Test figuring session whose results are, also, as I write, still to be published.

I'll give you a sneak preview of those, mind: 0-60mph in 3.3sec, 100mph in 7.5sec, standing quarter-mile in 11.5sec at 125.1mph and a standing km in 20.8sec at 159.1mph. None of those, even the standing km, is more than seven-tenths of a second away from the times recorded by a Ferrari 458 Speciale. So it's quite quick.

There's a lot that's remarkable about those numbers, but mostly it's that they arrive despite the fact that, when all's said and done, this is a car that tips the scales at 1,940kg and still does all that a BMW 5 Series does.

It, as standard or optionally, seats five in great comfort, is nearly five metres long, has a 530-litre boot and split-fold (heated) rear seats, and a 68-litre fuel tank from which it can sip unleaded at 28mpg (though 21 is more likely, and 7.5 is possible).

It has a 4.4-litre, twin-turbocharged V8, which drives all four wheels via an automatic gearbox, though can be put into rear-wheel drive mode should the occasion and whim arise. There are contradictions to it, too, mind: it has a carbonfibre roof to save weight and yet soft-close doors which adds it. So it's a sports saloon yet one with massage front seats and a heated steering wheel, and a class leading kind of infotainment system that includes everything you could realistically ask for, and a few things you probably didn't.

As tested, then, it costs £101,900, thanks to a fair few options on top of the £87,940 list price. Both of which are a lot but, then, it does do quite a lot. It rides comfortably enough via its coil springs with adaptive dampers. It has grip and traction to spare in its standard 4WD mode, rather less in RWD, and overtakes things on a whim thanks to the engine's easy-going, boosted thrust and. It's both supremely easy and at the same time quite exciting to spend time in.

I still think that the sports saloon is at its zenith in the class below this - that the lighter, narrower Alfa Giulia and BMW M3, for example, are more entertaining to drive and are still quite refined enough. But there's very little arguing with how an M5 goes about things. It's one of the most capable cars on sale. In the way it calms nerves, eats miles and destroys tyres, I'm starting to think that perhaps it's eventhe most capable.

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FACT SHEET
Car: 2018 BMW M5
On fleet since: April 2018
Run by: Matt Prior
List price new: £87,940 (As tested £101,900, because: £1,995 Premium Package including soft-close doors, massage seats, ceramic finish for controls, £1,195 Comfort Package including steering wheel heating, seat heating all-round), £1,100 M Sports exhaust, £1,025 carbon engine cover, £7,495 carbon ceramic brakes, £260 M seat belts, £495 carbon/aluminium-look trim, £235 Apple CarPlay, £160 online entertainment)
Last month at a glance: High five to an M5 as BMW's fastest saloon joins the PH Fleet

[Images: Luc Lacey]

 

[rassi]

Maybe the least interesting piece of information in a 600 bhp supersaloon, but “68 litre fuel tank”? What made the F10 M5 a great cruiser was its 80 litre tank, as opposed to 70 litre in the normal F10.

Seems quite a backwards step, as the engine and consumption is very similar between new and old M5.

[Grantstown]

A decent buy in 3 years time when lightly used cars that have been up and down the motorway a few times will be £45K.

[T1berious]

It was the E60 M5 that had ridiculous range wasn't it? Agree though a 68L tank with a twin turbo V8 does sound like you'll on 1st name terms with your Shell garage.

[Arsecati]

Saw one of these yesterday at a car show. If it wasn't for the placard in front saying 'The New M5', I would have walked right past it. Even worse, it was parked right beside a new black RS6 Avant. The Audi maybe on its way out, but there's no question which one I'd rather have left the show in. And considering that everyone else pretty much walked right past the Beemer to drool over the Audi, meant I wasn't the only one either (just a pity there wasn't an E63S there!)

[MagicMonkey]

How soon before the M5 vs B5 video is uploaded? That’s something I’ve been waiting to see for a little while!!

[theboss]

rassi said:

Maybe the least interesting piece of information in a 600 bhp supersaloon, but “68 litre fuel tank”? What made the F10 M5 a great cruiser was its 80 litre tank, as opposed to 70 litre in the normal F10.

Seems quite a backwards step, as the engine and consumption is very similar between new and old M5.

Agree - this is quite a big deal for me. I cover a lot of ground in my f10 and the bigger tank means >300 mile range even when pressing on. It would annoy me to have to fuel more frequently than this.

[Helicopter123]

The £100k M5 (as tested) is here.

As pointed out above, will be a cracking buy at 3 years but I couldn't drop £50k over three years of ownership, sorry.

[Julian Thompson]

I absolutely love this. The Q car thing does it for me - mine would be de badged also for an even more stealth look. I worry that cars are too complicated now but, placing blind faith in bmw, I’m finding myself poking around the bmw configurator more than strictly necessary....

[E65Ross]

Arsecati said:

Saw one of these yesterday at a car show. If it wasn't for the placard in front saying 'The New M5', I would have walked right past it. Even worse.....

That, believe it or not, is actually the appeal to many.

Edited by E65Ross on Sunday 15th April 10:02

[Jazzer]

I’ve had the E60 and F10......loved them to bits. I was able to get to Scotland from London on a single tank in the F10, quite a thing in such a stunning tourer.
I now drive a Cayman GTS, a completely different animal....what a sports car!
I will no doubt get an F90, but only when 0%?deals start and I have an exit strategy in place.....you struggle to sell such cars privately.
The question i’m asking though is: could I live with the size of this thing, would it even fit in my garage?

[HardMiles]

Arsecati said:

Saw one of these yesterday at a car show. If it wasn't for the placard in front saying 'The New M5', I would have walked right past it. Even worse, it was parked right beside a new black RS6 Avant. The Audi maybe on its way out, but there's no question which one I'd rather have left the show in. And considering that everyone else pretty much walked right past the Beemer to drool over the Audi, meant I wasn't the only one either (just a pity there wasn't an E63S there!)

That’s where the BMW has it right, these cars started off with the e12 m535. The first proper super saloon. Unless you know cars it’s just a car. The Audi is for people that want a point and squirt car and to wave their money in front of their neighbours. The understated nature of these types of car is what it’s all about.

Plus I am biased, I love my G30. It is seriously such an incredible bit of engineering. For someone that hates modern tech, it’s just ace.

[rog007]

E65Ross said:

Arsecati said:

Saw one of these yesterday at a car show. If it wasn't for the placard in front saying 'The New M5', I would have walked right past it. Even worse...../quote]

That, believe it or not, is actually the appeal to many.

But not all. I look at this and not a single loin thingy is stirred.

[Limpet]

Arsecati said:

Saw one of these yesterday at a car show. If it wasn't for the placard in front saying 'The New M5', I would have walked right past it. Even worse, it was parked right beside a new black RS6 Avant. The Audi maybe on its way out, but there's no question which one I'd rather have left the show in. And considering that everyone else pretty much walked right past the Beemer to drool over the Audi, meant I wasn't the only one either (just a pity there wasn't an E63S there!)

Which is one of the things I love about it. Nowadays, a car that attracts attention seems as likely to be vandalised or stolen, as drooled over or admired. Better to stay under the radar as much as possible in 2018 IMO.

And speed is much more fun when it's stealthy IMO.

Edited by Limpet on Sunday 15th April 09:58

[caymanbill]

HardMiles said:

That’s where the BMW has it right, these cars started off with the e12 m535. The first proper super saloon. Unless you know cars it’s just a car. The Audi is for people that want a point and squirt car and to wave their money in front of their neighbours. The understated nature of these types of car is what it’s all about.

Plus I am biased, I love my G30. It is seriously such an incredible bit of engineering. For someone that hates modern tech, it’s just ace.

Rubbish, People buy Audis for all sorts of reasons and an M5 is hardly what I would consider understated.

[Diesel Meister]

25 years later and the M5 has approx twice the power, driven wheels and list price, plus forced induction and a good 20% uptick in mass. It is clearly a staggeringly capable and well equipped luxury “ICBM”, but possibly something slightly different to the original concept. I am not best placed to judge as I am certainly not fortunate enough to be in the market for such a car, but my sense is that this would do as a daily, assuming it is affordable and not too large for you needs

I am a huge fan of the M5 (it defines what BMW is about in my view) and can find something to like about every iteration (more than one thing in most cases). I think that the E34 remains my favourite, followed closely by the E28 and E39 (photo finish). The E60 is within a tenth of the podium with F10 and current example less than 3 tenths behind. Totally different cars in many ways, but now evolved almost beyond comparison in many respects. There remain a genetic link or five (heh) but the overall Venn diagram has shifted toward a borderline amorphous Alpina / AMG interpretation in the 5th and 6th acts - incredibly effective and yet harder to distinguish overall. Modern technology and market forces I presume.

0-60 within 0.1 seconds of a fully lit McBimmer F1. I may be showing my age, but holy tyre smoke!

[g3org3y]

Arsecati said:

Saw one of these yesterday at a car show. If it wasn't for the placard in front saying 'The New M5', I would have walked right past it.

They should have covered it in lots of spoilers and added wide arch extensions etc like the original.

[MDL111]

Read a comparison in SportAuto with the 63S, Pana Turbo e hybrid and the CTS - the 5 braked far better cold and warm (must be a first for a BMW), accelerated harder and had a much better lap time - generally a very positive review, quite impressive

[mmm-five]

theboss said:

Agree - this is quite a big deal for me. I cover a lot of ground in my f10 and the bigger tank means >300 mile range even when pressing on. It would annoy me to have to fuel more frequently than this.

That's what I miss most about my e34 M5...and it's 90l tank - could do London to the Ring on one tank and fill up over there with Super 101 for less than ordinary unleaded over here, or more frequently the Liverpool to London (or Bristol) to Liverpool run without having to hand a kidney over at the motorway services.

Maybe the smaller tanks are so they can claim a 'weight reduction', or so that it doesn't seem so expensive to fill them up? I remember one year in Germany where the combination of crap exchange rate and high fuel prices meant it was costing £150 per fill up, and that would only last 12 laps of the 'Ring.

Edited by mmm-five on Sunday 15th April 11:53

[SEGTCSL]

Proportionally too big imo. But much sharper looking than the previous F10.

[JMF894]

E65Ross said:

Arsecati said:

Saw one of these yesterday at a car show. If it wasn't for the placard in front saying 'The New M5', I would have walked right past it. Even worse.....

That, believe it or not, is actually the appeal to many.

Edited by E65Ross on Sunday 15th April 10:02

And exactly what BMW intended it to be