2018 BMW M5

We track test BMW's ballistic new M5

So-called petrolhead purists may have thrown up their hands in horror at the news that the new-generation M5 has all-wheel drive. It’s just very un-BMW-like, they may have muttered into their Nurburgring-branded coffee mugs, lamenting their God-given right to experience rear-wheel drive opposite-lockery in an M-badged car.

For these drift heroes with 20W-40 flowing through their veins, the good news is that the sixth-generation M5 has a mode for everyone: all-wheel drive for drivers who want thrills with control, and full hooligan mode for those wishing to let it all hang out and make tyre smoke. But please note: rear-wheel drive can only be engaged when the stability control is switched off, making this a mode for true Sebastian Loeb wannabes.

My few laps around Kyalami with the new M5 in all-wheel drive mode (known as M xDrive in BMW-speak) confirmed what Audi had long since discovered with its quattro system, and more recently Mercedes with its 4Matic: big power and all-wheel drive go together like pap and gravy.

Yes, there was a time when drive to both axles meant heaps of frustrating understeer, where it seemed you needed a calendar, not a stopwatch, to mark off the time before you could finally boot the throttle out of a corner - but those days are gone.

The more rear-biased AWD systems of modern muscle cars make them far more appealing to drive, and so it is with the new M5. For such a big piece of hardware it’s impressively pointy, a car you can really poke into corners.

Yes, the nose will run wide if you get overzealous with your entry speed - as it will with any car - but the M5 has an alertness to it that belies its 1855kg weight. This, incidentally, is lighter than the previous M5 despite all the extra 4WD hardware - this thanks to lightweight body componentes including a new carbonfibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) roof.

That the car felt as composed and twitch-free as it did through fast curves didn’t come as a surprise. What did was its quick turn-in into tight corners, and how early you could punch the throttle out of them. Too early on the petrol and the stability control cuts in to quell such over-eagerness, but without being a total party-pooper; it cuts out again sooner than it would have in the old rear-wheel drive M5, thanks to the superior mechanical traction of the all-wheel drive.

‘Tis this that makes the new M5 such a great driver’s car: the ability to be a fun drive even when all the traction nannies are on.

In two-wheel drive mode (which, remember, comes with no traction assistance) one needs to treat the petrol pedal like a teenager meeting his new girlfriend’s father for the first time - with plenty of respect and treading lightly. Simply hammering the throttle out of a corner will unleash 441kW and 750Nm of you-did-WHAT-with-my-daughter? There will be plenty of smoke and going sideways. For ‘purists’ only.

The new M5 comes standard with M compound brakes and optionally carbon ceramic brakes that are 23kg lighter. The car I drove at Kyalami had the carbon ceramics fitted and they were surprisingly the one weak part of the car’s track-attack ability, as the brakes started fading a bit after three laps.

It’s still a loud-growling 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 under the bonnet, but the outputs have been raised from the previous 412kW/680Nm. This increased muscle, combined with the all-wheel drive traction, has reduced the 0-100km/* sprint time to just 3.4 seconds - a big improvement over the 4.4 secs of the old two-wheel drive M5.

A new eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic now sends the power to the wheels instead of the old DCT (dual-clutch transmission), and it’s a slick-shifting gearbox that didn’t take away anything from the sportiness of the track-driving experience.

The new M5 is priced at R1 762 806. There’s also a First Edition version .selling for R2 024 006 which is decorated with black 20” mags instead of the regular 19s, exclusive Frozen Dark Red Metallic paintwork and Shadow Line trim among other exterior and interior design tweaks. Only five First Edition units came to SA and sorry, all of them are sold.

https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/latest-launches/we-track-test-bmws-ballistic-new-m5-14278466
 
2018 BMW M5 vs Mercedes-AMG E63 S | Super Saloons tested | Autocar

[video=youtube;6K-RhiWA8dU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K-RhiWA8dU[/video]
 
New BMW M5 vs Mercedes-AMG E 63 S - which is fastest on track? - Auto Express

[video=youtube;npyTU0sIK0I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npyTU0sIK0I[/video]
 
Leaked! All the juicy BMW M5 Competition Package details

Waiting patiently for the new BMW M5 Competition Package to arrive? Well, a fresh report has revealed supposed “leaked” specifications of the upcoming hotter version of the all-wheel-drive super-sedan, courtesy of a customer who has already placed an order.

According to a user on bimmerpost.com, production of the new F90-generation M5 Competition Package will start in July 2018, with first deliveries expected in September 2018.

So, what will set this model apart from the “standard” (for lack of a better term) M5? Well, the 4,4-litre V8 under the bonnet will apparently gain an extra 19 kW and 50 N.m, taking its peak outputs to 460 kW and 800 N.m. This, of course, would see it surpass the 450 kW power figure achieved by the Mercedes-AMG E63 S, but not quite match the Affalterbach machine’s maximum torque of 850 N.m.

The extra oomph will reportedly see the M5 Competition Package slice one-tenth off its claimed 0-100 km/h sprint time, which will thus fall to 3,3 seconds (again, just edging the E63 S). Top speed? Well, the post suggests a figure of 305 km/h, with the M Driver’s Package likely to be included as standard.

Other interesting specification details include the addition of a new sports exhaust, revised suspension (lower and firmer, according to the post), model-specific 20-inch Y-Spoke 789M alloys, black badging (including the word “Competition” under the M5 logo at the rear), a blacked-out grille, a gloss-black boot spoiler and an M Carbon engine cover. The report adds that carbon-ceramic brakes will not come standard.

Of course, we’ll have to hold fire until the official reveal of the new model for BMW to confirm these details (and provide a few more) … although we apparently won’t have to wait long, with an unveiling expected in the second week of May.

http://www.carmag.co.za/news/leaked-juicy-bmw-m5-competition-package-details/
 
BMW M5 Competition (2019)

BMW M GmbH unveiled the most powerful and sportiest version yet of its high-performance BMW M5 sedan. The new BMW M5 Competition raises the bar for dynamism, agility and precision in its class.

With engine output upped to 460 kW/625 hp (an increase of 19 kW/25 hp on the new BMW M5), even sharper response and bespoke chassis tuning, a driving experience with motor racing undertones is guaranteed at all times. The new BMW M5 Competition succeeds in blending supreme performance and a superbly exclusive aura with the unruffled ease in everyday use for which BMW M models are renowned.

A history of success: Competition symbolises the ultimate in performance and exclusiveness

The launch of the new BMW M5 Competition also marks the creation of a new product category, as BMW M GmbH will in future be offering the most powerful variants of its high-performance cars as standalone models. This restructuring of the M portfolio has been prompted by the strong popularity of the various model-specific M Competition packages with power upgrade. M Competition packages were first offered for the predecessor to the current BMW M5 and are currently available for the BMW M4 Coupe, BMW M4 Convertible and BMW M3 Sedan. Some 40 per cent of all previous-generation BMW M5 models sold worldwide were equipped with an M Competition package. The line-up's crowning glory came in the form of the BMW M5 Competition Edition, which was capped at just 200 units and boasted an uprated power output of 441 kW/600 hp along with an ultra-exclusive standard specification.

Engine: more power and performance characteristics all of its own

The emotion-packed driving experience that defines the new BMW M5 Competition stems from the unique performance characteristics of its engine. The high-revving power unit with M TwinPower Turbo technology developed for the standard BMW M5 has undergone meticulous retuning to optimise torque and power delivery.

The 4.4-litre V8 now generates maximum output of 460 kW/625 hp, available at 6,000 rpm. Peak torque stands at 750 Newton metres (553 lb-ft) and can be enjoyed across an extremely wide rev range - from 1,800 to 5,800 rpm (i.e. a 200-rpm wider band than in the standard version of the new BMW M5). This means the linear power build-up with which M models have become synonymous is sustained for even longer - into a rev band where the engine's maximum output comes into play. The high-revving concept with its roots on the race track has therefore been harnessed by the V8 unit in the new BMW M5 Competition to generate formidable propulsive force. The modified power delivery results in a faster 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time of just 3.3 seconds, while the 200 km/h (124 mph) mark is reached from a standing start in 10.8 seconds - 0.3 seconds quicker than in the standard version of the new BMW M5.

https://www.netcarshow.com/bmw/2019-m5_competition/

IMG_8415.JPG

IMG_8416.JPG

IMG_8417.JPG

IMG_8418.JPG

IMG_8419.JPG

IMG_8420.JPG
 
BMW M5 Competition gets added oomph, chassis tweaks

The new BMW M5 Competition has finally been officially unveiled, boasting a 19 kW hike in engine output over the standard model plus what the Munich-based brand describes as “bespoke chassis tuning”.

The M5 Competition is scheduled to launch in South Africa in the third quarter of 2018. BMW says its arrival “heralds the creation of a new product category”, with the most powerful variants of its division’s vehicles to be offered as “standalone models” (rather than as an add-on package) from now on.

The F90-generation M5 Competition’s twin-turbo 4,4-litre V8 produces 460 kW at 6 000 r/min (seeing it surpass the 450 kW power figure achieved by Mercedes-AMG E63 S), while peak torque is unchanged at 750 N.m (although offered over a wider range than the standard M5, from 1 800 to 5 800 r/min). The eight-speed M Steptronic transmission is carried over from the standard version.

The added oomph results in a claimed zero to 100 km/h time of 3,3 seconds (a one-tenth improvement over the standard M5) and a zero to 200 km/h sprint in a claimed 10,8 seconds (some three-tenths quicker). Top speed is limited to 250 km/h, although specifying the optional M Driver’s Package raises that figure to 305 km/h.

The all-wheel-drive M5 Competition furthermore features a model-specific M Sport exhaust system (with tailpipe embellishers in black chrome) as standard, which BMW promises “generates a strikingly prominent soundtrack”. A particulate filter has also been fitted.
BMW M5 Competition

Another important addition is the model-specific engine mounting package, which the Bavarian automaker says “has a noticeable impact” on the M5’s performance abilities. The engine mounts have “modified characteristics” and an increased spring rate, which BMW says results in “even more direct engine response”, “immediate transmission of power” and more direct turn-in.

Model-specific chassis tuning lowers the M5 Competition by a further 7 mm and includes “judicious tweaks” to the wheel suspension, springs and dampers. The increased camber at the front axle, for instance, is said to enhance the car’s ability to absorb lateral forces through high-speed corners. And the rear anti-roll bar also boasts a firmer spring rate, while the front axle is equipped with a newly designed mounting for the anti-roll bar. Making the springs some 10 percent stiffer has furthermore produced what BMW calls “a firmer ride”.

The M5 Competition gains special M light-alloy wheels sporting a Y-spoke design in a bi-colour finish. The 20-inch forged items are shod with mixed-size tyres, measuring 275/35 R20 fore and 285/35 R20 aft.

The high-gloss Shadow Line trim is included as standard, and is applied to the kidney grille surround, the decorative mesh of the M gills, the trim for the rear bumper covering and the side-mirror caps. The rear spoiler and “M5” boot lid badge – the latter gaining “Competition” lettering – also come in high-gloss black.

Inside the car, the seat belts feature BMW M stripes, while the floor mats gain special piping and an “M5” logo. In addition, an “M Competition” graphic appears in the instrument cluster to greet the driver when the vehicle is started.

http://www.carmag.co.za/news/bmw-m5-competition-gets-added-oomph-chassis-tweaks/
 
BMW M5 Competition Specs and SA Launch Date
The BMW M5 has only just landed in South Africa and already there's a Competition Package version on the way. Details have emerged.

The big news is the uprated engine. As it stands, the standard BMW M5's 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo motor produces 441 kW and 750 Nm. The transmission is new and is an 8-speed M Steptronic unit with Drivelogic. In Competition application, the outputs are raised to 460 kW and 750 Nm (torque remains the same but it is available in a wider band - 1 800 - 5 800 rpm), making it quicker to 100 kph which it completes in 3.3 seconds. Scarily, it'll do 0-200 kph in 10.8 seconds. With the M Drivers Package fitted, it'll run to 305 kph.

The vehicle will also feature a sports exhaust with a black chrome finish - loudening the soundtrack. A 7mm dropped and stiffened suspension is also added, new 20-inch alloy wheels, and some trim upgrades like black badges, grilles and rear bumper accents. There's also a carbon fibre engine cover too.

Increased camber at the front axle should enhance the car’s ability to absorb lateral forces through high-speed corners and the rear anti-roll bar also has a firmer spring rate. The front axle is equipped with a newly designed mounting for the anti-roll bar. Making the springs at the front and rear axles ten percent stiffer than the standard version of the new BMW M5 has produced a firmer ride, which in turn has a positive impact on steering response.

Inside the car, BMW M stripe design colours are emblazoned on the seat belts, plus floor mats with special piping and the “M5” logo. A further identifying feature is the “M Competition” graphic that appears in the instrument cluster to greet the driver when it is starting up.

BMW intends to have the M5 Competition Package ready to go in SA by the third quarter of 2018. Pricing is not available yet but should be somewhere around R2.5 million if the standard model is anything to go by.

https://www.cars.co.za/motoring_news/bmw-m5-competition-specs-and-sa-launch-date/44958/
 
So this will be the right car to take on the E63s - previously racing the M5 against the E63s was not really a fair comparison.
 
BMW M5 vs Alpina B5: 5 Series super saloon showdown

Were this a sports car comparison, there would a strong case to give the nod to the M5. But these are cars in which people do huge distances, very few of them on roads such as these. So even if you say the M5’s flaws are cancelled by its stronger performance and call it a draw on the open road, the rest of the time the Alpina just has the edge. As good to drive and an even easier car with which to live, it is the B5 that is our winner.

1st: Alpina B5 - If you ever wondered if Alpina could make a car to out-M an M, the answer is before you. Albeit only just, that answer is yes

2nd: BMW M5 - A car of real character and triumphant return to form for the M5, but here up against a car of dazzling completeness and appeal

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/bmw-m5-vs-alpina-b5-5-series-super-saloon-showdown

IMG_5275.JPG

IMG_5278.JPG

IMG_5276.JPG

IMG_5277.JPG
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X