2006
BMW M5
BASE PRICE: $85,595
POWERTRAIN: 5.0-liter, 500-hp, 383-lb-ft V10; rwd, seven-speed
SMG
CURB WEIGHT: 4012 lbs
0 to 60 MPH: 4.5 seconds (mfr.)
FUEL MILEAGE (EPA combined): 14.12 mpg
We first drove BMW’s new E60 M5 a year ago in Germany and described it as “the ultimate machine.” But the title was more question than compliment. Had Munich shifted the M5’s emphasis too much away from driving?
Consider
this from BMW’s press material: “3 power settings x 10 SMG programs
(excluding for the moment S6) x 3 EDC modes x 3 DSC choices = 270 combinations
of settings. Then, transmission program S6: Because it can be selected only with
DSC deactivated, 3 power settings x 3 EDC modes = 9. Add these to 270 and you
get the full 279 modes.”
Oh
dear. This is the new face of M? And iDrive is needed to access all this tomgadgetry?
No, but—mark this down as a
first—it makes life easier. Four buttons placed around the shift handle
control engine power, suspension stiffness, stability/traction control and shift
speed (S1-6). Punch them individually to suit your mood, or use the computer to
simplify things. With your preferences logged in, activate them simultaneously
and at any time by pushing the steering wheel-mounted “MDrive” button.
Despite
the tech barrage, the M5 remains the benchmark for performance luxury sedans.
Drive it at even seven-tenths and it’s clear this Bavarian beast will rip out
the lungs of all challengers, including Cadillac’s STS-V, Mercedes’ E55 AMG
and Audi’s RS6. According to BMW, the M5—whose handling and braking prowess
impress as much as the engine—can hang with Porsche’s 911 around the
Nordschleife.
The
driving experience is 911-ish, too, at least in spirit. The BMW bonds with its
driver more than any competitor, due largely to sublime yet aggressive
suspension and steering tuning. The electronically controlled suspension, no
matter the stiffness level, gives big grip and just as much feedback. In concert
with non-active steering and sticky 19-inch tires, it gave us more confidence
than is normal when strapped to 500 hp.
High-speed
drifts and slides are controlled with ease, and throttle-steering is effortless
and takes advantage of the car’s predictable and progressive breakaway
character. Moderate side- ways trajectories can be corrected with quick flicks
of the steering wheel rather than big throttle lifts, making it easy to hold
slides without fear.
Thus
the M5 challenge lies not in learning how to use it, but in deciding which modes
to use.
First off, forget about P400,
which provides 400 hp on startup. BMW says the P400 mode is more comfortable and
fuel-efficient than P500 (500 hp) and P500 Sport settings, but it is no trouble
to unleash full power smoothly in either of the higher two. The power comes fast
and hard, and is most evident as the V10 stretches its legs in third and fourth
gears. U.S. cars don’t get launch control, but you can smoke the tires off the
line simply by stomping the throttle.
We
saw only small improvements in fuel economy between P400 and P500, attributable
in part to variations in road speed and driving style. The difference is less
noticeable than the forward surge felt when switching to 500 hp on-the-fly,
reason enough to go permanently with the maximum.
The
value of the seven-speed Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) is less clear and
caused the most consternation among editors, one asking, “Who really
needs 11 shift modes?”
While
this new transmission—the first intended as an SMG from inception—makes a
great leap in comfort over its predecessor, we miss the involvement that comes
with a traditional H-pattern shifter and clutch pedal. The good news is that BMW
of North America (and its dealers) has convinced Munich to offer a six-speed
manual, but it won’t arrive until fall 2006.
As is, we found the SMG’s
upshifts in automatic uncoordinated and lurchy, regardless of shift speed. The
same goes for the manual’s three slowest speeds. With settings No. 4 and up,
shifts come fast and sharp. Slight throttle lifts as you pop the shift paddle
result in smooth cog-swapping, but ultimate performance comes from dialing up
the fastest setting and keeping the pedal planted. The ensuing shifts are brutal
yet addictive, if only because they break the rear tires loose in second and
third gears.
Ultimately SMG and other gizmos make us feel like we’re sitting in a video arcade. Perhaps that is also the best way to think of the M5 overall: as a racing game that requires you play for hours in order to unlock the best cars and tracks. It’s infuriating until you do, but play long enough and you’ll never want to stop.
