BMW M5 Saloon Review: Powerhouse

BMW M5 Saloon Review: Powerhouse

 BMW’s iconic M5 downsizes to a turbocharged motor. Raymond Lai finds out if it is still a bona fide M car.

OneShift Editorial Team
OneShift Editorial Team
18 Mar 2012
What we like:
pros
Stupendous pace
pros
understated looks
pros
accurate and communicative steering
pros
superb ride in ‘Comfort’ mode
What we dislike:
cons
Engine note can be better
cons
almost impossible to maximize its performance and dynamic handling on the road
cons
costs an arm and a leg
cons
low speed turbo lag

The standard 5 Series cabin has been suitably souped up for this 560bhp monster. It features bespoke M Sports seats, Merino leather upholstery, Aluminium Trace interior trim strips and the BMW Individual roof liner in Anthracite, side sills with the M5 logo and so on. The seats not only look fantastic but offer superb lateral support in the corners as well.

The bespoke instrument cluster features a 330km/h speedo and includes classic BMW M circular dials with red needles and white illumination. The multifunction buttons on the M leather steering wheel operate the cruise control, radio and telephone. On the left-hand side the driver will now find two M Drive buttons which can call up a pre-configured setting for the car - for example, a sports or a more comfort-orientated set of driving characteristics. The driver can adjust no fewer than six parameters: engine management, the Servotronic power steering, the M DCT Drivelogic gearshift programme, DSC mode, the electronically variable Dynamic Damper Control and the information relayed in the standard driver Head-up Display. These can be re-configured at any time via the iDrive menu.

The rest of the cabin is standard 5 Series fare, which means sufficient room at the rear for up to three passengers and high quality switchgear and cabin materials for a high level of perceived luxury and build quality throughout. The Sakhir Orange leather seats and trimmings of the car tested here do a good job of lifting the usually drab cabin ambience of the run-of-the-mill 5 Series models. The M5 can further be customized via the BMW Individual customization programme – champagne coloured Alcantara roof lining anyone?

At almost half a million dollars, the M5 will cost you an arm and a leg, for what is basically a 5 Series, albeit a thoroughly re-engineered one that can run rings around more exotica machinery. The M5 is not all that perfect on the road though – the power delivery is too peaky and a tad difficult to exploit, it can feel a tad skittish and has difficulty in putting its grunt down on bumpy tarmac while the engine note could be better. On a smooth and open racetrack though, I’ll have no doubts about the M5’s stupendous capabilities and its credentials as being a true and bona fide M car.

Credits: Story by Raymond Lai Photos by Yang and Mark Yeo

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