M5... MMMM..... Fastest 4 door on this planet.

Author's Rating:

Pros: 400 hp. 4 doors. Evil eye.

Cons: Ha! No BMW has cons.

The Bottom Line: 
BMW is a great bang for the buck. Its a great fast, sporty, luxury ride. Hands down, the best sedan.

Author's Review
BMW M series. Just the special M is spine tingling. The M3 is pretty mean. The old M5 and M6 were some nice machiens. But with the current M5, all other luxury-perfomance sedans are blown into the water. Nothing paralles the performance of this sedan, in luxury form.

Interior
As with all BMW's, the interior is great. The moment you get in this car, you know it must be expensive. It just feels like a well built, strong car. But the M5 is special. Its got the color down the middle, with the grey dash and shifter. Just stare at the M on the shifter. MMM.. All gagues are basic, in your face. Very good. Even has navigation. Seats are firm, and leather is not too slick. It has plenty of room for me. So does the back. Could I fall asleep driving? Yes. All controls are within reach, very well placed. Dash is well built, it just looks expensive. Warning lights tell you to shift below 4,500 rpm when first started, to be warmed up gently. After warmed up, warning will stay at 6,500. Very, very, very expensive and neat looking. Quite amusing.

Exterior
Oh my oh my. 18 inch chrome double spoked shadow wheels. Very pretty. 4 stainless steel tail pipes. Huge front air dam. Round side mirrors. Small trunk spoiler. And yes, the M5 badge. Just looking at it gives me chills. If you look at the car from the front, it just looks like speed. Hence, the evil eye. It looks like its going to bounce on you and eat you up. But then, most people will be seeing the rear end of the car, not the front, eh? Ahh, thats where the M5 badge comes in handy. Z28 SS drivers will know they got stomped on by a 4 door luxury car, called the M5. Haha...

Ride
Didn't get to drive it much, but from what I could tell, very BMW rideish, IE: smooth, but ready to do what ever is willing. Reacts in a second. Ride is a bit harsher than a 540i, but what do you expect, this car handles 9 times better. There are no creaks what so ever. It feels very, very solid. Camrys are smooth. Integras are sporty. BMW's feel like armored cars on their toes.

Ahh, save the best for last... Engine
Oh my oh my oh my. You know its fast when the dash tells you how to warm it up. Almost 400 HP in a 4 door. Insane. 0-60 4.7. Almost 2 tons. Wow. The smoothest shifter ever. You can't miss a gear. A clutch that requires some effort. Yes, the horsepower effort. A distinct engine noise that is beauty. Who needs a radio? This car is amazing. If you want it to behave, it will, without a fuss. Stomp the throttle, and it will scream for joy. Speaking of, the throttle response is great. Mash it and go. The DSC will correct any of your errors, so don't worry. The car will pull cleanly from 20-100 probably, with all that torque and the variable valve system. The engine doesn't need to be explained. Its just plain powerful and plenty enough. It is so far away from the 540i, which would be the next in the 5 series line.

Price
$70,000. Ya, its alot? But for what you get, its cheap. I can't think of another 4 door that is in this price range and this quick. The interior feels like its worth more than $70,000. The engine feels like it should be $70,000. I think for what you get its worth it, if you have the money.

What do I think?
I think, like BMW says, this is the "Ultimate Driving Machine". It has 4 doors, and its faster than fast can be. Its luxurious. Its smooth. It can be a great daily driver. It can haul the family on road trips. It can be the weekend Auto Xer, or the Sunday dragger (not many 4 doors are this quick). For its price, its a bargian. If you can snatch it up, go ahead, test other cars. But the performance won't match. BMW just has that distince feel when you hit the gas. Right from the getgo, when you get in the car, it seems so luxurious. I felt like I shouldn't be driving the car. Well, yea, its not like I own it, but I wish I could.