M, the Most Powerful Letter in the World!

Author's Rating:

Pros: powerful acceleration, fun to drive, roomy inside, comfortable seats,

Cons: poor fuel economy (as expected), complicated navigation system, not a whole lot of cargo room

The Bottom Line: 
The BMW M5 is an understated high-performance luxury sedan with Corvette-like performance, Mercedes-like luxury and quality leaning more towards sports car fun.

Author's Review
When BMW was first founded, the M (in BMW) has always stood for "Motoren"- German for engine. Today, BMW makes a line of "M" cars that began with the famed M1 supercar of 1978. In 1988, the M Group introduced the M5, a high-performance version of the 5-series, midsize luxury car. It was powered by a 256-horsepower, 6-cylinder engine. Today, the M5 is a V8-powered luxury car with enough power to embarass a Corvette.

EXTERIOR: The M5 is very stylish, yet VERY understated. The 18-inch alloy wheels and M badges are the only styling features that set it apart from lesser 5-series models. New for 2002, are chrome rings around the headlights. Another way to tell if an M5 IS an M5 is its 4 exhaust pipes.

INTERIOR: No 5-series is as quiet as a Lexus in my opinion, but wind noise is kept at a bare minimum. The engine is very quiet at low rpms. At high rpms, the V8 engine can sound a bit whiny. Tire roar is noticeable from the high performance tires, but not loud enough to annoy me. The instruments are easy on the eyes and the gauges glow bright red at night. The tachometer even has a variable redline. When the engine is started cold, the redline is set at a lower rpm than usual. When the engine is warmed, the redline will reset itself to the full 7,000 rpm.

The navigation system is a VERY useful piece of equipment, assuming you know how to use it. Although not nearly as complex as Mercedes' COMMAND navigation system, BMW incorporates audio and climate controls into the navigation system which, to me, overcomplicates what is usually a simple task.

Up front, there is a LOT of room even for tall drivers. Usually, a sunroofs cut in on headroom, but this is NOT the case for the M5, or any 5-series for that matter. The front buckets are very supportive laterally, and EXTREMELY comfortable. The 16-way power seats also have a power lumbar adjustment. Even in the back, there is enough leg room for me. The seats in the back are just as comfortable as in the rear. Leather upholstery is standard. Wood interior accents add a very luxurious tone to the cabin. As far as cargo room is concerned, the narrow trunk can hold 11.1 cubic feet- subpar for the class.

ENGINE: The M5 is powered by a 4.9-liter V8 engine. It produces 394 horsepower at 6,600 rpm, and 368 lb./ft. of torque at 3,800 rpm. Around town, torque is always there. The M5 is so strong in fact, I have to keep an eye on the speedometer almost ALL the time. As expected with almost 400 horses, highway response is simply amazing. Most popular car magazines claim a 0-60 mph time of less than 5 seconds. So what is the punishment for that power? Horrible fuel economy. EPA estimate of 13 city and 21 highway indicate many pit stops per week. Premium fuel is required. The only transmisson option is a 6-speed manual transmission. The clutch is perfect, not too light, yet none too stiff. The shifter feel is great.

HANDLING: Despite the fact that the M5 weighs 4,024 pounds, on twisty roads, you seldom feel it. The steering is weighted just right for me! There is very little body lean in the corners. Traction control is a must in snowy climates, considering that there is almost 400 horsepower at your disposal. Overall, the M5 is very fun to drive.

RIDE: Although the M5 is very stiffly sprung, it actually rides quite good. Only moon-like road surfaces upset the M5's amazing balance. At high speeds, the 4,000-pound bullet is extremly stable- perfect for the Autobahn.

RELIABILTY: All products from BMW are safe and reliable, but some 2000 and 2001 M5's have been issued recalls. For more information, check out:

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/problems/recalls/index.cfm

VALUE: The M5 is a well-built, fun-to-drive sports car, with executive like luxury and amenities. Although its $70,000 price tag suggests exlusivity, M5 is just too understated for my tastes. Personally, I would prefer more styling enhancements than that of lesser 5-series cars. All in all, if you are in the market for a high-performance 4-door sports car with a lot of luxury items, the M5 is the perfect car for you!