The BMW M5 Germany’s founding example of the modern super-saloon, has undoubtedly been both of those things, going back entirely five model generations and almost 35 years.
A new standard of excellence for the world of high-performance sedans is the BMW M5 Competition. With more power than in the history of BMW, it is the most robust model in the history of BMW M. To attain this, its racing-inspired technology has been further intensified across many phases.
The birth of the M5 was hand-built in 1986 on the 535i chassis with an altered engine from the M1 that made it the fastest production sedan at the time. Versions of the M5 have been built from occurring generations of the 5 Series family.
BMW had the ideal M5 back in 1998, with the E39 V8 model. It looked perfect, and the engine was beautiful, the chassis complete; it still feels terrific today. However, since then, BMW has spent nearly two decades trying to recreate its magic.
The ingenious system seems to have given the new M5 a much firmer, new front end. It’s power, clean, effort, cutting through corners swiftly and with total confidence. It is a car you can drive harder and harder, feeling even more balanced and self-assured. There’s not any trace of smoothness from the nose, always afraid of four-wheel drive cars; BMW has managed to add drive to the front axle without its disadvantages.
5 TOP FACTS OF M5 2018
- Max. output: 460 kW
- Max. torque: 750 Nm
- M-specific Variable Damper Control system
- Optimised M Sport exhaust system
- Exclusive Competition design elements
With the power now increased to 460 kW, the BMW M5 Competition shoots off from a standstill to 100 km/h in an incredible 3.3 seconds and taking 10.8 seconds to reach 200 km/h. The engineers at BMW M have also enhanced the car‘s position physics: the new engine mounts developed specially for the BMW M5 Competition Pack, have a significantly tighter connection to the drive unit. This has a vivid effect on the car’s directness and accuracy when turning in corners.
If all that was shocking, it’s business as usual: in 1985, the first M5 made 286bhp, tripling a 518, edging out the new Ferrari 328.
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