Penguin Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Today I was able to drive a new BMW M5. I am a bit wound up about it right now, so if any of you have specific questions please post them, and I will give you answers. Right now the drive is just a blur of g-forces and foolishly high speeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twisted Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 luckyfook3r Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wukindada Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 PM me with details on the accel & handling. I am also interested in the comfort of the seats. How is the SMG? I have driven my buddy's 05 M3 & I am not very impressed. As I have mentioned to you before my goal in 3yrs is to purchase a yr old M5 wagon. I know many on the site would never buy a demo or used car but I am not afraid to purchase a car with 10-15K on the odo. Plus I would not mod the car in any way so I would purchase the extended service program. I am hoping the new M series depreciates @ the same rate as the previous generation;) Toyota 6EATS .........SUCK!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 Well where do I start... crap that car is insane. 1.) Power: Obviously 500hp is alot of power, almost an abstract figure to most of us, myself included. Even in a fairly heavy car, that much power is able to get you into trouble really really fast. The car runs out of road so fast it is almost scary, overtaking and closing speeds make power runs very short. With the M-Sport settings dialed in the car is a real monster, acceleration though is not brutal so much as relentless. Especially in first gear the car doesn't seem much faster than a 550i, or the current M3. However, once it gets hooked up and the traction control settles down towards the end of first you get a taste of what is to come. Second gear gives a real good indication that you have huge power at your disposal, the car seems to pull harder the faster it goes. You pass by the 60 mph mark somewhere during second gear, I don't know the RPM's as the car had the very cool (and neccessary) heads up display that displays a video game like green to yellow to red tach. Third gear is more of the same but the tremendous power is even more apparent because the acceleration rate is no different than second, if anything it seems stronger. Same for fourth; fifth, sixth, and seventh I was unable to use much of. The sound by the way is phenomenal especially above 5000rpm's. The most impressive aspect of the powerplant is how user friendly it is, power is easy to modulate and is very progressive. 2.) Transmission: I know this is not normally discussed around here except auto vs. manual, but it needs to be addressed on this car. I will flatly state that the seven speed SMG is now my favorite gear box of all time. The improvement over the SMG in the M3 is night and day, not only is the SMG lighting fast but it also shifts as smooth as silk. The perfectly matched downshifts are another bonus, as is the ability to perform one in a tight corner. 3.) Handling: This one is harder to quantify, as I was unable to safely approach the cars limits. I will say this, the M5 is extremely stable through turns, has excellent turn in, and directional chages are very quick and drama free. The car seems to laugh at you, even if flung into corners at speeds I thought were way too hot. Also aiding handling are the sport seats with active bolsters, they keep you planted in place through corners that would have you sliding around in the seat on our Legacy GT. 4.) Braking: The brakes are huge, even in photos. They are bigger in person. Using the brakes hard hurts, the car tries to launch you throught the windshield and the seat belts dig into your shoulders. My neck muscles hurt. The car doesn't dive under braking, and it tracks nice and strait. The pedal is firm and has no slop in it at all, but is still easy to modulate. If anyone needs more details let me know. Also I will consider selling a kidney to get one of these so if anyone needs one let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wukindada Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Have you heard any news as to the official launch / release date of the wagon? The Local dealer told me first quarter of 07...another told me Dec 06. Toyota 6EATS .........SUCK!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 Customer gave us permission to drive the car a little, I had to put gas in it. It just took me eight frantic miles to find the station in the country is all. Ha ha ha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 Have you heard any news as to the official launch / release date of the wagon? The Local dealer told me first quarter of 07...another told me Dec 06. I wish I knew what to tell you on official realease of the wagon version, BMW is really cagey with that stuff. If we get it 07 is probably not far off the mark as that is when we should get the six speed manual (not that I see any reason to step down to that from the brilliant SMG). Don't get your hopes up though, as the dismal release of the 5 series wagon may keep BMW from bringing it over. I think the 5 series wagon is freakin' cool, but I have sold three of them, which I think may be a record in my sales region. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flanders Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 I have seen 2 around San Francisco. One looked Brown and the other was Blue. There is a nice chrome slash between the front doors and wheel wells that give it away, and the huge tires. Isn't there a 3 year wait already? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team23jordan Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 nice Perrin BIG maf intake Perrin Turbo Inlet HKS SSQV BOV Megan Racing header with UP (ceramic coated) HKS DP (WRX) DMH E-cutout Custom 3" catback UTEC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterJMC Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Nice write up on the M5. It's on my list of dream cars. You should have taken a picture with the M5!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 The Alpina cars are more torque oriented than the M cars, they have a different focus. With that said we'd love to have them here. I would have taken a picture but, the car was no where near clean. By the way it is Black Saphire metallic over Silver Stone leather. The first one we recieved was Interlagos Blue, which I drove only briefly about two months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunderkind Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Nice, there's a coupla new M5s in our parking garage. They are huge buggers eh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agctr Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 You know what the worst thing is now you have driven the ///M5, no car that you ever drive will ever feel the same again. Driven the new E55AMG and pretty much everything that I now drive feels like I have left the e-Brake on, its really that bad. The ///M5 is crushingly fast and will hand it to the E55AMG everytime. Just squash the fast pedal into the firewall and you are considered an extremely brave man. There is no need for race stories with either the E55 or the ///M5 because they both just destory anything off the line. Really happy for you that you enjoyed the experience. You have no idea what GRUNT is all about until you get in a bone STOCK 507BHP vehicle that hits 100/ 62 in 4.7. Ada///M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted January 29, 2006 Author Share Posted January 29, 2006 I just wish I could give a better description to all of you about just what that acceleration feels like. It is so damned fast that the 60mph mark is just something you blow past somewhere in second gear. I really only was able to plant the throttle once or twice, the car just runs out of room too fast and it seems to gain speed faster than you can mash pedal. The funny thing is that the car was by no means dominated by the motor, the chassis and brakes were so up to the task that 500+hp (they are sand-bagging the output) seems like a perfectly logical amount of power. Everything is just integrated, like cars used to be when one guy who knew exactly what the car should be was responsible for it. Not like the designed by commitee products us mere mortals have to live with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wukindada Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Actually Car & Driver & Road & track have the 0-60times for the M5 @ 4.2/4.3........Me Likie:) Toyota 6EATS .........SUCK!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilT Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 There is no need for race stories with either the E55 or the ///M5 because they both just destory anything off the line. Really happy for you that you enjoyed the experience. You have no idea what GRUNT is all about until you get in a bone STOCK 507BHP vehicle that hits 100/ 62 in 4.7. Ada///M. I would have expected quicker times than that. A stock Impreza STi will do the same, is that a road test figure or BMW's own ? Double Award Winning Legacy GT Wagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted January 29, 2006 Author Share Posted January 29, 2006 4.7 0-60 is BMW's figure I believe, but keep in mind this is traction limited. After driving the car the 0-60 time is not even something I care about anymore. The 0-100 time is freaking insane, at any speed above 40mph the car just rockets off faster than anything I have ever driven. The STi may be very fast out of a "dig", I have driven one and it is alot of fun; very quick off the line, but the M5 will run away from a stock Sti after the 30-40mph mark. Besides I personally don't drag race much anymore, and highway passing ability is much more impressive to me personally and that is where the M5 really asserts itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted January 29, 2006 Author Share Posted January 29, 2006 How did you fel about the interior design of the new M5? Personally I thought that the pre-bangle design was much more driver oriented, making it even more of a driver's car. There's a 2001 M5 at my local BMW dealer for $58,000 CDN - I want to take it for a test drive but feel bad about bugging the salespeople knowing damn well I won't be buying it. I like the interior of the new 5 series, and I also like i-Drive. However keep in mind that I am biased, I sell these things. With that said all of the major controls are still within easy reach and logical placement of the driver. The layout of the dash is different in the E60 than the E39, as far as contours but not function. I also find the E60 to be the more comfortable of the two cars, especially when equipped with the sport seats or comfort seats. Drive wise there is no comparison between the two, M5's or regular 5 series cars, the new cars are more capable period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agctr Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 I believe it is a BMW time and for that matter a AMG time as well for the E55. For the moment, I say the ///M5 or ///M6 will hand it to an E55 on any given day any day of the week. Once AMG convert to the 6.3 NA engine, it might just be a different story but at the moment in real life and on paper, the ///M's win everytime. 373kW vs 350kW..... you do the math. Ada///M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted January 29, 2006 Author Share Posted January 29, 2006 Torque does make a difference in off the line acceleration up to about 50mph, after that horsepower will pull ahead most all the time. The tests have borne this out, with the 0-60 time being the same for Car and Driver but the M5 pulling ahead steadily through the quarter mile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IAHAWK Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Man I get pumped when I read posts on this car. My dad currently has a 2001 M5 and will be getting his new 2006 M5 in Feb. sometime. He's going to be out of town, so he's making me turn in his old M5 and pick up the new M5. Penguin, thanks for the write up. I am very interested to see how good this SMG trans is. I have heard that during around town driving it is very slow to shift. Did you notice any of this?? As for the E55 vs M5 E60...this has been discussed many times on the m5boards.com forum. The E55 will beat/stick with the M5 to 100. After that its all over. The M5 really hits its stride above 100. Car and Driver just recently did a test and the M5 did 0-150 in just over 20 seconds. The cars it competed against...STS-V did it in 36 seconds and the CLS 55 hit 150 in over 23 seconds. The spec B hits 120 in 21 seconds, just to show you how much faster this car is to our subie's. Here are some videos that blow my mind. They really show how the car pulls at higher speeds....ENJOY!! (M5 vs. Carrera 2) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2003363401277137663&q=m5 (M5 vs. 911 turbo vs. Ferrari 550M modded) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8416820080462715557&q=m5 (This is for anyone that has driven the E39 M5 and thought it was fast. ) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5804794435648726396&q=m5 Just for fun http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6756084931270105691&q=m5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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