1M Owner's Perspective on New M5

[HERR FSTIR]

Unable to arrange European delivery when I purchased my 1M, I decided to treat myself by taking advantage of BMW on Demand at the Welt while vacationing in Munich.

After heading down to the parking garage from the main door, I was presented with the vehicle which seemed to sport a singapore gray exterior with silverstone or champagne interior. The interior is extremely well appointed, ergonomically well thought out, and simply a sumptuous and very enjoyable place to be. Seats are extremely comfortable. Having never driven in Germany, I dialed up a preset route towards Innsbruck on the navigation and set out towards Austria.

Simply navigating the parking garage, however, made one thing clear - this is a big car. That being said, once out of the confines of the Welt, the size became less conspicuous and the car's engine and dynamics took center stage.

Out on the autobahn, I was surprised by the engine response which was not too dissimilar from the M3. The power just seems to build and build like a locomotive. Coming from the N54, I'm used to neck snapping torque which then trails off after about 5500 RPM, but the S63 does not seem to as easily run out of breath.

The exhaust note is deep and as the revs build is somewhat reminiscent of the awesome soundtrack of the M3, but is more muted than what I prefer (perhaps I didn't have the stereo augmentation system fully activated?). While at an Austrian rest stop I did have a chance to hear the exhaust note with the door open, and it was a very guttural growl.

Steering was very nicely weighted, neither too light or too heavy, but road feedback was not overwhelming (as one might expect in an executive saloon) and I think others have commented on this as well.

I didn't get a chance to fully explore the car's braking power, but got the impression the brakes are up to the task of dealing with what is a fairly large car. I have read elsewhere that soft initial bite is one complaint with the M5, and I wouldn't completely disagree with this assessment.

From a technical standpoint the DCT is phenomenal. Shifts are instantaneous. And with the heads up display, it is video gamelike going through the gears whilst watching the RPMs blip. In auto mode it is easy to vary the settings to achieve a relaxed cruising mode or an aggressive sport program. That being said, I would very much like to sample the North American version with a manual transmission which might add more driver engagement compared to the DCT.

The heads up display was really helpful on the autobahn since the posted speed limit (unlimited or otherwise) was displayed. Very cool feature, but I suppose the Polizei are aware of this feature, thereby rendering moot any protestations of ignorance if caught speeding.

Sticking to the autobahn I unfortunately didn't get much opportunity to assess how the car deals with sharp turns and transitions. But overall I got the impresson the car handles incredibly well despite it's mass.

With limited time, I didn't have much opportunity to explore the myriad M mode settings to obtain a more thorough evaluation of the S63 and the car's dynamics. I suspect the car's dynamics can really be amplified to one's liking through trial and error (something which makes me appreciate the simplicity of the 1M - just get in and drive). Alas, I had to get back to the Welt and didn't have nearly sufficient time to really get to know what is a superlative sedan.

There is no comparing the M5 to the 1M. They are simply different creatures intended for different audiences. The M5 is a remarkable technical achievement, and is probably unrivalled in its segment. But I will be happy to return home in a few days and get back into my baby M; in contradistinction to the M5, the 1M achieves purity through simplicity. It's small, agile and arguably M's most engaging car. For those interested in a dual purpose executive sedan and über sport saloon, however, I can't imagine a better choice than the M5.

[ebeem]

BMW on Demand rocks!!

Great review!

thanks!

[T1T2GRE]

C&D just slammed the new M5 (latest issue). I haven't drive one yet. Is the one with engine acoustics played over the stereo?

[flzrider]

Very well written review.

[b33g33]

Excellent write-up.

I love your phrase "purity through simplicity".

Maybe BMW should hire you to run some of their marketing campaigns.

[b33g33]

Originally Posted by T1T2GRE

C&D just slammed the new M5 (latest issue). I haven't drive one yet. Is the one with engine acoustics played over the stereo?

Didn't they also slam the 1M and the M3 before that?

Honestly, that magazine isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

This is why I stick to online US reviews and UK car mags.

[HERR FSTIR]

It could take a week to figure out the proper settings for one's tastes and driving situation. As such, if a reviewer doesn't spend a great deal of time tweaking the car, the review is suspect (including my own limited review).

I'm not trying to be an apologist for the M5, but simply suggesting to take these reviews with a grain of salt. To my knowledge, the majority of professional M5 reviews have been quite positive, with only a few small gripes.

That being said, if one had to identify a major flaw with the M5 it might be the driver is quite isolated/detached from the driving experience. But isn't that to be expected for all these mega-sports sedans?

Personally I wouldn't ever buy an M5. I prefer small engaging cars like the 1M. But it was special to experience the M5 on its home turf.

[///M1]

Thanks for the eloquent and informative review. I have to say the F10 M5 is the only car giving me the itch right now, and likely my next eventual car purchase. I've always had a thing for 4-door uber-sedans with a manual tranny, and BMW NA is kind enough to offer it to us, likely to go down in history as the last such M5. To this day miss my E39 M5 and hope that the new one lives up to it.

As far as the subpar C&D review, I don't put much credibility in it. For one, the top-3 US rags have lost my trust in recent yrs, these days their reviews are largely sponsorship dollar biased and oft tainted. It is interesting how in the very same issue they rave about the M6... Other than C&D, cannot recall any other magazine, domestic or foreign writing a critical review.