BMW boosts M5

Just days after we drove it in Portugal, BMW Australia has announced the new 423kW Competition Package for its facelifted M5 will come standard in Australia.

Priced at $229,500 plus on-road costs ($400 more than before), first examples of the more powerful M5 will land here in mid-September, setting up an epic showroom tussle with the facelifted E 63 AMG, which arrives the same month.

Pricing for the latter was announced in March at $249,900 plus ORCs, which is $9500 more than the E 63 AMG it replaces.

However, despite costing $8500 less than the superseded E 63 AMG Performance Pack sedan, which accounted for 80 per cent of E 63 sales, the Mercedes-AMG’s latest large sedan comes as standard in a single rear-wheel drive ‘S’ variant, powered by an upgraded 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 producing 430kW and 800Nm.

That makes it 20kW/80Nm more than the upgraded E 63 Performance Pack (410kW/720Nm) and 62kW/100Nm more than the outgoing standard E 63 (368kW/700Nm) – enough to accelerate it to 100km/h in a claimed 4.1 seconds.

Mercedes says the 2013 E 63 AMG S sedan’s increased standard specifications -- including the addition of full LED headlights, Driver Assistance Package PLUS, Active Park Assist and rear diff lock -- makes it about $20,000 better value than before.

While that makes it one-tenth quicker to 100km/h than Australia’s standard 2013 M5 (which also remains rear-drive, but with 11kW more peak power sprints to 100km/h one-tenth sooner than the model it replaces, in 4.2 seconds), BMW says the Competition Package is more about cornering and that the facelifted M5 also brings a host of new standard features that were previously options.

They include new adaptive LED headlights with automatic high-beam, automatic soft-close doors and a powered bootlid – in addition to upgrades across the facelifted 5 Series range, including DAB+ digital radio and a revised satellite-navigation system with a new touchpad alongside the familiar iDrive controller.

Like lesser 5 Series models, the top-shelf M5 also comes with a range of cosmetic tweaks, including new-look bumpers and tail-lights with thin LED light strips.

Specific to the latest M5is a new set of 20-inch M light-alloy wheels, a new M leather steering wheel, more chrome trim and a larger centre console, while three new exterior paint colours will also be available, including Pure Metal Silver, Pyrite Brown metallic and Frozen Blue metallic (pictured).

But the headline act here is the highest-output version of BMW M’s 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 yet seen, offering the same 680Nm of torque as before but now delivered across a wider rev range – between 1500 and 6000rpm.

Still fitted as standard with a seven-speed M-DCT dual-clutch automatic transmission, the most formidable factory M5 also sits 10mm lower than before and features stiffer anti-roll bars and sharper active M rear differential and M servotronic (hydraulic) power steering systems.

Despite all this and tweaks to the exhaust system to deliver a better note from the twin black outlets, official combined fuel consumption remain at 9.9L/100km.

Also continuing unchanged is a rich list of standard equipment, including automatic radar cruise control, a head-up display, surround view camera, a 16-speaker 600-Watt sound system, Bluetooth streaming, on-board internet, digital TV, four-zone climate-control, heated/ventilated front seats and front/rear parking sensors.

Naturally, also continuing are M-specific chassis components, including 400mm front brake discs with six-piston callipers and primarily aluminium double-wishbone front suspension with four-wheel Dynamic Damper Control.

“The BMW M5 was the first vehicle to create this segment and for almost 30 years it has set the standard in it,” said BMW Group Australia Managing Director Phil Horton.

“Now, with enhanced styling, packaging and performance the bar has been raised even higher.”

First drive review of BMW M5 Competition Pack

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