BMW M5 2012 Review

Gone in this generation of 5 Series is the love-it-or-hate-it Chris Bangle styling. Gone too is the peaky 5.0-litre S85 V10 found under the bonnet of the previous generation E60. It’s now replaced by a 90-degree twin-turbocharged V8 developing 412kW/680Nm –- for an improvement of 39kW and 160Nm.

Best yet, the new model is cheaper than its forebear by nearly $12K. It also consumes less fuel and emits fewer grams of CO2 per click...And just wait until you hear it in full stride.

Unfortunately, despite losing its big butt, the M5 has put on a stack of kilos --  now tipping the scale at 1870kg (dry).

Otherwise the itinerary reads much like you’d expect of a car retailing from $230,000.

Standard are satellite navigation, a rear-view camera (with BMW’s clever Surround View system), the aforementioned head-up display, front and rear parking sensors and four-zone climate control. M5 also includes bi-xenon headlamps with adaptive self-levelling and high-beam assist. Heated and ventilated M multi-function front seats, tilt and slide electric sunroof, and Comfort Access keyless entry system are also included.

A high-end DVD and audio package sees M5’s cabin filled with no fewer than 16 speakers, the system also capable of integration with most smartphones via Bluetooth or USB input.

For the first time, too, BMW M5 is also offered with two individually configured set-ups for the car which are accessed via new M Drive buttons on the left-hand upper steering wheel spoke. Six separate parameters (engine, steering, transmission, stability control, suspension and HUD settings) are adjustable by the driver for instant recollection. All can be reconfigured at any time via the iDrive controller on the centre console.

The output figures (412kW/680Nm) represents a better than 10 per cent power improvement over its ten-cylinder predecessor. Torque is up even more – around 30 per cent! BMW’s clever cross-bank exhaust manifold, precise high-pressure direct-injection arrangement and Valvetronic variable valve timing system contributes to a 30 per cent improvement in the car’s combined cycle fuel economy average and CO2 emissions (9.9L/100km and 232g/km).

Smart fuel-efficient technologies (which BMW labels EfficientDynamics) include idle start/stop and a regenerative braking system.

Power is transmitted to the rear-wheels via a multi-mode seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and an electronically-controlled multi-plate limited-slip differential. BMW says the M-Differential can separate drive 0:100 left to right, and vice-versa. Traction and stability control can also be inhibited through a variety of settings, or disabled entirely -- should you be brave enough.

A manual version of the M5 will be offered but it will be limited to the US market only.

Behind double-spoke 20-inch forged alloy wheels are compound-construction disc brakes measuring 400 x 36mm up front and 396 x 24mm at the rear. These are grabbed by six-piston fixed callipers fore and single-pot units aft. The M5 is shod with Michelin Pilot SuperSport rubber measuring 265/35 at the front and 295/30 at the rear.

Rubber is kept to road via double wishbone suspension at front and an integrated (multilink) axle rear, the aluminium arrangement “honed at the Nurburgring”, BMW says. Damping is electronic controlled through three settings: Comfort, Sport and Sport + offering varying, and rather self-explanatory levels of support.

Thankfully, BMW has retained its sweet, hydraulically-assisted rack and pinion steering arrangement on M5, even if it is controlled by an electronic brain. The car offers a kerb-to-kerb turning circle of 12.6 metres.

BMW’s corporate double-kidney grille is filled with broadly spaced vertical black slats, which sit atop a trio of air intakes fitted in the lower part of the front apron. The Bavarian marque's famed quad headlamp arrangement is met by a bonnet contoured in a ‘V’ shape that extends aft from the centrally placed blue and white badge to the outboard edges of the windscreen.

In profile the long bonnet is complemented by a similarly long wheelbase and set-back passenger compartment, the glasshouse of which is framed by a high-gloss black surround. Pumped wheel arches exaggerate the fine spoked 20-inch forged alloy wheels and lowered stance, while the front quarter panels are punctuated by the M division's trademark gills.

Bodywork is creased subtly but effectively along the horizontal shoulder line in a more elegant approach to the dramatic bulges and folds of its predecessor.

At the rear, a horizontal crease line give the M5 what BMW says is a wide, sporty stance. The ‘L’ shaped taillamps sit atop a subtle diffuser incorporated into the lower edge of the rear apron. It is flanked on each side by a twin exhaust outlet. On the bootlid, a small Gurney flap (spoiler) reduces lift at higher speeds.

Inside, the decor fuses race-themed garnishes with the executive feel of the regular 5 Series. A dark ceiling and M Sport seats upholstered in Merino leather, are contrasted by aluminium trim highlights which, on the dashboard, flank a 10.2-inch centrally-mounted colour display.

The instrument cluster features black-panel technology but retains the familiar BMW circular dials with red needles over white backlighting. An M leather-bound steering wheel incorporates paddle shifters and multifunction buttons for cruise control, the audio system, Bluetooth telephone and aforementioned M Drive buttons. We love the blue and red stitching.

The new M5 measures 4910mm in length, 1891mm in length and 1456mm in height and rides on a wheelbase measuring 2964mm. Luggage capacity is 520 litres, expandable via split-fold rear seats.

For more information on the cooking model 5 Series models check out our international launch coverage and local tests.

The high-strength body utilises a combination of aluminium, high-tensile, and ultra-high-tensile steels around “precisely defined zones” which include its load-bearing structures, rigid passenger cell and crash deformation paths. Optional safety equipment includes Lane Change and Lane Departure warning systems, and BMW’s Night Vision technology.
 

As noted on a recent comparison [the results of which will be published shortly], and in comparison to the Mercedes-Benz, Jag’s XFR is surprisingly supple, easier to handle, and accelerates effortlessly to quickly broach the national speed limit. The car communicates freely with the driver and, to us at least, is also more elegant than its slab-sided opponent, boasting sinewy lines and aggressive proportions. It is not, however, as communicative or as natural as the M5, especially at the speeds encountered on track.

The Mercedes-Benz on the other hand is, much like the M5 -- tighter, razor-sharp in response and relentless in its pursuit of speed. Its numb interaction, especially through the steering, can at times detract from its intuitive reflexes, but the latest chassis technology and AMG’s standard electronic ensemble ensure the assertive driver wants for nothing. In this way, the Mercedes-Benz is a closer competitor to the M5.

Much like the Mercedes-Benz, the new M5 is sharp, precise and has an innate feel for the road. Unlike the Merc, however, the M5 masks none of these feelings from the driver.

It is, however, worth noting that the Jag is significantly cheaper than either the Mercedes-Benz or the BMW, even if it does output less power and torque, and is slower (by a mere half second) to 100km/h.

Audi is expected to launch an RS-badged version of its new A6 family – that should keep the M5 honest but it's still a WIP. So too perhaps the most interesting car to enter the class – Lexus' much-rumoured GS F.

Like the M3 and 1 Series M Coupe below it, the new M5 is more about the experience behind the wheel. That sense of oneness with the vehicle that comes in so few cars. And to its credit, M5 delivers an experience that’s so very unexpected of what’s essentially a souped-up family sedan. And just a little bit special.

It’s not a track car, per se, but it conducted itself with exceptional poise at Phillip Island. The stiff chassis and clever damping communicated instantly with the driver, ensuring that from the get-go the Bavarian business jet feels and responds readily to every input.

The M5's significant output is easily accessible. From just off idle to 7000rpm, the twin scroll turbochargers deliver an effortlessly progressive surge that arrives uninterrupted at the rear wheels.

The seven-speed transmission occasionally shows a reluctance to shift, perhaps overruled by its electronic brain in the interests of self-preservation.

Otherwise, it’s a terrific box of cogs, well matched to the wide variety of situations the car is likely to encounter. This, however, can mean the driver will need to predetermine their settings in advance to make sure the transmission is in its optimum state of readiness for the task at hand. Even manual mode presented the occasional hesitation when operating at its limit.

With the stability control system on, or indeed in half-way mode, traction is feverishly interrupted by the sheer pace at which the M5’s 680Nm arrive at the rear wheels -- BMW Driver Training boss Geoff Brabham having no problem in demonstrating the car’s drift prowess in the launch track day’s latter stages.

Powering into some of the Island’s harder corners M5’s gigantic stoppers buzz and hum as the car squirms to maintain its balance. Speed washes off with the same dramatic tempo with which it arrived. Despite our near-relentless hour on track, they just didn’t seem to fade.

M5’s hydraulic steering is precise and communicates a level of feel its nearest rival has now lost. But keeping the car pointed in its intended direction is as much about fine throttle control as steering. Roll off too early and the M5 will understeer, even if only just. Get on the throttle too hard and you’ll be met by a blinking yellow light on the dash or, a fit of smoke and tyre howl.

Although measuring the gains in M5’s impressive fuel economy are impossible (or should that be pointless) on track, it’s worth noting the trip computer showed 263km to empty after what can only be described as an enthusiastic day at the Island.

If we could pay the M5 one final compliment it would be not only that it is a truly well balanced and unquestionably well performing sports sedan, but one that hasn’t forgotten how to conjure the senses of its driver.

The crisp bass note of the exhaust... The crackling and blurting as you shift the paddles up and down. The subtle whine from the turbochargers... The rush of air through the plenums as the car draws breath from the quickly closing horizon... And the finesse and feel of a heavy frame made right by its maker’s many years of trial and tinkering... All of these and amazing attention to mechanical detail combine to make the M5 the benchmark by which other executive class performance sedans need to be measured. For the time being at least...